Good
Monday
During the day
everyone is shopping and in the evening all old churches in the town have a
mass.
On
Tuesday
and
Wednesday
the churches are full of people and the priests are citing
passages from the Bible.
Good Friday
 Early
in the morning starts mourning procession currying the body of
Jesus (Epitaph). At 16:00 o’clock starts from the Church of St. George (in the
Old Fortress) bigger Epitaph. This one continues until the night when from each
church in the town (except the Church of St. Spyridon) must start
its own Epitaph accompanied with one philharmonic band. At 21:00 start
the last and also the most magnificent Epitaph. This one is of
Metropolitan Church. Philharmonic bands are playing mourning melodies such as
Adagio from Albinoni. A big choir of Metropolitan Church,
representatives of the secondary schools and Boy Scouts are altogether marching
in this procession.
Good
Saturday
The day starts in the Church of St. Mary where the real
earthquake is simulated at 06:00 o’clock in the morning. This
represents the earthquake described in the Bible after Jesus’
resurrection. At 09:00 o’clock starts from the Church of St. Spyridon the
Epitaph. In the year 1574 Venetians forbid to Corfiot people
this procession to take place on Good Friday. Therefore, this
procession is taking place on Good Saturday. The pomp is moving
rhythmically together with the music of the three best
philharmonic bands. First Philharmonic band,
Old Philharmonic (1840), starts from the old City Hall and plays Hamlet
by Italian composer Faccio. Second Philharmonic band, Mantzaros
Philharmonic (1890), is playing Galde la Crime (Hot Tears) by
Michelli and the last one, Capodistrias Philharmonic (1980), is
playing Beethoven’s Heroika. At 11:00 o’clock, the crowd is
waiting for so-called First Resurrection. In the middle of the street of the Old
Town is set a big barrel filled with water and decorated with flowers. All
passers-by must throw some coins in this barrel. Then its guards are chasing the
people around and when they catch one, they throw him or her into the barrel.
This person is very wet and is trying to make everyone around wet as well. As a
reward for being wet he or she keeps the money from the barrel. Later on when
everyone leaves from the Metropolitan Church all the bells from all churches in
the town start ringing. While ringing of the bells, thousands
of ceramic doses filled with water are thrown down from the balconies on the
streets of the Old Town. This tradition also comes from one phrase in the Bible.
Evening about 23:00 everybody gathers on the big square where
the holy mass is taking place. Everybody holds a candle, which
is lit from the holy flame. Until the end of the mass
everybody on the square has burning candle. Moreover, every house in the Old
Town has on its balcony dozens of lit
candles. This adds to the town unique and unforgettable
atmosphere. Exactly at 24:00 o’clock comes resurrection and as soon as the
priest says ‘Christos Anesti’ a big and magnificent
bonfire starts and everyone is shaking hands and wishes
Happy Easter to all people around.
The tradition says that every family must boil the eggs and paint
them red (also from the Bible). Every member of the family has
its own egg with which is trying to break the egg of
other members of the family. Whose egg will break all the other’s eggs and will
not break, he or she will have a big luck all year round.
Holy Sunday
At 07:00 o’clock
every church comes out to the streets of the Old Town with the symbol
of resurrection, together with students of secondary schools,
philharmonic bands and singing choir. Afternoon the Navy Base
in New Fortress, to keep the tradition, is giving to
citizens meze (a mixture of meat) while dancing groups are performing. This day
is also the last day of 40 days fasting and therefore on Sunday afternoon every
Greek family grills a whole lamb and has a big feast to
celebrate Jesus’ resurrection.
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