Orthodox Easter in Santorini is a glorious festive event worth to live, no matter your religious beliefs. The local traditions and the warm spirit of the Greeks, make for a truly memorable experience. On Good Friday, Pyrgos, a village perched on one of Santorini’s most elevated spots, is filled with lanterns virtually everywhere – the castle, rooftops, church domes and along paths and wall tops – to create a bright stream of light through which the epitaphios procession passes. Housewives sprinkle the epitaphios with rosewater or perfume as it passes by.
From a distance, the hilltop village looks like a brightly lit ship or castle on fire.
A similar tradition is also maintained at Akrotiri, in the southwest of the southern Aegean island. Locals recommend experiencing the Holy Saturday Resurrection service at the Profiti Ilia monastery, located at the island’s peak, staged between 21:00 and 22:00. Firecrackers and fireworks are forbidden here. |
