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Easter is the most important date in the
Greek Orthodox calendar and the celebrations in Corfu are the
most spectacular in all of Greece. Greek Easter’s Holy
Week runs from 09 April to 15 April (Easter Sunday) 2012 and we cannot recommend too highly the
splendid and beautiful celebrations of our island. Biers made
of flowers and candles from every church in Town converge on
Good Friday, accompanied by a impressive procession of the live
brass bands, of which the island is fiercely and justifiably
proud, playing Albinoni’s Adagio... very moving and
evocative...
And on Easter Sunday, families retreat to
their country houses to roast whole lambs in their gardens and
hold parties for their friends until dusk. An extraordinarily
beautiful festival and something very special to remember.
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On Easter
Saturday morning, the
island’s patron saint, St Spiridon, is carried through
the streets, flanked by the grandest litany of bishops,
priests, choirs, bands, officials and boy scouts... and then,
at 11 O’clock on the dot, the townspeople practice an
Easter celebration quite unique to Corfu: From every balcony
and terrace, from shop doors and restaurant stoops, earthenware
pots are thrown into the streets! Literally thousands of pots
rain down, tossed with vigour and laughter, to expel the Devil
and cleanse the houses in preparation for the resurrection...
As midnight approaches on the Saturday night, tens of thousands
of people gather in Corfu’s huge and magnificent main
square, holding their unlit candles. When the Bishop of Corfu
announces “Christos Anesti” (Christ Has Risen), a
magical wave of candlelight starts spreading out from the
bandstand, where he stands, as each reveller lights their own
candle from their neighbour until thousands of twinkling flames
illuminate the joyous faces and the fireworks explode from the
top of the Byzantine Fortress above the crowd.
For those planning ahead, Greek Easter Week 2013
runs from 29 April to
05 May (Easter Sunday).
05 May (Easter Sunday).
© Villa Owners Corfu 2006 – 2012
