This weekend is Greek Orthodox Easter.
Easter is big for Greeks, even more important than Christmas.
The traditions associated are elaborate and interesting.
Saturday night is mass when everybody must go to church.
The parade through the streets of the priest leading a procession of sarcophagus and icons and banners is awesome.
Upon returning to the church, the midnight mass culminates in the ritual of the resurrection where the holy light, a symbol of Jesus emerging from the tomb is given by the priest to the crowd, the flame spreads from one person to another by candles until the whole scene is lit up magically with the flicker of thousands of candles.
The roasting of the lamb on the spit forms the center of activities on Sunday with celebrations including the greeting Hristos Anesti (Christ has arisen) and the joyful breaking of the red painted eggs.
2 comments:
Looks like a good time.
I enjoy going to the Greek place near my house because they celebrate with the traditional foods, music costumes and dancers.
Greek Easter looks a lot cooler than our Easter. The pastels, hunt for eggs and chocolate bunnies got tedious for me at the age of 5.
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