Easter

Easter Skopelos, Skopelos religion celebration, Skopelos easter holidays, religion in Skopelos, greek orthodox, spring, culture, tradition, Sporades, Greece

Easter in Skopelos

Easter in Skopelos is deeply devotional. The inhabitants of the island remain faithful to religious traditions.

Easter customs start on the Saturday of Lazarus. The children make a rag doll and walk along the alleys singing a song. In Glossa, they make cookies, put nutmeg for their eyes, and cross their hands in the middle.

On Palm Sunday

Palm leaves are distributed in church. Future brides will receive from the priest along with palm-leaf a golden coin from their future mother-in-law.

Holy Thursday

is the day of Divine Communion of the faithful. So most people go early to church to take communion. On the same day in the evening, the 12 gospels are read in four parishes. It is also the day when the eggs are dyed red.

Good Friday

is the day of the Epitaph. Each parish has its own epitaph which women and young girls traditionally decorate. In the evening, there is the procession of the Epitaph. In Glossa, at the church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary, the custom of “Aratte Pyla” takes place. This custom is the representation of Christ’s entrance to Hades. In the main town of Skopelos, the Epitaphs of all churches meet at the beach.

On Holy Saturday

we celebrate the Resurrection of the Lord. Delicious Easter buns are shared all day long among loved ones. At midnight after receiving the Holy Light from the church and listening to the psalm of Christ Risen, everyone gathers with their family and has traditional Easter food and crack red eggs.

On Easter Sunday

the great feast of spring is at its peak. On the day of love, people eat in their homes or go to their huts to celebrate Easter. Lamps are on the spit roasting. Melodies, happy voices, wonderful scents. The hospitable Skopelites always offer wine and snacks to guests.