or other seed or vegetable oils, just so they can say they avoided olive oil. The women gather to clean the churches and decorate the Epitaph before following the procession. And of course there was the American element; for lunch at school we would have peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the perfect nistisimo snack: no animal products and combines protein and carbs. Jesus was crucified at 9 am, while his torment lasted six hours, until 3 pm, when he passed away, saying “It is finished” (“Tetelestai”). During that week we had pasta, sometimes accompanied with little pieces of cooked octopus in tomato sauce, rice and spinach, green beans or peas ladera (made with tomato and olive oil), lentils cooked with olive oil, Greek potato salad, spanakopita (spinach pie) or leek pie without cheese, taramosalata, skordalia, vegan Greek cookies (koulourakia). In the old days they used tahini to add some fat, nowadays many of those who avoid olive oil during the fast here in Greece will use corn oil (ugh!) Thanks in advance! So the Holy Week has begun, known as Megali Evdomada – the literal translation being “Big Week” in Greek. Easter time, from the carnivals that come before the Lenten fast through Holy Week and the celebrations of Easter, is a special season in Greece. On Holy (or Great) Saturday, the Eternal Flame is brought to Greece by a military jet … Are those considered “blue blooded” too? That meant […], […] in Greece we are in the holy week, the last week before Easter. At sundown, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus – two of Jesus’ secret disciples — removed his body from the Cross and buried him in a rock-hewn tomb. In the Orthodox Christian Church, Great Lent and Holy Week are two separate things. On that Sunday, Greeks celebrate with a huge feast that includes drinking, singing and dancing, a joyful culmination of forty days of devotions. See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Twelve Gospels are read on Holy Thursday evening and five on Good Friday morning narrating the tragic events from the Evangelists’ point of view. On Good Friday morning, Orthodox faithful gather again to pray the Royal Hours — a special, expanded celebration of the Little Hours — in place of the Divine Liturgy. As you may have read here on olivetomato, Greeks traditionally abstained from animal products (with the exception of some shellfish) for over 200 days a year for religious reasons. Greek vegan amazingly flavorful and filling, roasted oven potatoes are a fantastic choice for any meal and are absolutely as delicious the next day for lunch. Officially, Great Lent ends on the Friday before Palm … When is Greek Orthodox Easter 2021? 25 March Greeks celebrate the start of the War of Independence in 1821 and the Annunciation … Holy Saturday. Since the date of Greek Orthodox Easter is based on a modified Julian calendar (while the Western world uses the Gregorian calendar), the festivities sometimes do not occur at the same time as other Christian Easter celebrations. ... the first day of Great Lent before Easter. Weekdays in the Second through Sixth Weeks:The strict fasting rule is kept every day: avoidance of meat, meat products, fish, eggs, dairy, wine and oil. For Greek Orthodox, the celebrations for Easter begin on Kathara Deftera (Clean Monday), the beginning of Lent, by fasting on varieties of seafood, rice, meat free salads, taramosalata, halvas and plenty of fruit and vegetables. In fact, Pascha, is considered the Feast of the Feasts. The days that the fast is followed are as following: Diehard followers also avoid olive oil which is traditionally allowed only on the weekends. From the Vespers of Good Friday afternoon (The Apokathylosis Service). In some occasions, a band or choir follows the procession and plays or sings solemn music to express the sorrow of the people. Credit: ΙΣΧΣΝΙΚΑ-888 / CC BY-SA 3.0. Saturdays and Sundays in the Second through Sixth Weeks:Wine and oil are permitted; otherwise the strict fasting rule is kept. