The preparations for the celebration of the Resurrection start on Holy Thursday, the day that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus with the Apostles. In the morning, groups of children visit all the neighbourhoods of the town, carrying baskets, singing and collecting flowers to decorate the bier of Christ. On that day housewives traditionally will prepare tsourekia (sweet buns resembling brioche) and colored eggs with special red dyes. Since the antiquity, the egg signifies the renewal of life while the red color symbolizes the blood of Christ.

Good Friday is the most sacred day of the Holy Week, the day of the culmination of the passion of Christ with the deposition from the cross and Christ’s burial. It is a day of mourning throughout Greece. Housewives and children will go to church in the morning to prepare the Epitaphios, a wooden catafalque² elaborately carved that represents the Tomb of Christ where His body will be put after the Apokathelosis (Deposition from the Cross). They will richly decorate it with spring flowers mostly white, red, and purple, until it is covered by the flowers in its entirety and then it will be sprinkled with flower petals and rosewater, decorated with candles and ceremonially censed as a mark of respect.

In the evening everything is silenced by the sound of slow bells tolling, lamenting the death of Christ. The air is full of the scent of livani a church incense made from frankincense and the fragrance of the spring flowers that cover the Epitaphios. Processions of Epitaphios are carried through almost all the streets of the towns and villages of Greece. Then, at about 11pm, the restaurants will fill up suddenly as everyone rushed to break their fasting in a traditional, Lent-friendly meal of seafood – grilled vinegar octopus, calamari rings, giant prawns served with their heads intact, and other items bring the evening to a close.

On Easter Saturday morning, preparations start for the festive dinner of the night of the Resurrection and housewives cook mayeritsa – a tripe and herbs soup only prepared at this time of the year. Shortly before midnight, people will gather in church holding white candles which they will light with the Holy Light ³ distributed by the priest. When the latter chants Christós Anesti (Christ is risen) the atmosphere will fill with loud noise, roaring cheers, and exploding firecrackers. The people exchange wishes with their lighted candles and the scent of incense and rush home or to their favorite restaurant. With the Holy Light of the candles they thrice make the sign of the cross on the door post over the front door of their houses for good luck. Then they will all gather around the festively laid table to crack the red eggs ