Greek Orthodox Easter

Most of us know all about Greek Easter, it's meaning and traditions. But we get many questions here about why it falls on different dates than Western Easter. A big question we get is "How is Greek Easter calculated?" This is a good question - the day is governed by three main conditions:

It must be based on the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian one
It must be after the Jewish holiday of Passover
It must be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which for this purpose is fixed as March 21st.

Most of us know all about Greek Easter, it's meaning and traditions. But we get many questions here about why it falls on different dates than Western Easter. A big question we get is "How is Greek Easter calculated?" This is a good question - the day is governed by three main conditions:

It must be based on the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian one
It must be after the Jewish holiday of Passover
It must be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which for this purpose is fixed as March 21st.

Every few years, "Western" (Catholic and Protestant) Easter and Greek Orthodox Easter coincide; these years are indicated by (same) following the date:

2008 - April 27th
2009 - April 19th
2010 - April 4th (same)
2011 - April 24th (same)
2012 - April 15th
2013 - May 5th
2014 - April 20th (same)
2015 - April 12th
2016 - May 1st
2017 - April 16th (same)
2018 - April 8th
2019 - April 28th
2020 - April 19th
2021 - May 2nd
2022 - April 24th
2023 - April 16th

In Greece, the actual Easter festival begins several days before Easter. Preparations begin on Holy Thursday, when the tsoreki, or Easter bread, is baked, and the eggs are dyed red, symbolizing the blood of Christ.

Many Orthodox fast in the days leading up to Easter, restricting themselves from meat, butter, milk and olive oil. Most also go to their priest to make their confessions and partake in the Holy Communion.

On Good Friday, the church's priest or monk takes down the icon of Christ from the cross and wraps it in linen, reenacting the ancient burial rituals. The icon is then placed in a casket surrounded by white lilies, and paraded through the town as worshipers lament the death of Christ.

On Holy Saturday, parishioners attend late night mass, bringing with them unlit candles. As the clock strikes midnight, the priest announces joyously, "Christos anesti" or "Christ Has Risen".

Worshipers light their unlit candles from the church's Holy Flame, which is said to be have taken from Jesus' nativity cave in Jerusalem.

The pre-Easter fast ends with this lighting ceremony, so worshipers quickly return home to enjoy a feast meal. The soot from the burning candles is often used to make the sign of a cross upon a home's threshold. A cross from the Holy Flame candles is thought to protect the home and its inhabitants during the coming year.

Easter Sunday is considered a festive day of rejoicing with friends and family. The traditional meal is roasted lamb-symbolizing Jesus, the Lamb of God-and dyed eggs.

Greeks have an egg cracking tradition, known as tsougrisma, which is somewhat akin to American's wishbone tradition on Thanksgiving. In Greece, friends and neighbors crack their eggs against one another's to see who ends up with the whole egg. The one holding the last whole egg is deemed the lucky one. Making the feast even more jovial is the free flowing Greek wines and ouzo, which often help these meals last well into the night.

Many of these colorful traditions are practiced today not only in Greece, but in America and other countries around the world with growing Greek immigrant communities. Whether new immigrant or third-generation, the Greek community abroad is strong-and nothing brings out that Greek pride more than the Easter celebrations.

We hope this information is helpful and we hope you all have a wonderful Easter! Kali Anastasi!