Eastern Orthodox Easter celebrates the Resurrection of Christ with deep traditions dating back to the Byzantine period.

In Greece, Easter or Pascha is the most important religious holiday of the year: a period of solemnity, renewal, and reflection leading to the joyous culmination of the Easter day celebration. Each day of lent follows a story- the 40 days preceding the Resurrection of Christ- across a tapestry of rich and colourful traditions deeply rooted in symbolism, history, reverence and community. 

The 40 Days Before

Lent, or Sarakosti in Greek Orthodoxy, is a season of preparation and introspection. A quieter cadence of daily life slowly takes hold, with shared traditions spreading from the mainland to the islands in anticipation of Pascha. Clean Monday marks the start of the Great Lent, and the beginning to the great fast. Children fly kites hillside or seaside symbolising the soul’s ascension into heaven and above earthly matters. Families, friends and neighbours share plates like taramosalata, a traditional Greek meze made from cured fish roe, Gigantes or large beans, horta (boiled, wild greens), and seafood. Lagana, a special flatbread baked only on that day, is also shared amongst family and friends over bustling tables or picnic blankets.

Greek Lenten meals are full of simpler meals spanning centuries, centered on fasting and obstinance. This diet is plant-based, free from meat, dairy, eggs, and fish focusing on a traditional diet of vegetables and shellfish. Popular dishes include Ladera or oil-based vegetable meals, lentils, chickpea stew, and briam, roasted vegetables and grilled octopus. 

One week before Easter, Palm Sunday draws crowds spilling out of churches to honour Jesus’ joyful entry into Jerusalem. Historically, palm branches represented victory and triumph in Roman culture, signifying Christ’s victory over death. Small woven palm crosses are given to those attending. Although falling during the Lenten season, the fast is broken as families gather after the service to eat dishes like fried cod and skordalia, a traditional garlic sauce.

Holy Week: The Final 7 Days

Holy Week, or Megali Evdomda, brings daily liturgical services signifying the final seven days of Christ’s life. Holy Thursday honours the last supper and the long and solemn service of the Twelve Gospels. Grandmothers, mothers and daughters gather in the kitchen to dye red eggs, traditionally boiled in a colouring made of coffee, vinegar, onion skins, turmeric, beetroot, or the rizari plant. Known as Kokkinoftfti, a play on “Red Thursday”, eggs can be dyed only on Holy Thursday, preceding the crucifixion and symbolising the sealed tomb of Christ. According to Melbourne’s Hellenic Museum, women in Northern Greece use a tool called a kondili to paint intricate flowers, leaves and designs using beeswax. Although there are varying stories around the significance of the colour red, for many it represents the sacrifice of Christ on the cross, or as an expression of joy for the resurrection. 

Across Greece, women bring flowers like roses and lemon blossoms to the nearby churches in the evening to prepare to adorn the Epitaphios, meaning “on the tomb.” in anticipation of Good Friday. 

The Epitaphios

The Epitaphios is a sacred, richly embroidered cloth icon depicting the crucifixion and representing Christ’s burial. Laid in a Kouvouklion, an elaborately carved wood-shaped canopy, young girls called Myrofores or “Myrrh-bearing women,” dress in white and decorate what represents the tomb of Christ. Women young and old carefully crowd around, laying vibrant flowers in crevices of the Kouvouklion creating a sea of sweeping red, purple, white and pink- sprinkled with rosewater- symbolising burial spices in the Gospel. 

Good Friday is the deepest day of mourning in the Greek church. The strictest day of fasting known as the “black fast,” it is not uncommon for older generations or the most devout to abstain from all food and drink for the entirety of the day. Church bells sound from dawn to dusk, with the candlelight procession of the Epitaphios beginning in the evening, where it is lifted on the shoulders of priests or churchgoers and carried through the streets in a funeral-like procession, weaving through the alleys and narrow passages of the neighbourhood. Crowds spill out under the stars in the chilly spring evening, carrying the glow of lit candles as they trail the procession in reverence.

In Hydra, the Epitaphios is carried into the sea in the fishing village of Kaminia to bless both the waters and the boats of the harbor. On Pyrgos, Santorini, thousands of lanterns line rooftops and walls bouncing sparkling beams of light into the darkness. 

Anastasi: Light Across Greece

On Holy Saturday morning, the mood is lighter with a palpable sense of expectation as Easter is coming. On the island of Corfu, locals throw large clay pots called Botides from their balconies to symbolise the end of lent and the casting away of darkness. Folegandros uniquely honours the Virgin Mary through a procession through the island, with locals preparing and cleaning their homes in anticipation. 

