Easter in Cyprus

CYPRUS EASTER
25 - 28 April 2008

Easter in Cyprus (Pascha, pronounced Pas - ha), is the most important religious celebration in Cyprus and Greece.

It's also a lovely time to visit Cyprus as the weather is glorious and you can really enjoy yourself.

Greek and Cyprus Easter always fall during April because the Julian calendar is used to calculate when Easter will be.

CYPRUS TRADITIONS AT EASTER

Carnival time in February is before the traditional period of fasting before Easter. The first week of the celebration is called Meat Week (Kreatini) - the last week you can eat meat and the second week is cheese week (Tyrini) - the last week to eat cheese and other dairy products before Easter. In Greece and Cyprus this is called 'Apokria', the fasting period before Easter.

Just as the UK celebrates with hot cross buns, in Cyprus it's customary to cook Easter breads such as flaounes and tsoureki. You can find them in all the bakers shops and supermarkets on the island.

GOOD FRIDAY
Good Friday (Megali Paraskevi) is the day of the burial of Christ (Epitafios - burial in Greek). The Perifora Epitafios, is a candlelit procession of a shrouded funeral bier (coffin) which winds its way through the streets and then onto the church.

EASTER SUNDAY
The Midnight mass on Easter Saturday/Sunday morning is a time for rejoicing and celebrating anastasis (resurrection) of Christ. Everyone rejoices saying Christos Anesti (Christ has risen) to each other. To this you reply, Alithos Anesti (truly he is risen). There are fireworks and then a candle-lit procession through the streets. Afterwards everyone goes home to enjoy a special meal.

The 40 days of fasting is broken by eating magiritsa - Easter soup of lamb and avgolemoni with the dyed-red eggs and Easter flaounes and tsoureki. Easter Sunday celebrates the end of the 40 days of fasting which began on Green Monday. A great feast is had by all and most families and friends cook roast lamb in ovens or the lamb is barbequed on spits.

Chocolate Easter eggs are also enjoyed and many people make a picnic, go to the beach, swim and relax in the sun.

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