On Great and Holy Saturday, the Orthodox Church commemorates the burial of Christ, the day between the Crucifixion of our Lord and His glorious Resurrection.
Traditions at home
On the morning of Holy Saturday, preparations begin for the next day’s Easter feast. The traditional mayeritsa soup, which uses the organs and intestines of a lamb, is prepared and eaten after the midnight service.
On Holy Saturday, children will also light their special lambatha, traditionally given to them by their Godparents. Though the candle itself is typically white, it can be lavishly decorated with favourite children’s heroes or storybook characters.
Shortly before midnight at church, all lights are to be turned. When the clock passes midnight, the Priest calls out “Christos Anesti” (“Christ is risen”) and passes on the flame (the Holy light of the Resurrection). A flame transferred through a holy candle, and distributed among the family, is set to symbolise Jesus’ light of resurrection.
Friends and neighbours also exchange “Christos Anesti” with one another as a way of wishing one another well. In response, they will say “Alithos Anesti” (“truly, He is risen”) or “Alithinos o Kyrios” (“true is the Lord”).
Holy Saturday Prayer
When he took down Your immaculate Body from the Cross, the honorable Joseph wrapped it in a clean linen shroud with spices and laid it for burial in a new tomb.
When You descended unto death, O Lord who yourself are immortal Life, then did You mortify Hades by the lightning flash of Your Divinity. Also when You raised the dead from the netherworld, all the Powers of the heavens were crying out: O Giver of life, Christ our God, glory be to You.
The Angel standing at the sepulcher cried out and said to the ointment- bearing women: The ointments are appropriate for mortal men, but Christ has been shown to be a stranger to decay.
The
last few days of the Holy week, just before Greek Easter, are my favourite
ones. The smell of lit candle in the church, the colour of the violets that my yiayia
and I used to decorate the ‘Epitaphio’ with and the emotion that the Greek
Easter hymns always stir up, compile some of my sweet childhood memories.
Now
as a mother of two and an immigrant myself, I strive to help my kids create memories
tied to the family’s Greek language, traditions and culture and help them form
their cultural identity, living indeed in two cultures, in two countries.
It’s
not always easy and as the coronavirus spreads anxiety and panic across the
globe, I could have easily skipped baking the koulourakia / tsoureki and dyed the
red eggs.
I
mean we have more important things to think about during a pandemic. Don’t we? We
even need a tactical plan to get loo roll. Draining!
So, in these uncertain times I choose the resilience, solidarity and the back to basics path. This is what I want to teach my kids.
George and Ariadne making traditional Greek Easter cookies. Source/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
You
see, I was brought up hearing stories from my grandparents, about how they grew
up in the years during and after World War Two and the Greek Civil War and how
they survived eating potato peels. Yes, they went through hardship and they
came out of it stronger.
If
they survived the war, I think I – or even better we – can try to pull through this
health crisis. Together.
I
will embrace my family and the community to find support and give support. I
will make more koulourakia and share them with friends who don’t have a
community to turn to and I will support as many small businesses as I can.
I felt great pride the other day when I read this article on the Guardian about how Greece is beating coronavirus despite a decade of debt. And I believe Greek Communities around Australia are doing their best to support those on temporary visas, our elderly population and people in need.
For
the first time Greek Orthodox Parishes across Australia, live stream services, to
ensure the community can participate from the comfort of their own homes, due
to the ‘social distancing’ restrictions.
Community
radio stations, television and newspapers are joining forces with Australia’s
broader Greek Community, to keep informing us despite their losses.
Our
Greek school teachers are going online to pass on knowledge and on Greek
community FB groups I see more messages of support and kindness than ever
before.
I
see Australians of Greek origin, supporting this country, our other home, with
everything they have. We are resilient and our values have lasted during the
course of history.
I
want this pandemic to finish, but the solidarity must go on above and beyond
the flattening of the curve. We owe it to the future generation.
Greece
is wherever a Greek is. And wherever a Greek is, there is going to be koulourakia,
tsoureki and a smile.
The COVID-19 outbreak found humanity almost completely unprepared. And while some countries have dealt with the overwhelming risk effectively, it has become clear that extra care should be taken for nursing staff to reduce risk of exposure.
The increased care of nursing staff has come as a result of good cooperation with technology. During this difficult time, voluntary efforts have flourished for 3D printing and the production of raw material of plastics. In Greece, the company “TED3D”, based in Volos, moved quickly and managed to supply the country’s nursing staff with more than 5,000 face shields, as revealed to The Greek Herald by head researcher, Elias Fritzalas.
