Saturday––Jeff
Over
the years I’ve written about the traditions of Greek Easter many times. This year I decided to let someone else
describe those celebrations. I found
that explanation on the Facebook page of the oldest Greek Bakery in
Queens--located in the NYC heart of America’s best-known Greek neighborhood,
Astoria. Here’s what the Victory Sweet
Shop has to say:
For
Greeks worldwide, Easter (April 16th) is the biggest religious holiday of the
year.
HOLY
WEEK is the week just before Easter that extends from Palm Sunday until Holy
Saturday and marks the last week of Lent. It is full of symbolic events,
festivities, and traditions followed by Greeks all over the world.
On
THURSDAY, Greek Easter bread called Tsoureki is baked and the traditional red
Easter eggs are dyed. This sweet bread is usually braided with three pieces of
dough, which represent the Holy Trinity. The tsoureki symbolizes the
Resurrection of Christ and rebirth as the flour is molded into shape and rises
and takes on life as it transforms into its final shape. The red-dyed egg which
is placed on top of the braid symbolizes the blood of Jesus. Nowadays, most
people can easily buy the Easter Tsoureki at a Greek bakery.
On
GOOD FRIDAY you’ll hear the church bells ring for the funeral of Christ. After
the church service, the symbolic body of Christ, fashioned out of bundled
sheets, is taken down from a cross and placed in a makeshift tomb called the
Epitaphios, which is draped with an ornate tapestry and adorned with many
flowers. The Epitaphios is then carried outside the church and paraded through
the neighborhood before returning to the church for a closing ceremony.
SATURDAY
is the last day of lent and it is filled with preparations for the midnight
meal, including a traditional lamb offal soup called “Magiritsa” and a red egg
cracking tradition called “Tsougrisma”. Just before midnight on Saturday
everyone gathers at church with their Easter candles (Lambathes). The liturgy
on Holy Saturday night is a truly unique experience. The churches are usually
packed, and you will often see people spilling onto the church’s streets with
white candles, which will be lit later with the Holy Light brought all the way
from Jerusalem.
The
Resurrection of Christ is celebrated at midnight sharp; the priest proclaims
“Christos Anesti” (Christ has risen) with bells ringing and fireworks lighting
up the sky outside. People greet each other with a “Christos Anesti” (Christ is
Risen) and its reply “Alithos Anesti” (He has truly risen), lighting their
candles along the way. Each person carefully carries their lit candle home in
order to bless their home by drawing a cross with the flame on the doorway.
Afterwards, they enjoy the Magiritsa soup and play the Tsougrisma tradition.
On
EASTER SUNDAY, family and friends gather for a big Easter meal, which typically
includes lambs roasting on a spit, loads of mezedakia, Greek salads, music
& dancing. The Easter meal is truly special and a feast of joy and
happiness.
Kali
Anastasi!!! Καλή Ανάσταση!!!
Happy
Easter!!! Καλό Πάσχα!!!
Thank
you, Victory Sweet Shop
––Jeff
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536870145 1107305727 0 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:swiss;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-536859905 -1073732485 9 0 511 0;}@font-face
{font-family:"Times New Roman (Body CS)";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-pitch:auto;
mso-font-signature:0 0 0 0 0 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0in;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-font-kerning:1.0pt;
mso-ligatures:standardcontextual;}a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
mso-themecolor:hyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink;
text-decoration:underline;
text-underline:single;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
All Rights Reserved Book Blog