In Australia, Greece, and other Greek-populated countries in the world, the main question in conversation at this time is how do we celebrate a Greek Easter in isolation? How do we do make every tradition the same as the previous years?
The answer is, we don’t keep it the same. We improvise, we adapt, and we overcome. By no means necessary has Easter been “cancelled” this year. In fact, it’s begun more intimate than ever before.
This year families will be celebrating Greek Easter differently, yet it doesn’t mean we can’t make it as fun and connected possible. Greek Easter will never be experienced like this again in the foreseeable future, so it’s important to document this week with photos, look back on it and 20 years and think how about how Greeks didn’t let this virus stop our Easter traditions.
Family Baking For The Weekend
For Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday coming up soon, we hope to see families baking their Lazarakia and Koulourakia. Baking Koulourakia is a great family activity and there are many ways you can make it even more special this year. Maybe have every member of your family design a special Koulourakia, crafting an original cross or one with the first letter of your name.
While we can’t go to church and collect our palm crosses this year, why don’t you try weaving them yourselves! There are many guides online that can show you how to design your very own cross to share with your family.
Holy Week Traditions
This Easter Thursday, the Greek community should be making a collection of κόκκινα αυγά larger than has been seen in the last 30 years. Now is the best opportunity to show your children how to make their own red eggs. When you make your first batch, take a photo of your first red egg sitting on the home’s Iconostasis.
Also on Easter Thursday, don’t forget to bake your own Tsoureki for the family. While people won’t be gifting them to their cousins this year, they are still an essential piece of food to have for your lunch tables on Easter Sunday.
While we can’t attend the Anastasi in church at midnight on Easter Saturday this year, people can wish all of their cousins and extended family ‘Christos Anesti’ from home! Organise a Zoom or Skype call with all of your family members as you watch the midnight mass through live streams on TV and the Internet. If you can’t do that, then simply watch the service with your close family members and enjoy a warm bowl of mayiritsa soup.
Click Here to see the list of churches in NSW that are live streaming their church services
The Greek Herald hopes to see glimpses everyone’s special Easter celebrations this week and we hope that our readers take part these intimate family traditions.