“It simply came to our notice then. Thus, the ability of companies such as TED3D to play a key role in helping first-line health care providers has emerged,” head researcher Elias Fritzalas says to The Greek Herald.
“On this occasion, the research team was formed, consisting of us, the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Thessaly with Assistant Professor Georgios Saharidis, the Pulmonary Clinic of the University of Larissa with Professor Konstantinos Goupoupiliou of Gourgouliani and the contribution of Dias Elias Karametou.”
Greek company ‘TED3D’ have already distributed over 5000 face shields, to be used by nurses and other medical staff. Photo: TED3D Facebook
“This group started working about 1 month ago today, recording, studying, designing, producing and testing first-hand items.”
Face shields are used in hospitals across Europe to prevent the direct transmission of coronavirus through bodily discharge. Elias Fritzalas reveals, however, that her face shield is 100% their own design, and possesses important advantages over others.
“It is enclosed, protecting from ear to ear, the whole doll and well below the chin.”
“To date, we have managed to produce and deliver 5000+ face shields and we hope to produce many more.”
3D Printing the “Holy Grail” for mask production
3D Printing has proven to be a saviour device, not only in Greece, but in countries such as Italy and Spain, which have been hit hard by the pandemic.
“In general, the community and the public now tend to consider 3D printing as the “holy grail”, which of course does not apply in all cases,” Mr Fritzalas reveals.
Face shields are used by nursing staff to prevent transmission through bodily discharge. Photo: TED3D Facebook
“To give an example, 3D printing, as applied worldwide by the community, has concluded that the shield has a 3D printed frame that takes an average of about 1 hour to produce a mask (the “glass” in front). We, with the plan we have implemented, managed to produce 30 shields per hour…”
The public is advised to stay at home during this epidemic, yet if people are required to engage in public travel, it is recommended that they where a face mask or protection device. While face shields, developed by companies such as TED3D, are only accessible for health care workers, masks and other protective devices are essential to reducing the spread of this global epidemic.
The Hon Dr Geoff Lee MP sent an Easter message to members of the Greek Orthodox community in Australia, ahead of the Greek Easter this weekend.
The acting Minister for Multiculturalism wished every Greek Orthodox Christian a “blessed and safe Orthodox Easter”. The MP recognised this weekend as an important time of year for Orthodox Christians, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Referencing the difficulty of celebrating this Holy date during a time of crisis, he asked Orthodox Christians to “draw strength from the teachings of Jesus”.
“Easter is traditionally spent with family, friends and loved ones but this year will be different because of COVID-19,” the minister says in his message.
“I want to thank you for staying home and keeping our loved ones safe, especially our parents and grandparents.
“Our actions this Easter will save lives and they will help us be able to celebrate together again next year.”
Read the full message in English and Greek below:
Orthodox Easter 2020
I would like to wish everyone a blessed and safe Orthodox Easter. This is an important time of the year for many Orthodox Christians who celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Easter is traditionally spent with family, friends and loved ones but this year will be different because of COVID-19. Being physically apart and changing our Easter traditions will be difficult but in the spirit of Easter, Orthodox Christians are able to draw strength from the teachings of Jesus who offered hope and healing and who embodies the joy found in sacrificial generosity.
I want to thank you for staying home and keeping our loved ones safe, especially our parents and grandparents.
Our actions this Easter will save lives and they will help us be able to celebrate together again next year.
I wish you and your loved ones a safe and blessed Orthodox Easter.
Dr Geoff Lee MP
Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα 2020
Θα ήθελα να ευχηθώ σε όλους ένα ευλογημένο και ασφαλές Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα. Αυτή είναι μια
σημαντική εποχή του χρόνου για πολλούς Ορθόδοξους Χριστιανούς που γιορτάζουν την Ανάσταση
του Ιησού Χριστού.
Παραδοσιακά, το Πάσχα το περνάμε με την οικογένεια, φίλους και αγαπημένα πρόσωπα αλλά φέτος
θα είναι διαφορετικό λόγω του ιού COVID-19. Η αλλαγή των παραδόσεων του Πάσχα καθώς και ο
προσωπικός διαχωρισμός θα είναι πολύ δύσκολα αλλά μέσα από το πνεύμα του Πάσχα, οι
Ορθόδοξοι Χριστιανοί είναι σε θέση να αντλήσουν δύναμη από τα διδάγματα του Ιησού ο οποίος
προσέφερε ελπίδα και επούλωση που ενσωματώνουν τη χαρά που βρίσκεται στην τόσο γενναιόδωρη
θυσία του.
