Greek Easter Traditions

[k_tsoukalas]

Lent for Orthodox Christians begins on Monday (March 15th), which got me thinking about Easter. I am curious - what are some of your favorite Easter traditions? For me, going to church on Saturday night and bringing home the candle, breaking our Lenten fast with a nice meal after church (usually pastitso, kouloura, olives, feta cheese, and a red Easter egg), and eating lamb the next day, are some of my favorites.

 

[Jawge]

It is such a special time for us.My dad cooked a whole lamb outside. I took it over for many years and now I cook 2 lamb legs. My son-in-law likes his rare.
Of course, I went to church every day.

 

[blopez34]

How is Greek easter different from Catholic or western easter?

 

[Joni T.]

How is Greek easter different from Catholic or western easter?

As for timing, I know Orthodox Easter has to be after the first full moon after the Jewish Passover. Western Easter simply has to be after the Equinox. Sometimes they're on the same day. However, if you listen to the Greek comedian Basile, he said it's because it enables the Easter Bunny to buy half price candy.

 

[Joni T.]

Lent for Orthodox Christians begins on Monday (March 15th), which got me thinking about Easter. I am curious - what are some of your favorite Easter traditions? For me, going to church on Saturday night and bringing home the candle, breaking our Lenten fast with a nice meal after church (usually pastitso, kouloura, olives, feta cheese, and a red Easter egg), and eating lamb the next day, are some of my favorites.

Besides participating in extra church services and fasting through lent, Easter Day is quite the celebration in our house. The food always includes pastitsio, lamb, koulouria , a Greek sweet bread in individually baked pieces that was a recipe unique to my mother-n-law's family. I have yet to see a comparable recipe in Greek cook books. For dessert koulourakia are always included. So many traditions. Here are some koulourakia and the sweet bread right out of the oven.

 

[Worldwide Greeks Editor]

Easter is my favorite Greek holiday and the tradition I like the most is roasting the lamb on the spit!

The process for my family in past years is to purchase the lamb locally (with head of course!) on good Friday. Keep it packed on ice and then marinate it the next morning (good Saturday) get it attached spit (which is a fun process, LOL) then get it ready to go for Easter morning.

Then the best part happens! Family gets together at 7AM Easter morning and then the fire gets started and the slow cooking process takes place until lunch is served at around 1PM. Most people stop by to grab a fresh piece of lamb off the spit. Most times it does not make it to the table

 

[Joni T.]

Easter is my favorite Greek holiday and the tradition I like the most is roasting the lamb on the spit!

The process for my family in past years is to purchase the lamb locally (with head of course!) on good Friday. Keep it packed on ice and then marinate it the next morning (good Saturday) get it attached spit (which is a fun process, LOL) then get it ready to go for Easter morning.

Then the best part happens! Family gets together at 7AM Easter morning and then the fire gets started and the slow cooking process takes place until lunch is served at around 1PM. Most people stop by to grab a fresh piece of lamb off the spit. Most times it does not make it to the table

View attachment 32

Oh wow! Head and all? When we used to do the

Easter is my favorite Greek holiday and the tradition I like the most is roasting the lamb on the spit!

The process for my family in past years is to purchase the lamb locally (with head of course!) on good Friday. Keep it packed on ice and then marinate it the next morning (good Saturday) get it attached spit (which is a fun process, LOL) then get it ready to go for Easter morning.

Then the best part happens! Family gets together at 7AM Easter morning and then the fire gets started and the slow cooking process takes place until lunch is served at around 1PM. Most people stop by to grab a fresh piece of lamb off the spit. Most times it does not make it to the table

View attachment 32

I hear you. Sounds so similar to what we used to do, minus the head. My husband, his dad, and his brothers used to turn the spit by hand until we got a motorized spit. My husband really misses that tradition, but after losing his father, his brother, and his other brother moved away...well, you get the picture. It's tough having to let some traditions go as we age. We've been making new traditions though. Thank God.

 

[MixaliPlagionakis]

Lent for Orthodox Christians begins on Monday (March 15th), which got me thinking about Easter. I am curious - what are some of your favorite Easter traditions? For me, going to church on Saturday night and bringing home the candle, breaking our Lenten fast with a nice meal after church (usually pastitso, kouloura, olives, feta cheese, and a red Easter egg), and eating lamb the next day, are some of my favorites.

Easter is the Greek Super Bow land the lamb on the spit is the MVP!

My favorite tradition in my family is gathering the men (women are welcome they just don't want to hang out with us at 7am ha) building the fire and watching the lamb cook while eating mezedakia, listening to music and laughing. We used to manually turn the spit and take turns doing so back in the day but now we have a motorized spit so we just pretend to be working hard. To me it's a great way of gathering multi generations together to spend time together and not on our phones.

 

[TatianaS]

Easter is the Greek Super Bow land the lamb on the spit is the MVP!

My favorite tradition in my family is gathering the men (women are welcome they just don't want to hang out with us at 7am ha) building the fire and watching the lamb cook while eating mezedakia, listening to music and laughing. We used to manually turn the spit and take turns doing so back in the day but now we have a motorized spit so we just pretend to be working hard. To me it's a great way of gathering multi generations together to spend time together and not on our phones.

Greek superbowl I LOVE that haha
So true at my house! There are always at least 5 men standing around 1 lamb watching it cook haha

 

[blopez34]

As for timing, I know Orthodox Easter has to be after the first full moon after the Jewish Passover. Western Easter simply has to be after the Equinox. Sometimes they're on the same day. However, if you listen to the Greek comedian Basile, he said it's because it enables the Easter Bunny to buy half price candy.

Thank you!! That's hilarious lol, I will check him out

 

[dubai_suzie]

Easter is my favorite Greek holiday and the tradition I like the most is roasting the lamb on the spit!

The process for my family in past years is to purchase the lamb locally (with head of course!) on good Friday. Keep it packed on ice and then marinate it the next morning (good Saturday) get it attached spit (which is a fun process, LOL) then get it ready to go for Easter morning.

Then the best part happens! Family gets together at 7AM Easter morning and then the fire gets started and the slow cooking process takes place until lunch is served at around 1PM. Most people stop by to grab a fresh piece of lamb off the spit. Most times it does not make it to the table

View attachment 32

Mmmmm looks so yummy! Reminds me of what my uncle used to do every summer except he'd add a couple more lambs lol my family is huge

 

[voula_slat]

My favorite tradition is coming together with my family and making tsoureki. It's so hands on and I love to get the whole family on board (even if we mess up the recipe lol)

 

[StamatiaMaria]

Dying the eggs red and making tsoureki is definitely a family favorite!