If you decide to take part in the festivities for Easter, to get acquainted with local traditions and taste the Easter dishes of Greek cuisine, you should know exactly when Easter is celebrated. The only “rule” is that Bright Easter always falls on a Sunday. The main reason for this uniqueness is the decision of the church, both Catholic and Orthodox, to calculate the Easter celebration with the help of the Alexandrine Easter computus, a special table. Traditionally, this bright holiday ends with the Great Lent.

Easter celebrations in 2019-2023:

April 28, 2019

April 19, 2020

May 2, 2021

April 24, 2022

April 16, 2023

Easter celebration in Greece attracts vey many tourists coming in the hope of “killing two birds with one stone” by visiting the sights and taking part in festivities.  When going to Greece, you should know that the Greeks are pious and very devoted to family, therefore they want to spend the biggest holidays, including Easter, in the home circle. In the days before Easter, transport in the country works with increased load.

Knowing difficulties with getting transport tickets in the last days before Easter, Greeks often buy them long before their trip. This situation creates additional troubles for tourists postponing their trip until the last day. Therefore, tickets for Easter in Greece should be bought in advance. By the way, the same applies also to the hotel booking.

In general, Easter in Crete is a special holiday attracting interest. The daily life seems to be completely upside down. On weekdays, all stores are packed to capacity by queues. There are so many cars on the roads that you become feeling to be in the middle of the tourist season. People are in a hurry to take care of everything, there are last preparations everywhere, cities and villages are washed, and the island of Crete is preparing for a miracle! Guests of the island often can not be even a part of these preparations, and they gradually enter this new rhythm of life, listen to interesting stories about the traditions of Easter celebrations in Crete. They visit churches full of hope and expectations to witness the miracle!

In the Orthodox Church the Easter holiday means “transition”. This is an eternal transition from death to life and from earth to heaven. Easter begins with Lazarus Saturday (the day before Palm Sunday) when Greek children and their teachers start enjoying the upcoming two-week rest from school.

Throughout the Holy Week, the Greeks go to church. On Great Friday, Cross-Processions called in Greek Epitaphs and symbolizing the burial of Christ after the death on the cross, pass throughout the whole of Greece late at night. There is something special in this night. The air is filled with sweet, but not heavy smell of flowers, giving impression of experiencing this event. Feeling of silence, calmness is there and hearts are ready for the love of Jesus.

If you are in Heraklion this night, do not miss the Epitaph-procession in the center of the city. Processions of four different churches meet at the main intersection at Lions Square. Sweet smell of rose water is in the air. Streets are filled with people, but free of cars. There are sorrowful sounds of drums. Men and women in traditional costumes, bishops, priests, soldiers and just residents pass with burning candles in their hands, creating a special religious picture.

On Crete, a late supper after the procession is a tradition. Therefore, in a big city, such as Heraklion, it is recommended to book a table in advance. Otherwise, you will be without success looking for a free table. This supper excluding fish consists of seafood such as squid, octopus, shrimp, and taramasalata (salad with caviar of a pink fish), rice in grape leaves, beans, beets, and salads. This is the only day in 40 days of lent before Resurrection when animal protein is consumed.

In the evening on the Holy Saturday, the worship service will begin with matins liturgy.

Before the worship the older generation does not consider it a sin to make a side stop in a local coffee house or tavern to get a couple of raki drinks. Children are busy preparing for the explosion of firecrackers and improvised bombs. On this day no one scolds them: they are officially allowed to make noise all night.

One hour before midnight, all people come to church, each holding an unlighted candle. Most of the parishioners are with their candles. The whole month before Easter, these candles are sold in all confectionery and church shops. They are bought and given to each other.

Churches are overcrowded, but you can listen to the worship being outside of the church building thanks to installed speakers. Later, during the service, the light will be extinguished and the priest will come out from behind the altar with a candle lit from the Holy Fire. Holy fire is delivered by air directly from Jerusalem. The sacred fire is transmitted by the priest to people. If you manage to bring the Holy Fire home, then they say that you will have a successful year.

A few minutes before the midnight, the priest goes out with the people to the street and at midnight declares the resurrection of Christ. After priest’s words “Christos Anesti!” cracking and roar start: firecrackers are bursting at the church squares without a halt, and the symbolic Judas is burned at the stake. A doll in human growth, made of old clothes, being burned, symbolizes death of Judah.

The worship service of Resurrection is very spectacular in Chersonissos, where large fires are lit on a beach. It is especially interesting in Agios Nikolaos. Every year on the eve of Easter, a large part of the town’s population gathers at midnight near Lake Voulismeni and holds grandiose celebrations with fireworks.

The Easter lent ends after the resurrection. Christians can eat foods of animal origin. On Easter Sunday, friends and relatives gathering together fry lamb on a spit. This is a great holiday, sometimes accompanied by dancing. Easter lamb symbolizes the sacrifice of Christ salvaging people lives.

On Crete the Easter feast is no different from the Russian one: after a long lent, they eat a lot, drink and rejoice in the bright Holy Sunday. A guest should try all the dishes; otherwise he will upset the owner. After all, a guest is an almost sacred figure in Crete. Probably, that’s why you have a feeling being among friends during this trip.