Θα ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω που έχετε παραμείνει στα σπίτια σας και διαφυλάσσετε ασφαλή τα
αγαπημένα σας πρόσωπα, ειδικότερα τους γονείς και παππούδες μας.
Οι πράξεις μας, αυτό το Πάσχα θα σώσουν ζωές και θα μας βοηθήσουν να μπορέσουμε να
γιορτάσουμε πάλι μαζί το Πάσχα τον επόμενο χρόνο.
Εύχομαι σε εσάς και στα αγαπημένα σας πρόσωπα ένα ασφαλές και ευλογημένο Ορθόδοξο Πάσχα.
The Greek government have extended extended the closure of all places of worship in Greece through April 28, according to a decision released on Thursday.
While the measures concern all faiths, the initial opening date was set to occur one day after Greek Orthodox Easter, on April 20. The ministries of Religion and Health extended the closure to prevent the rapid spread of the coronavirus among congregations of all religions.
It is understood that the extension was made to cover important dates of other religions, particularly Ramadan, which typically draws in crowds of hundreds. The extension will also prevent the public gathering of important Greek Orthodox services, including the feast day of Saint George on April 23.
The extent of the Greek peoples’ application of social distancing this Easter weekend is set to determine if the lockdown measures will be extended beyond April 28.
Once approved, a plan for the gradual lifting of the lockdown in Greece is to be announced on April 27, government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday.
As Easter celebrations come to a close after the celebration of Easter Sunday, Greek authorities will begin the gradual transfer of 2,380 asylum seekers and their families from island camps to accommodation facilities on the mainland, the country’s Migration Ministry said Thursday.
The refugees will be moved into centres, apartments or hotels over the course of the next two weeks, starting from April 19. The transfer was made to reduce the risk of refugees being infected by the coronavirus, the ministry says.
Among the 2,380 are 200 people aged over 60, while 1,730 are asylum seekers of all ages with facing chronic illnesses, who will be transferred with their families.
Photo: Ekathimerini
Medical NGOs and human rights groups have persistently appealed to the Greek government for the evacuation of the overcrowded migrant camps.
The Red Cross last month gave aid to multiple volunteer groups that were driven out of the camps from risk of coronavirus exposure. The withdrawal of volunteer groups resulted in disastrous consequences for the migrant camps, leading to a further breakdown of utilities.
Greece have recorded a total of 2,192 coronavirus cases as of April 16, with 102 confirmed deaths. Greece has previously been praised on their handling of the coronavirus, having drastically less cases than their European neighbours.
On Good Friday, the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ on the Cross. It marks the culmination of the observance of His Passion by which our Lord suffered and died for our sins.
The church service itself begins with the Matins service on Thursday evening. The twelve Gospel readings are chanted, beginning with Christ’s discourse at the Last Supper and ending with the account of His burial. After the reading of the fifth Gospel, the priest proceeds to carry the cross around the Church while he chants the Fifteenth Antiphon. The faithful then approach and reverently kiss the cross which has been placed at the front of the church.
The Good Friday service begins the night before with the Crucifixion on Christ. Source: Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
On Friday morning, the services of the Royal Hours are observed. These services are primarily readings of prayers, hymns, and passages from the Old Testament, Epistles, and Gospels. Women and young girls gather after the services to decorate the Epitaphio (the tomb of Christ) with flowers.
The Vespers of Friday afternoon are a continuation of the Royal Hours. During this service, the Body of Christ is removed from the cross and wrapped in a white sheet, as hymns and excerpts from the Old Testament are read. The priest then carries the cloth on which the Body of Christ is painted or embroidered around the church before placing it inside the Epitaphio.
The Procession of the Epitaphio:
On the night of Good Friday, a unique service known as ‘The Lamentations of the Tomb’ is celebrated. Chanting of the Lamentations is interspersed with the Trisagion, as the Epitaphio is carried around the outside of the church with the faithful following behind.
The epitaphio is followed by thousands of worshippers as it is carried around the church. Source: Regional media.
Some churches observe the practice of holding the Epitaphio at the door, above waist level, so the faithful can bow down under it as they come back into the church.
At the end of the night, it is considered a special gift to get some flowers from the Epitaphio and keep them at home around an icon. The flowers are blessed and the faithful and his or her family will be blessed the whole year.