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The days that the fast is followed are as following: Every Wednesday and Friday The Great Fast (Lent)-beginning on a Monday 7 weeks before Easter Fast of the Apostles- it begins on a Monday, 8 days after Pentecost, and ends on June 28 Fast of the Repose of … Greek Food to Eat During Lent. I’ll clarify that in the post. On the evening of Good Friday, in Nafpaktos, western Greece, a crowd of both locals and visitors follow the Epitaph procession, passing through the port where locals light torches and place them all across the castle wall. Photo Credit: Grilled Octopus by Klearchos Kapoutsis. It is also thought to bring people closer to their spiritual selves, and whichever higher power they believe in. For those less … Stuff. An expert on the Greek Mediterranean Diet, her interviews and articles have been published in many publications including CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Prevention, NPR, and Shape. And because one cannot use oil, I presume the veggies must be steamed, cooked in water or eaten raw. Greek RecipesSavoury FoodGreek CookingLebanese RecipesLenten RecipesDelicious SaladsClassic FoodVegetable RecipesLeafy Greens Recipes No-Fuss Recipe for Horta Vrasta, Greek Boiled Leafy Greens The Greek Orthodox Church reminds us about Jesus’ journey to the Cross and death, about his burial and the triumph of evil over good, until the latter triumphs once again with the Resurrection of Christ. © 2011-2021 OliveTomato All Rights Reserved. ), and fish and seafood with backbones. Easter, which in Greek is called “Pascha”, commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and it is along with his Nativity and The Dormition of the Mother of God one of the three Great Feasts for the Eastern Orthodoxy. Hi Kat, Yes you can eat all shellfish. Late at night, the Epitaph is carried through every Greek town, village or neighborhood, followed by a procession of faithful. The rules are pretty simple: no animal products with the exception of animals such as octopus and squid as many believe that these creatures do not have blood. Snack: a few Kalmata olives with bread or bread sticks and some fruit. While traditionally the religious fast starts about 40 days before Easter, most Greeks nowadays will not be fasting for all those days, […]. Greek Easter a time of fasting, feasting and forgiveness for Wellington’s Orthodox community. Learn how your comment data is processed. Elena Paravantes, RDN is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Writer and consultant specializing in the Mediterranean Diet and Cuisine. Called Kathari Theftera (Καθαρή Δευτέρα, pronounced kah-thah-REE thehf-TEH-rah), this Monday translates to Clean Monday and it puts an end to the three weeks of Carnival celebrations that took place before it. In the afternoon, around 3 pm, everyone gathers again for the Vespers of the Taking Down from the Cross. Good Friday: a Day of Fasting, Mourning and Solemn Processions, Covid-19: New Measures for Restaurants, Travel in Greece, The Greek Queens of Water Polo: Olympiacos Wins European Cup. Can you also eat shellfish like shrimp or scallops? In fact, it has to do more that their blood being blue rather than red, due to the hemocyanin. In other words, 6 weeks of eating vegan food. This day marks weeks of fasting preceding Easter. Not Allowed: meat poultry, pork, game, fish, dairy, eggs, butter. Even for non-religious Greeks, the atmosphere is special and it is a part of the Greek culture and traditions. Also, in many Greek villages, the men refrain from doing any manual work and especially using nails — because it resembles the way in which Jesus was crucified. Thursday 4th March 2021: Tsiknopempti (Τσικνοπέμπτη) This is a special day of the year in Greece, where a large amount of meat is traditionally grilled and consumed, just before the arrival of Great Lent, marking the lead up to Pascha and also the official start of Apokries (Carnivale). Till this day it’s one of my favorite sandwiches. Allowed: beans, vegetables, bread, fruit, honey, nut butters, rice…pasta (no egg noodles), cereals,  olive oil, honey, and basically anything that does not contain animal products with exception of certain seafood. Leading up to the Great Easter Sunday is the traditional 40 day lent, during which meat and dairy products are substituted with plentiful amounts of vegetables, fish and seafood. Seafood that is allowed in includes mollusks (squid, calamari, octopus, mussels, clams) and crustaceans (shrimp, crabs, crayfish etc). What makes Easter so g Most religions around the world