Easter is the largest celebration for the people of Paros and Greece. The Easter period starts with a 40-day of fasting when meat is not consumed and most people also refrain from the consumption of milk products and eggs.
This time of the year starts with Clean Monday – or Kathara Deftera in Greek – a feast related to the beginning of the Great Lent according to the Greek Orthodox Church. It is celebrated right after the end of the Carnival, and as its name suggests, it signifies the transition from feast to fasting. On this special day, seafood takes prime position with fish, calamari, shrimp and mussels being the crown jewels of the dinner table.
It is followed by the 40-day “Nistia” (Lent) where most dishes are made of pulses: chickpeas, beans and lentils and imaginative vegetable dishes such as courgette fritters, horta (boiled wild greens), salads or mixed grilled vegetables. Bread and sweets are made without milk, with plenty of olive oil.
The week leading up to Easter Sunday is filled with excitement and there are different traditions that one can experience all over the island.
On Holy Thursday, after the service, the women of the village remain in the church to decorate the Epitaphios. Flowers are brought from the gardens and meadows that are in full bloom at this tie of the year, marguerites and white lilies adorn the icons and create a wonderful atmosphere inside and outside the church.
On Good Friday In the Monastery of Agios Georgios in Lagada, visitors can witness a representation of Jesus bearing the cross on his way to Calvary while the bells ring mournfully.
On the evening of Good Friday, in the villages of Marpissa, Prodromos, Marmara and Lefkes, the famous “Reenactments” of the Week of the Passion take place. As the faithful participate in the procession of the Epitaph, scenes from the Divine Drama such as the Prayer on the Mount of Olives, the Last Supper and the Crucifixion are reenacted by young people in a dramatic ambiance.
The Procession of the Epitaphs in Parikia, which takes place at 12 o’clock at midnight is accompanied by Hymns, Psalms and Lamentations adding to the solemn atmosphere with the three Epitaphs of Parikia meeting in the center becoming the climax moment of the procession.
Holy Saturday starts with the first resurrection and there is a beautiful procession of the icon of the Resurrection in the village of Marpissa with the crowds following the little girls dressed as angels.
On the evening of Holy Saturday, the Resurrection is celebrated solemnly in all the churches of the island with joyful bells, fireworks, and festivities.
Believers share the holy light and take it home to draw a cross over their entrance doors and have the protection all year.
After the resurrection and before the festivities of Easter Sunday it is customary to eat the traditional Easter soup also known as “Magiritsa”. It is made of greens and sheep intestines, some hate it, some love it, give it a try in many of the restaurants and taverns of Paros! It prepares your stomach for the large amounts of grilled meat consumed next day.
On Easter Sunday the Locals collect at each others homes and celebrate with free flowing wine and lamb on the spit slowly roasting and dance to the tunes of traditional nisiotika (island) music. The taverns follow suit, and often in prompt street parties are emerging in all the villages of Paros!
Easter in Paros an unforgettable feast and a great opportunity to immerse yourself in Greek culture, enjoy traditional food, and connect with the local community and traditions! See you there!