Archive for April 20th, 2011
Easter Traditions in Cyprus – Part two
On Thursday most Cypriot women do their Easter baking of “flaounes”, a Cyprus cuisine specialty, a kind of cheese cake made of short crust with a cheese, egg and mint filling, formed into triangular and square shapes. “Koulouria” are baked with milk, spices and a little sugar and “Tyropittes” ~ loaves with small pieces of cheese added and rolled in sesame seeds.
Eggs are dyed as well. Traditionally they are dyed red with a special root called “rizari” that is sold in bundles at the market during these days. They are also dyed yellow; for this purpose the yellow marguerites that cover the waysides and fields during April are used. Some dye their eggs in a more artistic way by tying the marguerites onto the eggs with a piece of muslin before boiling them in a colour.
Good Friday begins with everyone taking flowers to church so that the young girls can decorate the “Epitafios” ~ Holy Sepulchre. This, in our church, is a four-postured litter with a canopy in which the icon of Christ is laid in state. The whole structure is completely decorated with flowers, a job that takes the greater part of Good Friday morning.
At lunchtime the traditional “Faki Xidati” – vinegar and lentil soup – is eaten, containing vinegar because it is said that when Christ asked for water on his way to Calgary He was given vinegar instead.
From early afternoon you will see streams of cars and pedestrians going from church to church to pay their last respects to Christ – and to compare the decoration of their own parish “Epitafios” with that of the others.
In the meantime, all the streets along which the “Epitafios” will pass in the solemn procession later that night are being decorated with coloured lights. The procession starts after the evening service with the priests preceding, then the Scouts or young men carrying the litter of Christ and then the choir, singing hymns. The whole congregation follows, and children light sparklers on the way.
Saturday is a quiet day, although there is a sermon towards lunchtime during which the church doors are banged and candleholders shaken, when the news is brought that Christ is no longer in His grave.
The real sermon of resurrection is at about midnight. Everybody goes to church with a candle and the sermon is held. A big bonfire is lit in the church yard. When the priest proclaims that “Christ has risen”, all candles are lit and everyone greets everyone else with “Christos anesti” ~Christ has raised, to which the other answers “Alithos anesti” ~ Indeed He has risen.
More tomorrow with Easter Traditions in Cyprus – Part three