Easter in Zakynthos
Lazarus Saturday & Palm Sunday
The Saturday before Holy Week is when the Orthodox Church commemorates one of the major feasts of the year. This day celebrates the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead after he had been lying in the tomb for four days. The feast occurs at the end of the forty days of Lent and is combined with the celebration of Palm Sunday. Baking lazarakia on Lazarus Saturday is a tradition practiced in Greece. Lazarakia are mildly sweet lenten breads made with fragrant spices and shaped to resemble Lazarus wrapped in grave clothes.
Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, which ends on Easter. Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. In Greece, it is customary to eat fish on this day. The Greek Orthodox Church allows the faithful to consume fish, oil, and wine, but not dairy products, eggs, chicken, or red meat, as it is still Sarakosti (the 40-day lenten period). Churches will be decorated, and Greeks will carry palm branches, just as the crowd did when Jesus entered Jerusalem. The faithful are usually given bay leaves and woven palm crosses (vagia). Many people also believe that bay leaves blessed on Palm Sunday, if later burned, can restore health to the sick and safeguard the health of farm animals.
In many places, the vagia is also made in the shape of a fish, as the fish is one of the earliest symbols of Christianity. The first Christians used the word “ΙΧΘΥΣ” (Greek for “fish”), which is said to be an acronym for "Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior" — ΙΧΘΥΣ: Ιησούς Χριστός Θεού Υιός Σωτήρ. You will also hear children singing: «Βάγια, Βάγια των Βαγιών, τρώνε ψάρι και κολιό, κι ως την άλλη Κυριακή με το κόκκινο αυγό!» (Vagia, Vagia ton Vagion, they eat fish and mackerel, and by next Sunday, the red egg!)
Holy (or Great) Thursday
Easter preparations begin on Holy Thursday, when the traditional Easter bread, tsoureki, is baked and eggs are dyed red. Red symbolizes life as well as the blood of Christ. Since ancient times, the egg has represented the renewal of life, and the red eggs convey the message of victory over death. On Holy Thursday evening, church services include a symbolic representation of the Crucifixion, and the period of mourning begins. In many villages -and in cities as well- women remain in church throughout the night in traditional mourning.
Holy (or Great) Friday
The holiest day of Holy Week is Holy Friday. It is a day of mourning and abstention from work, including cooking. It is also the only day of the year when the Divine Liturgy is not read. Flags are flown at half-mast, and church bells toll all day in a slow, mournful tone. Many devout individuals do not cook on Holy Friday - if they do, meals are simple, often boiled in water (without oil) and seasoned with vinegar, such as beans, or thin soups like tahinosoupa, a soup made with tahini (sesame seed paste). Traditionally, women and children bring flowers to the church to decorate the Epitaphio, the symbolic bier of Christ. During the Service of Lamentation, the death of Christ is mourned. The flower-covered Epitaphio, bearing the image of Christ, is carried on the shoulders of the faithful in a solemn procession through the community to the cemetery and back.
Holy (or Great) Saturday
On Holy Saturday, the Eternal Flame is brought to Greece by military jet and distributed to waiting priests, who then carry it to their local churches. The event is always televised, and if there is a threat of bad weather or a delay, the entire country anxiously awaits the flame's safe arrival. On the morning of Holy Saturday, preparations begin for the following day’s Easter feast. Dishes that can be prepared in advance are made, and the traditional mayiritsa soup is cooked, to be eaten after the midnight service.
The midnight Service of the Resurrection is an event attended by nearly everyone who is able, including children, each holding a white candle. Special candles made for Easter are called labatha (lah-BAH-thah), and they are often given as gifts to children from their parents or godparents. These candles can be lavishly decorated with favorite children's heroes or storybook characters and may be as tall as three feet, though the candle itself is usually white. Labatha are used only for this single midnight service. The crowds are so large that churches overflow as anticipation builds. Shortly before midnight, all lights are extinguished, and the church is illuminated only by the Eternal Flame on the altar. When the clock strikes midnight, the priest calls out “Christos Anesti” ("Christ is risen") and passes the flame—the light of the Resurrection—to those closest to him. The flame is then passed from person to person, and before long, the church and its courtyard are filled with flickering candlelight. The night air echoes with the Byzantine chant “Christos Anesti”, and worshippers exchange the “fili tis Agapis” (kiss of Agape) along with joyful wishes. As is tradition, the moment “Christos Anesti” is proclaimed, church bells ring joyfully and continuously. Ships in ports all over Greece sound their horns, floodlights are turned on atop buildings, and fireworks light up the night sky. Once the priest has called out “Christos Anesti,” friends and neighbors greet each other with the same phrase, responding with “Alithos Anesti” (“Truly, He is risen”) or “Alithinos o Kyrios” (“True is the Lord”).
Christos Anesti say: khree-STOHSS ah-NES-tee
Alithos Anesti say: ah-lee-THOHSS ah-NES-tee
Alithinos o Kyrios say: ah-lee-thee-NOHSS o KEE-ree-yohss
It is customary to carry the Eternal Flame home and use it to make the sign of the cross in smoke on the door frame. The smoky cross is left there throughout the year, symbolizing that the light of the Resurrection has blessed the home. The candles are also used to light the family’s icon candelabra and are placed on the table for the midnight meal. The sight of hundreds of candles moving from churches to homes on this night is truly beautiful. Once home, everyone gathers around the table for the traditional meal that breaks the fast. This includes mayiritsa soup, tsoureki (sweet bread), and red-dyed eggs. But before the eggs are eaten, there’s a traditional game: tsougrisma. Holding an egg, you tap its end against the end of your opponent’s egg, trying to crack it. It’s a game enjoyed by both children and adults. Eggs are often prepared in large quantities since the game continues the next day with more friends and family.
Easter Sunday
At dawn (or even earlier) on Easter Sunday, the spits are set in motion and grills are fired up. The customary centerpiece of the day is a whole roasted lamb or goat (kid), symbolizing the Lamb of God. However, many people prefer oven- or stovetop-prepared lamb or kid dishes. Ovens are filled with traditional accompaniments and all the trimmings. Great Greek wines, ouzo, and other drinks flow freely, and preparations for the meal quickly turn into festive celebrations—even before the eating begins. These high-spirited gatherings often last long into the night.
Easter Monday
Another national holiday, Easter Monday is a day to slow down and relax - certainly a day filled with delicious leftovers!
