Do you know that you need to go to Greece for Easter? More specifically, Corfu or Kerkyra - this is how the island is called by the connoisseurs of Greek holidays and simply gourmet tourists who are in love with the beautiful corners of the world, “seasoned” with unusual traditions.
Corfu or Kerkyra is truly the most "Easter" place in the world. Those who live in Greece also think so - from the beginning of The Holy Week, crowds of pilgrims (and fun lovers) from all over the country come to the island.
It all starts on Holy Thursday. Some focus on the sacraments of prayer, but most residents (and owners of cozy cafes, restaurants and hotels) are getting ready with might and main - they paint eggs and bake tsoureki. Tsoureki is the famous Greek Easter cake, it is baked according to a unique recipe.
Moreover, all the preparations are accompanied by music - at every crossroad you will see and hear philharmonic orchestras, this is also part of Corfu's Easter.
By the way, you can send tsoureki and eggs to any nearby monastery on Thursday - there is no tradition of consecrating delicious dishes in Corfu, they are simply cooked and eaten with soul.
The epitaphios procession takes place on Holy Friday evening
This is a traditional procession of clergy and believers, it begins with the singing of a special mournful canon. Exciting strict music sounds everywhere this evening, even in supermarkets.
Famous orchestras also play in the streets of the Old City. The military personnel of the Corfu naval base also participate in the procession, this also looks majestic.
On Holy Saturday, the procession of St. Spyridon takes place.
On Saturday, tourists flock to Liston Street as early as 5 am! Remember that the Venetian rule lasted in Corfu until 1797, before the arrival of the French. Later, however, they also briefly left Corfu, but in 1807 Napoleon Bonaparte himself returned and built Liston Street. All the important processions and concerts take place here.
In the Liston cafes all Easter dishes will be unique. The lights will change to red.
The inhabitants of Corfu splendidly honor St. Spyridon Trimifuntsky four times a year. It is here, in Kerkyra, in a silver sarcophagus, that the relics of the saint rest, which even people who are far from the subtleties of Orthodoxy know about. It is customary to remember the intercession of St. Spiridon when preparing for an important deal.
At 9 am, the procession begins with the relics of the patron saint of the island from the temple of St. Spyridon to the main square of Spianada. The procession is, of course, also accompanied by the music of orchestras. At 11 am, the bells will ring, the inhabitants of the Old City will hang red cloths on the windows and start throwing red pots filled with water right out of the windows.
On the pots it is written “Kalo Pascha! (Happy Easter!) ”, and tourists and pilgrims rush to the fragments - you must definitely take one as a talisman. By the way, this tradition, as well as the unique architecture of the Old Town, was inherited from the dominion of Venice.
The Easter service will start at 23:00. On Spianada you can buy candles, congratulate anyone you meet with the words "Christos Anesti!" and go to eat the traditional magiritsa. This is an Easter soup made from sheep's liver with spices, which is prepared differently in all cafes and restaurants. And the very next day, on Sunday, you will be offered a traditional Easter lamb on a spit.
Photo source: indicator.gr