Easter customs
Several Days before Easter Sunday housewives clean their houses. They bake rusks and “flaounes”, a traditional Cypriot kind of cheese-bread. On Maundy Thursday, they die eggs red so they can “chink” eggs on Easter Sunday
Saturday before Passion Week: During this day, two groups of children used to go around houses and chant the “Lazaros”. Housewives gave children eggs and money. This custom is kept alive even today.
Hosanna Sunday
During this day housewives take boughs from olive trees to church to be kept them there until Whit Sunday. The boughs are hallowed and then taken back to people’s houses so that the family is protected by envy and evil.
Maundy Thursday
The iconostasis is covered with a black cloth as a sigh of mourning. A model of the holly cross is placed in church along with a model of Saint John and Virgin Mary on the right and left side of the cross.
People go to church to worship the holly cross and listen to the 12 gospels about the Passion Week, Christ’s crucifixion and death.
On Good Friday, in the morning the Sepulchralis decorated with flowers. Girls bearing pomades chant the Dirge, sprinkle pomade, and throw flowers at the Sepulchral. At night, the Sepulchral’s procession takes place.
On Holy Saturday during Mass and when the priest says, “Christ has risen” people make noise with their stools and the black cloth fall off the iconostasis.
Around eleven o’clock in the evening the church bell is heard to call all people to church.
Years ago, at the church’s parvis people used to light firewood known as “Lambratzia” but today this custom is carried out on small hills for safety reasons. At twelve o’clock the priest announces, “Christ has risen” and starts with the vicars the litany procession. People light their candles from the Resurrection’s holy light held by the priest. Outside the church people will listen to the Gospels.
After church people go home, “chink” eggs, and wish each other. They also eat “traxanas” soup and “flaounes”.
On Easter Sunday, they roast lamb and enjoy themselves. In the afternoon, the local council organises events at the village’s square and people play traditional games. These events are continued on Monday and Tuesday.
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