Greek Easter in the Village – καλό πάσχα! (Happy Easter!)
Today, Greece celebrates Easter. And, beyond all of the festivities and traditions, Easter means time with family and friends.
While most Greeks live in Athens now, everyone’s family is from some remote village or island. At the most important times of the year, like Easter, Athenians flee from the big city to visit the place where their family tree first rooted.
A few years ago I spent Easter in Agrinio. We say it’s my uncle’s village, but it has developed into quite a city (population: 57,000). Outside this city though, remain small villages where life is still simple. Days are slow; the community grows and shares the food they eat themselves; the elderly sit on their front porches and play backgammon while kids play soccer (σόκερ, ποδόσφαιρο) in the streets without a care in the world.
We drove up into countryside and I’ve never felt so far away from Athens. Our car could barely fit through the small dirt paths. As we drove up the windy, narrow streets, I watched out the backseat window while the local villagers peered back at me from their porches. My uncle, who visits as often as he can, was treated like a royal guest. Everyone in the village knows his family – everyone knows everyone.
On Easter, among other traditions, Greeks typically light a candle for loved ones at church. My uncle, who has taught me so much about my heritage and what it means to be Greek, recently suffered from a heart attack. He’s doing better and will leave the hospital soon, but today I light a candle for his speedy recovery so that we can share more memories very soon!
(photo: We Love Crete)