Easter in Chios

When Spring comes, it brings along all the magic of nature that prepares you for what is
coming, namely Easter.
Easter (Pascha) in Greece signifies colors, aromas, Resurrection. No matter which part of
Greece one chooses to spend the Orthodox Easter at, the experience will be unique! The
customs of the Christian Orthodox Easter begin in the Holy Week and reach their climax on
the Holy Saturday.

In Chios, for example, there is a custom whose roots date back to the Ottoman rule. In the
evening of the Holy Saturday and after the “Christ is risen” psalm, the famous Rocket War
begins in the town of Vrontados. The two parishes of Agios Marcos and Panaghia Erythiani
engage in a battle of hand-made bottle rockets.

But the most important thing, if you choose Chios to experience the Easter celebrations, are
the customs in the village of Kalamoti. In this traditional medieval settlement, you will
experience Easter like the locals do. Women during Lent make their own bread as well as
the sweet dough for “lazarakia” (small, sweet breads which, according to the custom, they
share with everyone in the village/island).

Children and grown-ups, since the beginning of
the Holy Week, start to gather wood branches for the bonfire they light up on the Holy
Saturday. On Holy Friday they all help with the church preparations, cleaning and
decorating it with flowers and blossoms from the gardens of the village homes.

There are so many Easter customs in Greece that one post is not enough to mention
everything. We have selected Chios as we have the pleasure of having a beautiful,
traditional medieval house in our website, located in the village of Kalamoti, that will help set
the mood for you to experience the reverence of the Holy Week.