When in Greece… exchange Easter wishes like a Greek! Easter wishes are a bit complicated and depend on whether they are exchanged before of after Jesus Resurrection.
In the average Greeks wish Καλό Πάσχα! Kalo Pascha! Happy Easter! from Palm Sunday until Good Wednesday or Good Thursday.
From Good Thursday noon until Good Saturday before Jesus Resurrection at midnight you will hear Καλή Ανάσταση! Kali Anastasi! Happy Resurrection!
When the Holy Light comes out of the church, everyone has liten the white candle with the Holy Light, and priests and the crowd praise in one voice “Χριστός Ανέστη εκ νεκρών! Christos Αnesti ek nekron! Christ is Risen from the dead!” thus kissing each other, the wish exchange is
Χριστός Ανέστη! Christos Anesti Christ is Risen!
To Christ is Risen one replies either with Χριστός Ανέστη! or with Aληθώς Aνέστη! Alithos Anesti! Truly He is Risen!
If all these wishes are too complicated to keep in mind or to speak out, just stay with the all occasions classic:
Χρόνια Πολλά! Chronia Polla! Many Happy Years!
Eventually you can also stick to “Kalo Pascha!” – if you’re foreigner, Greeks would appreciate your Greek efforts anyway.
Καλό Πάσχα! Καλή Ανάσταση!
Easter Sunday is on May 1st 2016.
How about καλές γιορτές (kales yiortes = literally happy holidays) – especially if you don’t believe in Christ and all the stuff?
hm… very rare..