Easter Celebrations in Corfu Town

Easter in Corfu is unique. It has a mixture of East and West and of ecclesiastical, civic and military pomp which gives it a strongly individual flavour.

The splendour of the occasion is increased by the fact that Easter in the Orthodox countries often falls later than in the West and the brilliant sunshine and the new green of the trees give the ceremonies a natural framework of great beauty. To this Spring scene are added the handsome Venetian and Georgian buildings of the town. For Corfu was occupied by the Venetians for 400 years and under British Protectorate for 50 years when it was the capital of the small Ionian state.

Good Friday
It all begins on Good Friday when each church in the town holds its solemn procession in memory of the burial of Christ. These processions go round the town until late evening, each of them watched and followed by great crowds. Thousands of visitors from Athens and other parts of Greece fill the narrow streets or parade on the great square known as the Esplanade.

The most splendid of Good Friday's processions is that starting from the cathedral, which is held after nightfall. First come the bearers of tall candles and banners, then one of the town bands, for Corfu has a long music tradition. The bandsmen and women are glorious in the scarlet and blue colours of the old Ionian State, with gold helmets and flowing plumes or in Greek National colours of blue and white with silver helmets. The heart of the procession follows; it is the ''Epitaphios" a bearer representing the body of Christ, beautifully decorated with spring flowers and borne aloft by soldiers and sailors. Before it goes the clergy of the town in splendid robes - blue, pink and purple - with the Bishop in his gold mitre blessing the people as he passes. Behind it follows the representatives of the State, the Monarch, the Mayor and local heads of the armed forces.

Easter Saturday
On Holy Saturday there is a procession, but this time it is the town's miracle working patron saint who is taken round the street. St Spyridon enshrined in a fine golden case, is borne upright so that his head resting to one side, can be seen by the bystanders. The saint is not a Corfiot. He was brought to Corfu in the 15th Century from Constantinople and this procession commemorates the relief of the island from famine 400 years ago. This was ascribed by Corfiots to their patron saint.

When this procession is over the younger children are showing signs of tiredness after marching around the town in slow tempo nearly a dozen times there is a welcome interlude. At 11 o'clock the main streets are cleared by the police and people take cover under the arcades and from the upper
stories of the houses descends a shower of pottery - old jugs, basins, anything which will break into a thousand pieces as they hit the ground to the delight of the townspeople and the bewilderment of the tourists. Nobody knows the exact origin of this custom but the explanation is that it is the demonstration of anger at Judas's betrayal of Jesus.

In the evening of Holy Saturday, crowds again assemble and make their way to Esplanade for it is here that exactly at midnight the Bishop will announce the miracle of the Resurrection, chanting the traditional words "Christos Anesti" (Christ is Risen).

At a quarter to midnight, all is still, except for the subdued conversation of the huge crowd. Then slowly and in almost complete darkness, the Bishop and clergy arrive in slow procession, followed once again by soldiers, sailors and all of the high civic officials. There is a short service - a passage from the Gospel and some prayers - and then as the clock on the nearby fortress begins to strike twelve, the Bishop intones the words "Christos Anesti" for which everyone through the weary weeks of Lent and the harsh fasting of Holy week has been waiting. At these words, the band bursts into an Easter hymn, cannons roar from the fortress, fireworks scream into the air, bells in the town start ringing and the place is at once a blaze of light. Not only are hundreds of electric lights switched on, but everyone lights a candle and all the houses around the great Square is decorated with yet more candles lit at the Bishop's proclaim. Then slowly the people turn to go home, along the streets lined with troops gathered to do honour to the Risen Lord each man with his lighted candle in his hand.

The Easter celebrations have a more worldly side too. During the last few days of Holy Week, the streets are full of people leading or carrying a lamb for Easter Dinner, each lamb decorated with a red ribbon. Everyone rich or poor must have this lamb and many are the sacrifices made by the poor that the old custom may be kept up. The lambs are slaughtered at the moment the pots are thrown, which is known as the first Resurrection.

On the Easter morning; while the families celebrate in their homes; the armed forces and police are "at home" to any and everyone. The fortresses are open to the public and visitors pour in to drink wine with the garrison and to watch the men and the traditional Greek dances. The toast is always "Christos Anesti" to which is raising one's glass one replies "he is risen indeed".