Easter Customs by Kyrialena Kofina
Holy Thursday
The children of the island after the morning church go from house to house holding wooden crosses decorated with rosemary, violets, roses, lilies and poppies and singing the carols of Maundy Thursday.
Holy Friday
In Skiathos, Holy Friday is a day of mourning and the custom requires the locals not to put a single bite in their mouths, and they also do not shake hands when meeting. Τhe Epitaph Procession begins at 1 after midnight, while the epitaph procession will begin at 4 am. the litany will pass through all the cobbled streets of Chora, between the illuminated houses. When the procession returns to the church at about 5:30 in the morning, everyone will stand in front of its closed door for the reenactment of the Lord’s Descent into Hades, with the presbyter shouting «Arate Pylas» and pushing the door hard.
Holy Saturday
The dawn of Holy Saturday finds the faithful returning to their homes. In a few hours they will go back to the church for the Liturgy of the First Resurrection. The bells will ring jubilantly to spread throughout the island the victory of life over death, while the priest blows the faithful with bay leaves, a symbol of victory and triumph.
The Horse Races of Ai Giorgi
Οn the feast of St. George, who is the patron saint of the Equestrian, the etiquette calls for horse races to be organized at the festival held in the chapel of St. George. The matches take place in the lake near the chapel and are watched by a large number of people
