Welcome to the second month of our Int’l Bloggers Club Challenge, where a group of four bloggers from different parts of the world get together and compare notes. Last month we had Valentine’s breakfasts.
Καλώς ήρθατε στο δεύτερο μήνα του Διεθνές Bloggers Club, όπου μια ομάδα τεσσάρων μπλογκερ από διαφορετικά μέρη του κόσμου συναντιούνται και συγκρίνουν τα έθιμα τους. Τον περασμένο μήνα είχαμε το πρωινό του Αγίου Βαλεντίνου.
This month our theme is Easter. It is the most important religious holiday in my country. Now the interesting thing is that we are celebrating this year on May 1st. I am Greek Orthodox Christian and our Easter coincides with the Catholic Easter once every four years. Well this year we have practically gone into summer-beach territory.
Αυτό το μήνα το θέμα μας είναι το Πάσχα. Είναι η σημαντικότερη θρησκευτική γιορτή στη χώρα μου, που γιορτάζουμε φέτος στις 1η του Μάη. Είμαι Ορθόδοξη Χριστιανική και το Πάσχα μας συμπίπτει με το Καθολικό Πάσχα μία φορά κάθε τέσσερα χρόνια.
This week we celebrate “Grilled Meat” Thursday whereby the whole country smells of barbecued meat. This is a big blow out to end the Carnival celebrations. The following week is Clean Monday and the start of lent.
Αυτή την εβδομάδα γιορτάζουμε “Τσικνοπέμπτη” σύμφωνα με την οποία το σύνολο της χώρας μυρίζει ψητό κρέας στα κάρβουνα. Είναι μια μεγάλη λήξη για το τέλος της Αποκριάς. Την επόμενη εβδομάδα ερχεται η Καθαρά Δευτέρα και η έναρξη της Σαρακοστής.
This all leads up to Holy Week. We bake biscuits, make cakes and of course dye the eggs. The churches are opened all day and night with liturgies taking place and culminating on Good Friday where a procession of the Epitafio (Christ’s tomb) goes around the town.
Όλα αυτά μέχρι την Μεγάλη Εβδομάδα. Εμείς φτιάχνουμε κουλούρια, τσουρέκια και φυσικά βάφουμε τα αυγά. Οι εκκλησίες ανοίγουν όλη ημέρα και νύχτα με αποκορύφωμα τη Μεγάλη Παρασκευή, όπου ο Επιτάφιος κάνει την περιφορά γύρω από την πόλη.
On Saturday right before Easter Sunday we all go to church at midnight. It is here that we receive the holy light straight from the holy tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem. We each have our own very special candles that we take to church with us.
Το Σάββατο πριν από την Κυριακή του Πάσχα, όλοι πηγαίνουν στην εκκλησία τα μεσάνυχτα. Εδώ παίρνουμε το Άγιο Φως κατευθείαν από το ιερό τάφο του Ιησού στην Ιερουσαλήμ. Ο καθένας μας, έχει την δική του πολύ ιδιαίτερη λαμπάδα που παίρνουμε στην εκκλησία μαζί μας.
These candles are given as gifts from godparents to their godchildren and come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. The younger the godchild the more decorated is the candle.
Οι λαμπάδες δίνονται ως δώρα στα βαφτιστήρια και κατασκευάζονται σε πολλά είδη. Όσο πιο νέο σε ηλικία είναι το βαφτιστήρι τόσο πιο διακοσμημένη είναι η λαμπάδα.
Often we add gifts to the candle, In this case if it is a girl we can add costume jewelry. The more decorated it is, the better.
Συχνά αγοράζουμε δώρα μαζί με την λαμπάδα, Σε αυτή την περίπτωση, αν είναι κορίτσι μπορούμε να προσθέσουμε κοσμήματα. Όσο πιο διακοσμημένα είναι, τόσο το καλύτερο.
If the recipient is a child the candle is decorated with toys and the children also receive new shoes for Easter.
Αν ο παραλήπτης είναι παιδί η λαμπάδα είναι διακοσμημένη με παιχνίδια και λαμβάνει καινούργια παπούτσια για το Πάσχα.
We light the candles and take them home to light the gas stoves with. in this way the holy light stays with us all year.
Ανάβουμε την λαμπάδα και την μεταφέρουμε στο σπίτι, με αυτόν τον τρόπο το άγιο φως μένει μαζί μας όλο το χρόνο.
Once home, usually at 2 in the morning, we have Magiritsa, a traditional lamb soup, and the red eggs are cracked. The person whose egg remains intact will have good luck throughout the year.
Μόλις στο σπίτι, συνήθως στις 2 το πρωί, έχουμε μαγειρίτσα, και σπάμε τα κόκκινα αυγά. Το πρόσωπο του οποίου το αυγό παραμένει άθικτο, θα έχει καλή τύχη όλο το χρόνο.