have a period in which people should fast. Nothing screams Greek Easter … Growing up in the states, we would follow the traditional Greek fasting diet for the week, but there was such variety in the food, that we really didn’t notice any difference. Greeks prepare for Easter forty days before the great feast, with fasting, praying and attending liturgies through Holy Saturday, until the resurrection of Christ is celebrated on Easter Sunday. ... Greek Easter was a sociable occasion that was family-oriented, he said. In Athens, women used to clean the streets just before the Epitaph procession passed by and as soon as the procession arrived, they would stand at their doors holding a roof tile containing a small piece of charcoal and incense. Traditionally, magiritsa is eaten to break the fast of the Greek Great Lent, which starts 40 days before Easter and symbolises the return to life after the Resurrection of Jesus. Make it healthier by using whole wheat bread and jam with no sugar added. The number of meals each day is also limited. From the Vespers of Good Friday afternoon (The Apokathylosis Service). Orthodox Easter Sunday: 20 Apr: Mon: Orthodox Easter Monday: 2019: 26 Apr: Fri: Orthodox Good Friday: 28 Apr: Sun: Orthodox Easter Sunday: 29 Apr: Mon: Orthodox Easter Monday: 2018: 6 Apr: Fri: Orthodox Good Friday: 8 Apr: Sun: Orthodox Easter Sunday: 9 Apr: Mon: Orthodox Easter Monday: 2017: 14 Apr: Fri: Orthodox Good Friday: 16 Apr: Sun: Orthodox Easter Sunday: 17 Apr: Mon: Orthodox Easter Monday Greek Orthodox Lent is a time of fasting, which means abstaining from foods that contain animals with red blood (meats, poultry, game) and products from animals with red blood (milk, cheese, eggs, etc. stuff.co.nz - When Stella Bares' parents and her Yaya came to New Zealand in the 1950s, they held on tight to their Greek traditions. For Greek Orthodox believers, Good Friday is a day of fasting and absolute mourning. Dinner: A large piece of nistisimi spanakopita (spanakopita made without cheese and egg). In Naxos, people traditionally do not kiss on Good Friday, because Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Grilled lamb on Easter Sunday. Following this type of eating, even only for a week a will still provide benefits, so it may be worth a try even if you are not Greek, click here and see why. But these oils are not beneficial so healthwise if you want to follow a Greek fast, you would be better off using olive oil, which has added health benefits and actually improves your diet. The material that appears on Olive Tomato is for educational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. National Nutrition Month: Get your plate in shape… the Mediterranean way. Nowadays most people (and kids) fast only this week. On the strict fast days, you do not eat olive oil or drink wine but you can eat all the other fasting foods (including other grains).On the weekends olive oil is allowed. Throughout the procession, people scatter flowers and perfume on the Epitaph, while holding lit candles in their hands. Photo by Argolida News. Decades later, Bares is … Greek Easter a time of fasting, feasting and forgiveness for Wellington’s Orthodox community - Flipboard Skewered Lamb. It also recounts Christ’s road to Calvary, as well as His crucifixion, death, and burial and the sealing of His tomb. OliveTomato receives commissions on purchases made through our links to retailers. Credit: ΙΣΧΣΝΙΚΑ-888 / CC BY-SA 3.0 For Greek Orthodox believers, Good Friday is a day of fasting and absolute mourning.. Greek City Times answers this question. On Crete, locals boil snails and drink their juice, which is very bitter, as another way to commemorate the bitterness of His Passion. Is this correct? The Great Lent begins on a Monday, seven weeks before Easter and is the longest and strictest fasting period in the Orthodox calendar. Good Friday reminds the faithful of how Christ was betrayed and arrested, about his interrogation and humiliation, his death sentence delivered from the High Priests and Pilate, and Peter’s denial and repentance. The Great Lent in the Greek Orthodox faith starts seven weeks before Easter Sunday and is a period of fasting during which certain foods are not eaten. Great Lent, or the Great Fast, (Greek: Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή