Easter Weekend

 It's a long time since i have been in a place where Easter bears significance on the calendar and in the lives of many . Lauren and Kate tell me that have not seen hot cross bun in a long time; this cinnamon flavoured ,a glazed currant filled and yeasted bun with a pastry (not icing sugar) cross on the top. I think there may be some to find in Virginia. Here in BC Canada, there is a reduced bus service, some shops are closed and churches have Good Friday services. I was hoping to walk to the local bakery and get a hot cross bun but they are closed. That is to say, this is a recognized national holiday.

This quiet reflection on life as part of my retreat on this day has taken me to Greek Easter 1972. I  had recently arrived with a massive dose of culture shock , in my new Job as a  live-in English teacher for 2 young boys in Xania, Crete. Many of my stories  relate to this experience at age 22 but finding that Greek Easter is the most important  festival of the year was quite something. This is a deeply religious occasion and everyone followed the tradition of attending church for lengthy services with a deep sense of mourning and reflection, I recall being in a tiny but tightly packed church on that evening "Megalo Paraskevi "(pronounced )  and everyone holding a small candle that was lit from the first, main candle at the front of the church. The church was dimly lit which made the passing of light from one candle at the front (alter if you will ) is given to each person in turn. This was a powerful sensation of feeling that there is one light and it binds us all and in lighting the candles as the church interior was illuminated . After the service the flame  is kept alight for 3 days until Easter Day. Walking with the people from all the churches through the streets with those candles was powerful and significant, not "religious' as much as  a strong sense  of community and being in the right place with the right people doing the right thing . That thing was about belonging and joining together with a common cause of being alive and having significance. 

If one had not been eating Halva as a lent dietary food , this was the time to do it. Halva, made from sesame seeds and tahini is delightful sweet designed to provide sustenance whilst fasting during lent . I love halva and any excuse to eat it works for me and Good Friday made it very easy to manage. 

In preparing for Easter Day there was a lot of baking and cooking and colouring of eggs . Eggs were dyed red (i dread to think what made that intense scarlet /pink bright red .The paska eggs were placed in plaited  easter bread pronounced Koolourakia . It is sweet and the vanilla essence i seem to recall was devine. The eggs that were previously hard boiled and already red were removed from the bread and the narrow end was knocked against another egg as a "competitor "  tried to be the best hit .This activity was rather like playing with conkers as a kid. (that is another story for another day) . 

On Easter Day , 2 days after "Megalo Paraskevi" (Greek for Big Friday ), the vibrant sense of joy and Spring and Renewal are heightened because this is the Greek orthodox equivalent of Christmas . Everyone is dressed up, there is lots of food and drink and picnics and parties . "Christos Annesti " is spoken to everyone all day long because "Christ is Risen" 

I do not have photos to share but hopefully my words conjour up images of a significant annual ritual.