And the great feast is on Easter Sunday. The barbecuing of the lambs en masse.
Και την Κυριακή του Πάσχα συμβαίνει αυτό.
We eat lamb, crack the eggs and the children play with the toys that they recieved for Easter.
Τρώμε το αρνί, σπάμε τα αυγά και τα παιδάκια παιζουν με τα παιχνίδια τους.
I am looking forward to celebrating Easter as I do every year. Now join my friends and see what they do in their respective countries for Easter.
Ανυπομονώ να τον εορτασμό του Πάσχα, όπως κάνω κάθε χρόνο. Τώρα επισκεφθείτε τις φίλες μου για να δείτε τι κάνουν στις χώρες τους για το Πάσχα.
If you like what you see, share it with your friends, or save it on Pinterest. If you really like what you see subscribe to my blog and get my adventures twice a week in your mailbox.
Αν σας αρέσει αυτό που βλέπετε, να το μοιραστείτε με τους φίλους σας, ή να το αποθηκεύσετε στο Pinterest. Επισεις μπορείτε να εγγραφείτε στο blog μου και να λαμβάνετε τις περιπέτειες μου δύο φορές την εβδομάδα στο e-mail σας.
The Int’l Bloggers Club: Easter
Tο Διεθνές Μπλόγκερ Κλαμπ: Το Πασχα
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Μ ‘αρέσει όταν παίρνω τα σχόλιά σας και θα απαντήσω σε καθένα από αυτά.
This was a fascinating insider peek into another country’s Easter traditions! I had no idea it was so huge! Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
We decide to do this series so that we could all share our country’s traditions and learn all about the differences but also the similarities we all have as humans. Thanks for stopping by Megan!
I think your description covers everything! I loved your Easter candles and you gave me a lot of inspiration to make my own for this year! I leave you now to read the other interesting traditions!
I’m so happy Katerina that I was able to inspire! Looking forward to this year’s Easter as every year, it is so rich and full of tradition here.
Well done, Beautiful article 🙂 Thank you for sharing with us!
Thank you Khadija for visiting and getting a taste of our traditions.
Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things blog hop
Thank you Betty for visiting.
Mary, I love that you ladies are sharing your traditions with us. The candles are awesome. I can just imagine the feast you all must have. What a wonderful way to celebrate Easter. Thank you for sharing with us at Snickerdoodle Sunday!
~Laurie
Laurie, as always thank you for dropping by. We really go out for this our most important holiday.
I love the sound of your traditions. Sounds like you have a lot of fun at the same time as celebrating something really important. It was really interesting to read about them. I hope you have the most wonderful Easter.
Sally @ Life Loving
#LifeLovingLinkie
Thank you Sally, it really is a very special time of the year for us.
Mary, this was very interesting to read. What great traditions you have. It’s always fascinating to know holidays are celebrated throughout the world. Thank you for sharing at Snickerdoodle Sunday.
Beverly this is the big one for us here in Greece. We pull out all the stops!
Wow! That is a huge celebration that I never knew about until now. I learned something new today:) You really go all out and I love that part of that tradition is to give decorated candles to your godchildren. That’s pretty awesome! Thanks so much for sharing your tradition with me at #manicmonday
Michelle, this is the big one for us, even bigger than Christmas. We go all out and really enjoy ourselves after all that fasting… well at least for those who do. Thanks for your comment.
What beautiful traditions, Mary. Thanks for sharing at Five Star Frou-Frou this week. Love, Mimi xxx
Thank you Mimi, it is the best time of the year.
You know what they say in Greece.. Christmas in the town and Easter in the village!!! I love our Easter traditions and of course all the gathering on Sunday!! Couple of years before I was making the candles for my mum and my sister!! 🙂
We have some pretty amazing traditons that are full of light and hope, and I always look forward to this time of the year. Especially in Greece where it is taken to another level altogether.
That is all so interesting Mary, I’m ashamed to say I know hardly anything about Greek Orthodox Christians apart form the look of the priests. Sounds like it’s a really time for family and friends to come together (which I think all the best celebrations are)
Easter is the most important religious celebration for us Julie. And so we go all out for this holy day.
I love hearing about your traditions Mary , I love the candles they are so pretty.
We just bought some more to decorate for this year! 🙂
Your posts about the seasonal traditions are my favorite Mary. They are really interesting. The candles are such a simple thing but their symbolism is powerful. Thank you for sharing
Leanna there is so much symbolism in everything we do for this holiday especially! Thank you.
What an amazing tradition! I had no idea. Love hearing what is done in different cultures and so meaningful for your family.
Thank you Debbie!
Thanks for sharing these traditions. So fun to read all about Easter in Greece. I love the candles. So cute. Thanks for sharing at Monday Social.