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Every night this week there is a church service. Tonight is the service commemorating the 12 Evangelists and the Last Supper. It's a long service and at the end, around midnight, the women of the parish gather to decorate Christ's bier with flowers. The bier is usually a wooden platform covered by an ornate carved canopy.
All our girls help in the decoration and when they've finished, around 2am, they go off to see what the other two big churches have done. There is always a bit of competition as to which church has the finest canopy.
I'm off across the Straits on the ferry to Galatas . The mainland. Taking red eggs and koulourakia to the in-laws who are recently bereaved. It's not done to dye eggs, bake cookies or celebrate for one year. They weren't watching tv either but the first 40 day memorial has passed and now they can watch the church services and news.
The fishing boats of Galatas with Poros in the background.
The traditions are ingrained.
ReplyDeleteYes, that's it. They're an important part of our lives
DeleteI remember going under it as a child I have no idea why. Maybe you can enlighten me
ReplyDeleteWe used to take our girls on Good Friday to all the churches and send them under the Epitaphio. It's supposed to ensure them good health
Deletered eggs? I'm intrigued. Looks like you've got lovely warm weather there.
ReplyDeleteMost orthodox countries dye red eggs. For the blood of Christ. You can buy them ready boiled and dyed now in the supermarket
DeleteMy goodness. Some traditions are quite restrictive.
ReplyDeleteThe view from Galatas looks lovely.
Not everyone is so strict following most traditions. These relatives are the older generation. They women will all wear black until they pass on. Meanwhile I'm sure my grandsons are eating meat
DeleteSo many traditions there. Good that they are still kept up.
ReplyDeleteEveryone willingly follows the rules. Well, most, the younger generation are more lenient even though they're admonished by older relatives
DeleteGosh you have so many traditions to remember, and most of them seem church related!
ReplyDeleteMost are church related. Ever child will learn them at school and at home.
Delete