As recent graduates, Chloe Dimopoulos and her boyfriend, Ben Munro, booked a one-way ticket to India with the hope of travelling around the world. However, their plan was turned upside down as the coronavirus outbreak left them stranded in a country they didn’t know much about.
At one stage, Chloe was overcome with a fever, body aches and chills. Fearing the worst, she visited a doctor who recommended she go to hospital. The rest is history. As India was implementing the world’s biggest lockdown, Chloe and her boyfriend were being moved from one hospital to another, unable to escape. While her test results ended up being negative for the virus, it was still too late leave. Her only hope of returning to Australia was the small group of volunteers who were desperately organising private chartered flights.
Was she able to get on one? Today, she tells me how she overcame one of the scariest experiences of her life.
Why were you in India and how long were you there for?
As my boyfriend and I had recently graduated, we booked a one-way ticket to India and planned on doing a big around-the-world trip. We arrived in Delhi before the tourist ban was issued on March 12 and ended up in a hospital on March 16. We were confined to either a hospital or hotel for the rest of the trip – until our repatriation flight out of Delhi on April 12.
Chloe Dimopoulos and her boyfriend were excited for the trip of a lifetime. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
What happened to you in India? You mentioned you became sick.
We were staying in Jaipur but one night, around 11pm, I woke up with a fever, body aches and chills. Ben was adamant that I should see a doctor. At the time, there was a noticeable prejudice towards foreigners. People were yelling ‘Corona’ at us on the street. We felt an instant paranoia due to the fact that the virus was all anyone could talk about, so we thought that by getting a test we were doing the right thing. What followed was a string of unfortunate events.
Initially checking into a private hospital, they didn’t have the proper facilities to accommodate COVID-19 suspects, so they transferred us to a public facility. I’ve never seen anything like it. There were people everywhere with minimal hospital beds and staff, and patients were huddled over on the floor. No one took my temperature or asked how I was feeling. I was shunned and forced into a cold, tiny room where I would wait for three hours. Some flimsy paperwork was finally handed to me and we were advised to go to the Infectious Disease Hospital.
Chloe was moved from hospital to hospital. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
When we arrived at about 2am, I saw the most confronting scene I’ve ever experienced. The doctor was unnecessarily hostile, blaming me for spreading the disease (which I did not have). Everything was covered in filth. Of the rickety beds that did possess sheets, they were stain-ridden with blood and faeces. The drop toilet was infested with mosquitoes and a chemical stench permeated the entire building. After 2 days without being fed, we got our tests results back and found out we had both tested negative to COVID-19. We falsely assumed they would discharge us and things would return back to normal.
Alas, the doctors were now incoherently making out that we were being transferred to another hospital to quarantine for 14 days. It was nonsensical and no one could explain the protocol. By this stage, my fever had been eradicated as well. I was healthy, outraged, shoved into the back of an ambulance and forced to spend the next couple of weeks locked up in a derelict building with poor hygiene.
The condition of the hospital beds. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
When the country went into lockdown, how did you feel? Did you attempt to get out before the borders closed?
We were in this new hospital for about 4 days before the lockdown happened. We alerted the staff that this could be the only time for us to flee the country and return home safely. It became extremely difficult for us to contact higher authorities, being shown no sympathy whatsoever. It was extremely frustrating hearing about those final flights to Australia whilst we were confined to deal with the tedium of Indian bureaucracy.
Were you in contact with the Federal Government in Australia at all? What did they say?
We had made contact with the Australian High Commission several times only to be met with passive messages that urged us to remain calm and be patient: ‘There was nothing that could be done.’ I did not feel supported or provided with any solace. Only when Ben and I featured in some media towards the end of our quarantine (which totalled 19 days) did we get some attention. The High Commission made it possible for us to be correctly discharged and make our way to Delhi.
When the government announced last week that they would be repatriating Australians from around the world, did that include Australians like yourself in India? Or were you still stuck?
The repatriation flight we boarded was not government facilitated. It was government endorsed but ultimately, it was organised by a generous community toiling night and day to create alternative options for citizens desperately seeking to return home. We were astonished that the government took minimal initiative to rescue people in India. Being stuck there as a foreigner is incredibly risky. There was an array of people involved in organising the chartered flight. A big thank you to Simon Quin, Brendon Hempel, and Dr. Virk.
Chloe and Ben were excited when the Australian High Commission made it possible for them to be discharged. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
How did you manage to get onto a chartered flight?
