Greece - Korina Miller [6]
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CRACKIN’ HOLIDAY
Forget Christmas or birthdays. In Greece, the biggest day of the year is Easter when communities joyously celebrate Jesus’ Resurrection. The festival begins on the evening of Good Friday with the perifora epitafiou, when a shrouded bier (representing Christ’s funeral bier) is carried through the streets in a moving candle-lit procession. One of the most impressive of these processions climbs Lykavittos Hill in Athens to the Chapel of Agios Georgios. If you visit churches early in the morning on Good Friday, you’ll often see the bier being decorated with countless flowers.
Resurrection Mass starts at 11pm on Saturday night. At midnight, packed churches are plunged into darkness to symbolise Christ’s passing through the underworld. The ceremony of the lighting of candles that follows is the most significant moment in the Orthodox year, for it symbolises the Resurrection. Its poignancy and beauty is spellbinding. The ceremony ends with candle-lit processions through the streets and fireworks representing the sound of the boulder rolling away from in front of Jesus’ tomb.
The Lenten fast ends on Easter Sunday with the cracking of red-dyed Easter eggs, symbolising the blood of Christ and new life – taken together this represents the new life given through Christ’s resurrection on the cross. An outdoor feast of roast lamb takes place in the afternoon, followed by Greek dancing. The day’s greeting is ‘Hristos anesti’ (Christ is risen), to which the reply is ‘Alithos anesti’ (truly He is risen).
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WHAT’S IN A NAME?
Religious festivals flood the Greek calendar. In fact, according to tradition, every day of the year is dedicated to a saint or a martyr. Christian Greeks are more likely to celebrate the day for the saint they are named after than their birthday. On a person’s name day, greet them with hronia polla (good wishes and prosperity) and, if you go to visit or meet them out, take them a small gift. Islands and towns also celebrate the day of their patron saint with church services in historic chapels, feasting and often some dancing.
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SEPTEMBER
GENNISIS TIS PANAGIAS 8 Sep
The birthday of the Virgin Mary is celebrated throughout Greece with religious services and feasting.
EXALTATION OF THE CROSS 14 Sep
Celebrated throughout Greece with processions and hymns.
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OCTOBER–NOVEMBER
FEAST OF AGIOS DIMITRIOS 26 Oct
This feast day, commemorating St Dimitrios, is celebrated in Thessaloniki with wine drinking and revelry.
OHI (NO) DAY 28 Oct
Metaxas’ refusal to allow Mussolini’s troops passage through Greece in WWII is commemorated with remembrance services, parades, feasting and dance.
THESSALONIKI INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL mid-Nov
Around 150 films are crammed into 10 days of screenings around the city. For details, check out www.filmfestival.gr.
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DECEMBER
CHRISTMAS DAY 25 Dec
Christmas is celebrated with religious services and feasting plus added ‘Western’ features, such as Christmas trees, decorations and presents.
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Itineraries
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CLASSIC ROUTES
A CYCLADES CIRCLE
THE GRAND TOUR
MAINLY MAINLAND
ROADS LESS TRAVELLED
EASTERN ISLAND RUN
EXPLORING THE PELOPONNESE
TAILORED TRIPS
ON THE GO
NORTHERN ANTIQUITIES
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CLASSIC ROUTES
A CYCLADES CIRCLE Two Weeks / Athens to Athens
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Heading southeast from Athens, this circular route covers several hundred kilometres, taking you to the jewels of the Cyclades and back to Athens.
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The Cyclades are by far the most popular and best known of the Greek islands. Start with a couple of days sightseeing in Athens, before catching a ferry from Rafina. The first port of call is classy Andros, with its fine beaches and art galleries. Move along to Tinos, a pilgrimage island for many Orthodox Christians. Next in line is chic Mykonos, famous