Greek Orthodox Easter with marvellous customs. Lots of preparations and church going. Wonderful religious hymns. Red eggs, lamb on the spit, roasted kokoretsi, sweet bread. And a special soup on Saturday to end the 40-day long time of lent. Millions of Greeks flock to the churches at midnight holding white candles and receive the “Holy Light” distributed by the priest. Fire crackers rise on the sky, people exchangewishes and kisses. Easter Sunday is devoted to celebrate the win of life over death. And to eat and drink from morning until the evening. Visit family, relatives and friends. Giving and receiving gifts. Excellent Greece holidays in landscapes full of spring scents and festive spirit! On Monday, millions of Greek try to recover from the overeating. In vain. They start to repeat the Sunday-feast all over again.
Greek Taxpayer roasted by EU and IMF
If only there wasn’t this devastating economic crisis and recession…. Religious Resurrection on April 15th, Political Resurrection on May 6th. The upcoming elections top the agenda of every conversation among Greeks. “Which party will you vote?” That’s THE question in Easter 2012. A question that burns on the lips of many Greeks and answers that can trigger a huge dispute. Then many blame socialist PASOK and conservative Nea Dimokratia for the deep economic crisis of the debt-ridden country.
There seems to be an unofficial “ceasefire” between frustrated citizens and politicians. No mass protests on the way. However. Even though this Easter that could help elections candidates with their public relations and pre-elections campaign. Theoretically. Numberous attacks with yogurt and raw eggs hurled by angry citizens on shoulders and heads of politicians have forced the latter to be cautious when it comes to meet the public; their previous voters or future voters.
This year’s traditional cracking of red eggs, the exchange of wishes and the “kiss of love” between politicians and potential voters could really turn ugly with boos and anti-government slogans.
Further reading on Greek Easter customs Here
Καλο Πασχα Χρονια Πολλα απο την Κρητη
Thanks for keeping talking!
Καλο Πασχα επισης! 🙂 thanks for reading KTG!
Καλό Πάσχα, KTG και Χρόνια Πολλά από τη Λακωνία. And let’s hope the lamb will not drown tomorrow in all the rain… Could we please have some austerity on wet weather until after the elections???
Καλο Πασχα και σε εσενα και την οικογενεια σου. I heard you celebrate Easter twice :p. I’m afraid we’ll have lamb soup tomorrowlol
You heard wrong. For me there is just one Easter. This one. And lamb soup is better than beans. Lamb from the oven is also very nice! 😀
BTW, trying to find out how to keep that candle burning in pouring rain and high winds… Guess that will be another year of bad luck… :O
baseless superstition. get a candle lamp with you with the small candle inside – ressaud?
We had no water and almost no electricity this evening. That sets the act of ‘getting the light’ at midnight in a whole new light. 😆
I forgot to wish all the other KTG-readers a good Easter and a long and healthy live.
Many empires have crumbled yet they have left legacies, many cultures have evolved and kept their ethnic pride intact…we Hellenes have been deleted and have become the subject of Global ridicule… It’s time to resurrect Hellas and restore our rightful place on the World throne!! Kalo Pascha se olous!
Nicely put, but this text
gives me the creeps. I hope it is a quote too and not one from Germany…
Καλο Πασχα to all in Greece and let’s hope for better things to come.