05 April 2019

Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 27: Greece

Many of the Easter traditions in Greece are going to be familiar to people either from that part of the world or who are familiar with Orthodox Christianity, from the preparation of red eggs (I have Greek Orthodox friends, and the quest to find the best red dye for the eggs is never-ending) to the church decorations and masses to the Easter Sunday feast featuring some sort of roasted meat (more often than not lamb).

If you want something specific to Greece, go to Corfu. On Holy Saturday, residents of that island celebrate by throwing clay jars full of water out their windows to smash on the street below. It's become a bit of an attraction, with spectators trying to get wet or hit by a (hopefully non-jagged) potsherd.

Why this is done is a bit of a mystery, though there are several theories that link it to former Venetian rulers, ancient Greek springtime practices, or Biblical references to smashing pottery.

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