Easter in Greece
The most important and important holiday for Christians of all denominations is the Bright Resurrection of Christ, or simply Easter. Naturally, Orthodox Greece is no exception. A lot of beautiful and interesting traditions are associated with these bright days.
Feast of Piracassia
It is difficult to overestimate the contribution that Greece, or rather, the Byzantine or Eastern Roman Empire made to our culture and even to the language. So for the Russian ear the name of the colorful Greek holiday is Piracassia.
Hellenistic Festival in Epidaurus
Perhaps, one of the most significant events in the world of events takes place in a small cozy village, whose name is known today by every schoolboy is Epidaurus. The very village where almost two and a half thousand years ago a grand theater was erected, which hosted the best Greek tragedies and comedies.
New Year in Greece
Preparing for New Year holidays begins in mid-December - in the squares are installed trees, streets and houses are decorated with decorations, garlands. In Greece, Christmas is a special holiday, it is a time of waiting for positive changes in life, parting with bad events of the past.
Feast of Ginaicocracy
Men, tremble! If you are lucky enough to get into the sunny and gracious Greece in the winter January month, then how to drink, you will be fortunate to meet the most desirable holiday of women on March 8, and in local Ginaikratia for the second time a year.
New Year's Day
New Year in Greece is celebrated not only as an ordinary social event, but also as a religious day - St. Basil's Day. This saint, surrounded by modern attributes, reminds Santa Claus, but Basil the Great is a real man who lived in the 4th century AD and preached the Orthodox faith.
On New Year's Day it is also customary to give gifts and mostly they are given to children. On the eve of the holiday the children put their shoes on a prominent place, where loving parents on behalf of St. Basil put gifts and sweets. Another inalienable tradition is the baking of "Vassilopita" bread, in the dough, when hanging, a gold or silver coin is hidden, which goes to the luckiest member of the family.
Medieval festival of roses
The medieval festival of roses is held on the Greek island of Rhodes in the last weekend of May. It appeared recently, in 2006, but already managed to gain immense popularity among tourists and the local population. In the last days of May, the island has wonderful weather, flowers are blossoming everywhere. Rhodes is not accidentally chosen as the venue for the celebration - the symbol of the island is a rose.
The Festival of Roses itself takes place in the old quarters of the city of Rhodes, surrounded by fortified walls .Beautiful buildings of 13-14 centuries seem to transfer the participants of the festival in the Middle Ages .The signal to the beginning of the celebration is the sound of the pipe, to which the cavalry and knights from the castle exit, after which the solemn procession starts moving along the Kavalerov Street..Areas filled with merchants dressed in the manner of medieval, in places you can meet artisans - potters, blacksmiths or weavers .The audience is entertained by fakirs, jugglers, acrobats and jesters .
Hellenic Festival
The annual Hellenic Festival since 1954 is held in the city of Epidaurus, the oldest Greek settlement .It begins on the last Friday of June, and ends on the first Saturday of August .Many Greek and foreign theatrical companies come to the festival, and thousands of tourists from all over the world come to see them..On the stage of the epidural theater located in the open air, once buried under a thick layer of the earth, and now restored, play plays of ancient playwrights .The impression is made not only by the performances, but also by the view of the structure itself, striking with magnificent acoustics and atmosphere .It is thanks to acoustics that even whispers of actors are heard on the last rows .The theater accommodates up to 14 thousand spectators, the number of rows is 55 .Visit it is not only lovers of theatrical art, but also to all connoisseurs of ancient architecture and history..
Other Festivals
In addition to the above, there are a lot of festivals in Greece, and each of them deserves attention:
- The festival in Yanina is held from the middle of July to the middle of August, dedicated to the folklore of Greece,
- The Ithaki Festival is also held from mid-July to mid-August, the main theme is music and theater,
- year Renaissance Festival on the island of Crete is dedicated to the art of the Renaissance and traditional winemaking;
- Rockwave music festival, which gathers every summer a lot of foreign music bands.
| Christmas in Crete |
| Festival of Roses in Rhodes |
| Ithaca Festival |
Easter
As for religious holidays, the Easter week is perhaps the best time to visit Greece. Usually it occurs in April - a time when there is warm and dry weather, the air is saturated with the flavors of flowering plants, the atmosphere of the holiday is felt everywhere. The Easter week is full of all sorts of ceremonies and customs, some of which are of ancient origin, and the other arose in the Christian age.
On Holy Saturday, after the morning service, the residents organize a kind of bombing of the streets - clay vessels are thrown out of the windows. This rite symbolizes the deliverance from evil, and it arose in the time of paganism. The main ceremonies begin late at night - colorful worship lasts until midnight. At midnight the supreme priest announces "Christ of Anes! ", Which means -" Christ is Risen! ", The people answer" Alitos Anesti! "-" Truly Risen! ยป
Following this begins the procession, the culmination of which is the burning of a stuffed animal, symbolizing Judas .The sky lights up with fireworks, music plays everywhere and the wishes of "Crony of the floor" are heard, which means "Many Years" .The festivities end late at night, but not everything goes to bed, because with the onset of Easter, a long and strict fast comes to an end, which means that you can fully enjoy delicious dishes prepared by Greek housewives..In the morning people walk in the streets, congratulating each other, relatives and friends exchange gifts .And then during the week, festive concerts, religious ceremonies and festivities are continuing .
Epiphany
This religious holiday, known in Russia as Baptism, is held on January 6. Although the Greeks are Orthodox Christians, their holidays are dated according to the Julian calendar of a new style and coincide with the Catholic ones. Epiphany is the last of the celebrations of the so-called period of the Twelve Great Feasts.
On the day of the Epiphany the Greeks first of all sanctify the water .Colorful processions are held in all cities of the country, and especially bright - near Athens, in the Piraeus harbor .In the procession of the cross, all sections of the population participate: clergy, government representatives, ordinary people..After the end of the procession, a peculiar competition is held among young men: .The essence of it is to first get from the bottom of the pond a massive wooden cross .The winner in the test receives a blessing from the priest, the honor and the symbolic prize .After the official ceremonies, musical performances, dances and fairs are organized .Music is heard everywhere, the flavors of national dishes are in the air .