Easter Sunday Description
Pascha is the most important celebration in the Greek Orthodox calendar. The Saturday midnight Resurrection service is the climax: churches are packed, and at midnight the priest proclaims 'Christos Anesti' (Christ is Risen) to the response 'Alithos Anesti' (Truly He is Risen), as candles are lit and fireworks explode. Families then share magiritsa soup to break the fast. On Sunday, the traditional roasting of whole lamb on spits fills neighborhoods with aroma, accompanied by red-dyed eggs cracked in a game of tsougrisma. All government offices, banks, and businesses remain closed.