The ‘Australians stuck in India’ Facebook and Whats App groups were created to enable discussion and camaraderie. We were able to utilise spreadsheets and surveys in order to track popular locations and numbers for a repatriation flight. Delhi to Melbourne is the only route I think they’re currently flying, but hopefully they open up more options for people in other locations, as it is extremely difficult to travel interstate in India.
The flight ended up costing just upward of $2000. We flew a Lion Air plane which was being used to transport medical equipment. I was very lucky to be able to afford this flight home.
How did you feel when you found out you were getting a chance to leave India?
Elated. We were keeping track of the current affairs, monitoring the political and social climate. People are extremely scared and disgruntled in India. There is a real injustice due to the large-scale class disparity. Because of the abrupt lockdown implementations, people quickly began to starve, struggling to walk kilometres back to their villages. Families and individuals were entirely abandoned in this crusade against the virus. So as soon the option to leave arose, I took it. Who knows how long the lockdown would have continued for.
How was the flight? What was the experience at customs and when you landed in Melbourne?
It was pretty gruelling. It took us 5 hours to check in, the flight was 15 hours in total due to a fuel stop in Indonesia, and then another 5 hours to finally get through customs and reach our quarantine hotel. The flight was full and passengers were not being vigilant in regards to health – touching their faces, sharing snacks, it was bewildering to watch. When we arrived, transport and government staff were taking every necessary precaution, which severely slowed down the process but was necessary. I experienced an instant sense of relief as soon as we got to Tullamarine. It was the first time I’ve felt safe in a while.
The flight was long and tiring but Chloe was relieved to finally be home. Source: Chloe Dimopoulos.
How are you coping with quarantine at the moment?
We’re at the Mecure Welcome Hotel, looking at a grey wall. Everyone was complaining the first couple of days but the staff are doing their best to facilitate us. You’re allowed care packages and Woolies orders. It’s not ideal, but everybody has to play their part to aid society. I’m making the best of it.
It has been an intense month. I think the mind can tolerate a lot more than you give it credit for, people underestimate their ability to adapt and the innate resourcefulness of Australians. All of this is temporary and hopefully there are better days ahead.
With many Greek people unable to physically take part in Holy Week services this year, churches across Australia have jumped on the ‘virtual candle’ bandwagon.
St Spyridon Parish in Kingsford and Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Burwood kicked off the ‘Let Us Light A Candle For You’ campaign this week by asking their parishioners to buy a candle online, which they would then light for them at church.
In a Facebook post, Father Scoutas from St Spyridon Parish said the initiative ensured “parishioners remain connected with the Church and find strength and peace through Her.”
“Lighting candles is an ancient tradition of the Church. In lighting a candle, we are reminded of the words of Christ who said: “I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life”,” the website stated.
“An online candle can be a helpful way to pray for your own health and for the well-being of your family and friends.”
DEAR PARISHIONERS, REQUESTING THE LIGHTING OF CANDLES AND PRAYERS AT ST SPYRIDON CHURCH JUST BECAME EASIERIn these…
If your local parish is Saint Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Burwood, they are also giving the faithful a chance to choose which day of Holy Week they want their candle to be lit.
“Please visit our online store to purchase your candles. Choose the number of candles that you would like lit and the particular services you would like them to be lit at,” the Facebook announcement read.
“If you would like Father George to pray for your loved ones, living and/or departed, please provide details in the comments section of the checkout. He will be commemorating these names at the Proskomede (Divine Liturgy preparation) of the upcoming services.”
LET US LIGHT A CANDLE FOR YOU | Not being able to come to Church during this period has been a great challenge and this…
If this initiative is something you would like to take part in, you can visit the online store of St Spyridon Parish here or that of St Nectarios here.
Maria Angelidis and her son were forced to fight off two armed intruders in Melbourne’s southeast yesterday, after they smashed their way into their home.
Security footage obtained by 7 News shows two men, armed with knives and a screwdriver, breaking into the family’s Carrum home in the early hours of the morning.
Screams of “get out of my house” can be heard as the men attacked Mrs Angelidis’ son.
“I saw my son and two guys on top of him, punching him and yelling and screaming. It was just petrifying because they get you when you’re asleep,” Mrs Angelidis told 7 News.
Her 23-year-old son said he barely had time to react as the men started kicking him.
“They both grabbed onto me and threw me on the ground. Throwing punches and kicks,” he explained.
Seconds later the two men ran out of the house, knocking over a garden pot as they rushed to a waiting car.
Victoria Police are now investigating the incident.