or Μεγάλη Νηστεία, meaning "Great 40 Days," and "Great Fast," respectively) is the most important fasting season in the church year in the Eastern Orthodox Church (including Byzantine Rite and Western Rite Orthodoxy), Byzantine Rite Lutheran Churches and the Eastern Catholic Churches, which prepares Christians for the greatest feast of the … Greek Orthodox Easter 2021. Near the end of the service, an Epitaph (a cloth embroidered with the image of Christ prepared for burial) is carried in procession to a low table in the nave which represents the Tomb of Christ, followed by another procession. Elena has collaborated with a number of organizations including Loyola University, Yale University, University of Missouri, Louisiana State University, and the American College of Greece. The Lenten Fast (Easter Fast) lasts for about 40 days. Join Elena Paravantes, award winning Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Writer and THE Mediterranean Diet Expert. Traditional Greek Easter Lent recipes. Some believers in Greece drink vinegar on Good Friday, as a remembrance of the vinegar offered to Christ while He was suffering on the Cross. She has been active as a clinician, consultant and lecturer for 20 years, both in the U.S. and Greece. Olive oil and wine are also restricted. In Koroni, on the Peloponnesian peninsula, people do not eat anything during the entirety of Good Friday. Greek Easter is a very special and holy time indeed. During a “strict” fast day, it is my understanding that a person may only eat bread, vegetables and fruit. For those fasting most strictly, lagana is made without oil. Written by GreekBoston.com in Greek Easter Traditions Comments Off on An Overview of Greek Orthodox Holy Week. Happy Mediterranean Diet Month-Celebrating Greek Style with advice and tips directly from the heart of the Mediterranean, Greek Chickpeas and Rice with Lemon- Tahini Dressing | Olive Tomato, Greek Inspired Chickpeas Cooked in Tomato Sauce, Greek Braised Broccoli with Garlic and Tomato, Authentic Italian Lemon and Ricotta Cookies, 5 Minute Mediterranean Salad with Sardines and Chickpeas, Mediterranean Baked Sole with Greek Ladolemono Dressing, The Great Fast (Lent)-beginning on a Monday 7 weeks before Easter, Fast of the Apostles- it begins on a Monday, 8 days after Pentecost, and ends on June 28, Fast of the Repose of the Virgin Mary–August 1 to 14, Christmas Fast–lasting 40 days, from November 15 to December 24, Breakfast: Slice of whole wheat bread with tahini or peanut butter and a glass of juice. She provides a lifetime of experience -being raised on the Mediterranean Diet-, with tried and tested family recipes, guidance on how to follow the Diet and the latest research. During this time, Christians do not eat meat dishes, but they are allowed shellfish on certain days. Nevertheless, for those who can do without eggs, milk, meat, etc… for 40 days, in every shop you will find “nistisima food”, the foods you can eat during the fasting period. Greek Easter – The Fast. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Dishes that do not include animal products and adhere to the rules of the fast (called nisteia in Greek) are called nistisima, so for many dishes there was a nistisimo version, for example spinach pie without the feta cheese. Vegetables may be cooked in water with herbs and also with tomato or tomato sauce, and often tahini is mixed in instead of olive oil. There are four major fasting periods in the Orthodox liturgical calendar: the Christmas Fast, lasting forty days from November 15 to December 24 (fish can be eaten up to December 17, except on Wednesdays and Fridays); the Fast of Lent, the forty days leading up to Holy Week and the week itself; the Fast of the Holy Apostles, which runs from All Saints’ Day (which depends on the date of Easter) up to the eve of the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul on June 28; and the Fast … […] by a Greek monastery cookbook. The Epitaph is followed by cantors, members of the clergy, women bearing myrrh and altar boys carrying the liturgical fans. It is generally thought of as a way to cleanse mind, body and soul. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email! Can any grain, such as rice be substituted for bread? 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