The Anastasi, or Resurrection, represents the victory of light over darkness. Holy Saturday begins with the transfer of the Resurrection flame from the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. After arriving in Athens by a special charter plane, it’s then dispersed throughout Greece via commercial flights, ferries, and land to reach even the most remote villages and areas. At midnight, a priest brings forward this flame to the congregation. The words “Christos Anesti!” (Christ is Risen), are rejoicingly proclaimed, to which the crowd joyfully responds, “Alithos Anesti!” (Truly He Has Risen!). 

From darkness there is light, as the eruption of the sweetest joy and celebration spreads throughout the crowds. On the island of Zakynthos, white doves are released from the church top at midnight, after the first bell sounds on Holy Saturday. On Kalymnos, the sound of dynamite can be heard for miles, a tradition unique to the area.

Across Greece, the moment of the Resurrection takes on unique beauty. In Athens, the chapel of Agios Georgios on Lycabettus Hill brings breathtaking views of the city, glittering in anticipation. Thessaly’s Agios Stefanos Monastery high atop the cliffs of Meteora offer a sight unseen. In Leonidio, Arcadia, colourful paper lanterns are lit and released into the sky, an Asian tradition that local sailors are believed to have experienced in their travels. 

Arriving home from church with their candles still alight, people smudge the sign of the cross three times above their front door to bless their house with the light of the resurrection. They feast on the traditional midnight dinner of Magiritsa, marking the end of Lent. Made with lamb offal, herbs, and rice, it prepares the stomach for the Easter feast, as people gather and younger generations join their friends at the club or local bar to begin the Easter celebration. 

Food as Memory and Meaning

The cooking, ingredients, and recipes passed down from generation to generation are what make Greek culture rich and full of deep significance. Greek Orthodox Lent centers around vegetables and shellfish during the 40-day Lenten period, and richer meals for the Easter feast. 

Lambrokouloura – Popular in the Peloponnese, Messinia and Laconia regions, this sweet Easter bread with spices like anise or orange zest is customarily made on Holy Thursday and often baked in a horseshoe or ring shape. 

Tsoureki – Made with mahlepi, a spice from ground cherry seeds, and mastiha, this sweet braided Greek Easter bread symbolises rebirth. It is typically baked on Holy Thursday to mark the end of Lenten fasting, with modern bakeries often glazing loaves with chocolate or a sprinkle of citrus fruit. 

Lamb – Easter Sunday’s lamb is sacrifice and tradition, representing the “Lamb of God,” and often roasted whole in villages, and seasoned with oregano and olive oil. 

Koulourakia – Popular in Crete and the broader Aegean region, Koulourakia are traditional Greek Easter cookies symbolizing joy and renewal. Their braided shapes represent eternity. 

Kokoretsi – Lamb offal wrapped in intestines, roasted over the fire, and grilled alongside the lamb, often as a meze while the lamb roasts. 

The Easter Table

Joyful gatherings across Greece mark the two-day holiday as Pascha has finally arrived. Early on Easter morning, a pit is dug and a charcoal fire is lit. The lamb is set on the spit and turned slowly over the coals for hours, a ritual as much as a meal, drawing people together throughout the day. Families gather amid the strum of the bouzouki, singing folk songs native to the area, as outdoor tables are cluttered with dish after dish. Glasses of Tsipouro, similar to moonshine, spill out onto the tablecloth as long, unhurried meals unfold. It is a day of life, renewal, and togetherness. 

On the islands and areas of the mainland, the celebration spills into public spaces, centering around panigiria, a festival of dancing set against a backdrop of Nisitoika (island) music and a shared, communal spirit. Wherever you are in Greece, the scent of spring citrus, smoky lamb, and charcoal karvouna drifts through trees and courtyards. Tsougrisma, or egg tapping, is a common game played throughout the day, the red-dyed eggs cracked with another’s representing the cracking of Christ’s tomb. The one whose egg remains unbroken is believed to have luck for the year ahead.

In Southern Thessaly, the “Double Dance” unfolds in village squares on Easter Sunday, with the priest leading and the community joining in. On the island of Skyros, sunrise brings the celebration of the Resurrection. Spirited gatherings of music and fellowship are accompanied by lamb slow-cooked in clay ovens, ready to be devoured. 

Easter in Greece blends faith and identity, stretching across generations and regions and strengthened by a shared religious tradition. It is a moment of unity, sweet joy, Christ’s Resurrection, and the enduring bonds of history, tradition and family. 

Main Image by Panos 

Christina Loridas: Find her at christinaloridas.com | @christina.creative