Posts Tagged ‘Holy’

Easter in Crete (part 2)

Friday, May 2nd, 2008

Additionally, there are so many customs relative to the Easter period and the way it is celebrated in Greece and Crete. On Easter day, the most famous custom is the skewering of the lamp, which tastes delicious. Especially Cretans, famous for their passion for meat, are considered to be masters in the preparation of the lamp.

Another custom is the the decoration of the house with red-painted eggs; eggs symbolize the new life, also symbolized by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The red paint symbolizes the holy blood of Jesus, who was sacrificed to save the people. Red easter eggs along with a cake-like sweet called “tsoureki”, are what most housewives in Greece and Crete prepare for the day of Easter.

Cretans are generally peaceful and calm, but everybody knows how much they like to celebrate. On the day of Easter, in the villages of Crete mostly, people take out their shotguns and fire multiple rounds in the air, showing the end of the mourn and the victory of Life upon death according to the Christian beliefs.

Greek Paska (Easter)

Resources by Car Hire Crete, the car rental agency in Crete providing rental services at low prices.

Easter in Crete (part 1)

Wednesday, April 30th, 2008

Crete is beautiful not only during the summer, but during spring as well. Many choose to visit the island on the last days of springtime, for the peace that is hard to find during the summer on Crete.

Greeks are Christians and Easter for them is as important as Christmas. There is a 40-days fast before the day of Easter, which ends with the skewering of the lamp, a day that everybody awaits because it symbolizes the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the victory of Life upon death according to the Christian religion.

Cretans are very religious people, and Crete is just magic during the period of Easter, or “Pascha”, in their language. There are many customs for this particular period, which are just a glimpse of the Greek and Cretan culture. The last week before Easter day is mournful because it symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ.

Epitaphios

The last Friday before Easter Day, every Church in Greece takes a symbolic corpse, symbolizing the body of Christ, carried by four men and taken on the streets, and then back at the Church. This Friday, because of what it stands for, is considered as the most sacred day during the Holy Week. To be continued…

Resources by Car Hire Crete, the car rental agency in Crete providing rental services at low prices.