EASTER IN GREECE

On Holy Friday, church bells tall all over the country. In the Friday evening the women and children walk around the streets singing and decorating Epitaph with flowers and a lot of roses. Late in the evening of Holy Saturday a lot of people follow the service outside from the large microphones. Before the midnight bells starts to tall fireworks go off leaving spirals of smoke and this is the time we say ‘’ Christos Anestis ‘’. It is ready to eat the Mayiritsa in the house. On Easter Sunday people early to cook lamb and Kokoretsi. Loud music and singing complete a traditional Easter.

People celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy week people stay away from meat so that their soul is clean until Sunday the day of the resurrection. Every day of this week has a special meaning. Especially on Thursday traditional house wives dye the eggs in red color which symbolizes the rebirth of the life self. And then comes the Easter Sunday when all the Greek put a lamb to the spit or the oven.

The second week of Easter is called Eater week and beginning with Easter Sunday. The Christian Eater is a moveable feast. Also the meaning of love and a offer of ourselves for the benefit of many. It is the celebration because Christ him shelf was resounded the suffering of Christ. In the church read the 12 gospels while at home make sweets Easter buns and cookies and red eggs. Holly Saturday ends the fasting of Lent and returning home to eat the soup and click red eggs.

EASTER IN CYPRUS

 

Easter is the greatest holiday in the Orthodox Church. At seaside preparations for Palm Sunday can be seen from the previous Friday. In the coffee shops, fisherman sit and plait intricate ‘’ vanes ‘’ palm leaf flowers holders witch when finished, resemble little swallow nests perched on sticks. These and the young children fill them with flowers and take them to church in Palm Sunday when they follow the icon of Christ around the church a procession commemorating , Christ’s entry into Jerusalem .On Thursday most women do their Easter baking ‘’flounces’’ , a kind of cheese , egg and mint filling , formed into triangular shapes. ’’Koulouris’’ ‘’Tyropites ‘’. Traditionally they are dyed red with a special rood called ‘’ rizari ’’ , that is sold in bundles at the market during these days . Good Friday begins with everyone talking flowers to church so that the young girls can decorate the ‘’ Epitaph ‘’ Holy   Sepulcher. This in our church is a four – postured litter with a canopy which the icon of Christ is laid in state. At lunch the Traditional ‘’Faki Xidaki ‘’ – vinegar and lentil soup - is eaten, containing vinegar because it is said that when Christ asked for water on his way Caralgy he was given vinegar instead. From early afternoon you will see streams of cars and pedestrians going from church to church to play their last respects to Christ.

In the meantime along the ‘Epitaph’ will  pass in the solemn procession  later than night  are being  decorated  with  colored lights .Saturday is a  quiet day ,all   though  there  is a  sermon  towards  lunchtime  during  which  the  church  doors are  banged  and  candleholders   shaken  when  the  news is  brought  that         Christ  is no  longer  in His grave. On Sunday morning  most  people  who  have  not  taken  Holy Communion  during  the  Holy Week  take it now  and afterwards they  go  home, where red eggs are cracked, flounces eaten and the fast broken.

In many Usages it is also the custom on Easter Monday

The young people celebrate  by hanging up (souses) swings for this purpose young men and girls hang ropes from trees and white the girls swing ,they sing gay songs or love songs or teasing songs called (Tchatismata) rhymes These  rhymes are made up at every festive occasion and there are even professionals who sing them.

EASTER TRADITIONS IN CYPRUS

On Holy Thursday flavones are bake. Flavones are made of short crust with cheese, egg, raisins, and mint faying, formed into triangular and shapes.

On Holy Thursday eggs are boiled and dyed red to symbolize .Christies blood from the cross, with a special root called(rizari)

The real sermon of ressurredion happens at midnight. Everybody goes to church and celebrates the resurrection of Christ. During the midnight sermon, candles are lit by the holy light and people are costumed to take the Holy Light at their houses for blessing.

Judas, the Christ’s traitor, is burned in the church yard. This is a traditional we call ‘’ Lomratzia ‘’.  Kinds collect wood for weeks to set up an enormous burning spot for Judas.

After the midnight sermon the whole family gathers together for a feast. People eat a special kind of soup called ‘’ avgolemono ‘’

Holy Sunday on Sunday, people crack eggs again. They eat roastedlamd ‘’flounces’’ and drink wine. As they sit at the table one person start creating arhyme for a particular person either to tease him or to show his love to a woman at the table and is obligated to get an answer back on that. This whole process is called ‘’tchatis mat a’’.

On Monday after Easter traditional games are played . Some of them are mentioned below. ‘’Kamilos ‘’  Ziziros  Racing .