Easter in Arachova, Greece is truly a special event!
We spent this weekend in 1996 with a family that we had met 2 years earlier when visiting their town.
The peak of Easter is at midnight on Good Saturday, when pilgrims go the church and get the Holy Light.
At midnight exactly, the priest appears holding a lighted torch and shares the Holy Flame on the candles of near worshippers.
Then, the worshippers share at their turn the Holy Light with their close neighbors until the entire church and the courtyard get lit. It is a beautiful spectacle!
Worshippers bring the burning candles home and make the sign of a cross above their door with the black smoke. This custom is supposed to bring good fortune upon the house.
After midnight, families and friends eat "magiritsa", a soup made from lamb tripe, rice, dill and lemon; they have been fasting from meat during Lent before this special meal.
Local neighbors gather together to roast their lambs on Sunday morning ~ it is like a huge block party! This event is accompanied by wines and dances.
It truly was a memorable time for us!


Take a trip down memory lane, please click: HERE