GREEK ORTHODOX EASTER

Cyprus News – 13th April 2009

If you're visiting Cyprus around Easter time, one of the celebrations you mustn't miss is Greek Orthodox Easter, the most important event in the Cyprus religious calendar.

It’s coming up this weekend because it doesn't always fall on the same date as the Easter celebrations in the Western Church.

The dates differ because Easter in Cyprus is based on a modified version of the Julian calendar, established by Julius Caesar and used by the Eastern Orthodox Church. The Western Church uses the Gregorian calendar established by Pope Gregory X111.

It's a wonderful occasion, both for Cypriots and for visitors who want to enjoy some of Cyprus' colourful traditions.

We've also included details of Greek Easter here for the next few years - so no excuses for getting it wrong!

Year	Western Easter Sunday	Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday
2009	12th April	19th April
2010	4th April	4th April (same)
2011	24th April	24th April (same)

Holy Week is the most important week in the Orthodox Christian calendar and to make sure that everything looks clean and fresh to celebrate Easter, houses are spring-cleaned and maybe even painted. New clothes and shoes are bought and there is a feeling of preparing for a fresh start.

On the Thursday of Holy Week, all the icons in the church are covered with black veils or sheets. Cypriot women traditionally bake all kinds of special things on Holy Thursday, such as special Easter cakes called koulouria, baked with milk, spices and a little sugar. Especially delicious are flaounes, which are made from the koulouria dough but with cheese, some mint and lots of eggs.

Eggs are the one thing you can't be without during a Cypriot Easter and traditionally they are dyed red with a special root called rizari which can be bought in the markets in the days leading up to Easter or you can just buy the dye from your grocer. Whatever you do, remember that your Easter table isn't complete without the red eggs!

On Good Friday, flowers are taken to church so that the Holy Sepulchre (the Epitafios) can be decorated ready for the processions. The Epìtafios represents the coffin of Christ and it's canopied and completely decorated with flowers during the course of Good Friday morning. From early afternoon, many worshippers begin to make their way to church and admire the decoration of the Epitafios. After evening Mass on Good Friday, the Epitafios is held high and carried solemnly through the streets, while hymns are sung by worshippers who follow it. Lights and fireworks mark its progress along the streets as it makes it way back to the church once more.

On Holy Saturday, preparations are made for the spectacular midnight Resurrection Mass (Anástasi). The black covers are removed from the icons and statues in the church and the bells are rung for the service. Huge bonfires are lit at around 10.00pm and effigies of Judas Escariot, who betrayed Christ, are burned and fireworks set off. Later the midnight service starts with the lighting of special candles and then at midnight, the priest appears with a lighted candle and declares that Christ Has Risen, "Christos Anesti", and those in the church reply, Indeed He Has Risen, "Alithos Anesti".

Easter Sunday is a day for families and a day for celebration. Christ is risen and the Lenten fast is broken in spectacular fashion. The dyed eggs are cracked, the koulouria and flaounes are eaten and the best bit of all is lunchtime when all you can smell is spit-roasting lamb - the traditional Easter Sunday meal. There's a further church service at around midday followed by picnics and family gatherings as Cypriots enjoy eating all the foods that have been forbidden during the last 40 days of Lenten fasting.