Edited by IL MIO VIAGGIO IN GRECIA – GREEK EASTER IN CORFÙ
As is well known, for our Greek friends, the most important religious holiday of the year is Easter, which, unlike “Catholic” Easter, follows the Julian calendar (exclusively for the counting regarding Easter).
In recent years, however, in Hellenic lands, in order to allow us all to celebrate Easter together, even Catholics, while following the Gregorian calendar, are celebrated the two feasts on the same day, obviously “commanding” the date of the Orthodox Easter.
After this small but necessary introduction, let us now go to see what is characteristic about Easter on the island of Corfu.
Our beloved island is known all over the world for the great “folklore” and tradition it surrounds itself with during Holy Week, and now we are going to see it all, day by day.
As early as Monday of Holy Week (Monday, April 29 this year), the island begins its metamorphosis, and a prime example of this is the fact that on all the lanterns present-especially in Kerkyra Town-the bulbs are replaced with as many with a purple hue. The choice of the color purple is, clearly, not random, but is dictated by the fact that in the Christian religion, Catholic and Orthodox, it represents the color of the “Passion of Christ.”
On Holy Tuesday, celebrations in the purely ecclesiastical sphere take on special connotations. What do I mean by this? On this day, the priests, during the daily services, recite a particular Byzantine hymn, known as the “Troparium of Kassani,” named after the Byzantine poetess Kassani, author of many writings and texts so profound and evocative that they have been adopted by the Greek Orthodox Church.
We mention Wednesday for the sake of completeness, but it is not a particular day for Holy Week, however one might come across, around the island, concerts of a religious nature, scattered here and there.
Maundy Thursday, as we know, is the prelude to the Easter weekend celebrations. Very particular is the reading of the Gospels that is done in the island’s Catholic cathedral (as mentioned earlier, in Greece, the two Easter anniversaries are celebrated at the same time). Why is it particular? Because 12 excerpts from the Gospels are read, clearly all pertaining to the passion of Christ. The reading is done in a very evocative manner, and at the end of each passage read, a votive candle is blown out. Thursday is also the day when the people begin dyeing their eggs red. (If you want to learn more about it, you can find the article about it here ). We have come, then, to Good Friday. I tell you right away, the best thing to do on this day is to walk around Corfu Town in the afternoon. Why do I say this? Simple, because in the alleys of the old town, throughout the afternoon, you will be able to come across the many processions, accompanied by bands, that go through the town.
At 10:00 p.m., to conclude the afternoon of processions, the last one starts, which is accompanied by the philharmonic orchestra, and is, moreover, the largest on the entire island and carries the epitaph of Mitropolis.
Reading so far one might ask, and what is so special about it? Son good or bad traditions common to Catholic and Greek Easter as well. Right, but the good stuff comes right now. We have come to Holy Saturday, the day of “folklore,” the day when people come from all over Greece and the world (and I can confirm this considering that we personally met people from Sweden and Denmark). The reason lies all in one event: THE LAUNCH OF BOTIDES. The launching of botides is a highly anticipated and totally unique moment. What happens. From the balconies and windows of all the houses located in the “Spianada Square” area, “Botides,” or earthenware jugs, painted red and decorated on the occasion of Easter (the larger ones filled with water to increase the force of the “bang” on the ground) are thrown. Why does this occur? It is, precisely, a tradition linked to folklore and “adopted” from the Venetian custom of throwing “old things” out of windows on the arrival of the New Year.
Clearly, during this day, there is not only this folklore aspect, but on the island there are the latest processions and ecclesiastical celebrations.
The throwing of the botides officially begins the end of the time of mourning and the beginning of the festivities related to the imminent resurrection of Christ.
On the evening of Holy Saturday, sometime between 11 p.m. and midnight, “resurrection celebrations” take place in all the churches on the island. The most characteristic is the one that takes place in Spianada Square, in the orchestra box. At the moment of the resurrection, after the bishop’s blessing, the celebration starts with fireworks to frame the celebration.
We have arrived, thus, at Greek Easter Sunday (Sunday, May 5, 2024 this year). What happens on this day? Well, in all the churches the resurrection procession takes place (processions again? Eh yes, they are a must at Easter), processions that, of course, are accompanied by the various marching bands!
From a gastronomic point of view, the Corfiot tradition once called for a lemon and egg soup, known as avgolemono, to be eaten at the table, accompanied by various kinds of meat. Today, however, one can witness, as early as the morning, and even on the street, the sight of mega skewers cooking lamb to your heart’s content, whether passing by a tavern or looking out over the homes of Corfiots. What would Easter be without lamb?
Of course, it doesn’t end there! Remember the red-colored eggs we talked about in Maundy Thursday? Here, we challenge each other, at the table, with them, to the sound of “staking,” through a nice little game to entertain young and old alike.
Easter Sunday, then, is spent among food, music and clearly good wine, and continues, in the same way, the following day, the day that “closes” Holy Week.
And now, after reading how Easter is celebrated in Corfu, didn’t you feel like booking a stay with us?
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