The shops in Greece have special (longer) opening hours during the holy week. Besides the rituals inside the church, this also means a change in daily routines. These last days before Easter represent the last days of Jesus life. Interior of Greek Orthodox church in Thessaloniki During this week there are special evening services in the Greek churches each evening. This Holy Week starts with Palm Sunday and ends with Easter Sunday. The last week or Holy Week before Easter is called the Megali Evdomada (Greek for the big or important week)and is full of tradition. This is a calendar for Lent counting off the seven weeks of the fasting before Easter During the Sarakosti, children in Greece create a doll of paper or dough called Kyra Sarakosti. The period of Lent is called Sarakosti ( Saranta means ‘forty’ in Greek) and one avoids eating meat, fish, milk, cheese and eggs during this time. Preparations for Easter start weeks in advance beginning with Greek Carnival (the preparation before Lent), followed by Kathara Deftera and the Lent period. Easter bread and decoration eggs Preparing for Greek Orthodox Easter Schools are closed and archaeological sites and museums, as well as most supermarkets and shops, have shorter opening hours on Holy Friday and Saturday. Note that Easter Sunday, Holy Friday and Easter Monday are public holidays for some industries and businesses. In 2023, Greek Orthodox Easter is on 16 April. My favorite Easter is in Hydra, you can read more about that special place later on. Easter is celebrated all over Greece, and each part of the country has its own unique Easter customs. If you are in Greece during the Greek Orthodox Easter, you are very lucky! There is so much to see, taste and experience. Especially the cracking of the red eggs and eating tsoureki! Find the most important family Easter traditions in this Easter in Greece Guide. My family respects most of the single Greek Easter traditions. It is also a family celebration full of traditions and festivities. Greek Orthodox Easter is the most important religious holiday in Greece.
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