Easter in Athens Vacation Guides
Visiting Greece during Easter
Easter is a wonderful time to be in Athens, it’s the most important holiday in the Orthodox calendar. You should go to any church on Good Friday and see the service, they have the holy bier all decorated with flowers and take it round the parish while the priest and cantors sing hymns, all the people hold candles, you are always welcome to join in the procession.
On Saturday night about 11:30 pm everyone will be in church there you can hear the ester “resurection” service, at midnight the lights go out and one candle is lit from the eternal light at Jerusalem and this is then passed round till everyone has a lit candle. Everyone says to their neighbor “christos anesti” Christ has risen. After the end of the ceremony many “epitaphii” with lots of flowers are being walked around the city. I suggest Plaka area because it is a no cars area and you will also enjoy the walking, the people and the mild weather.
Posted by: Travel Guide on Thursday, 31st May, 2007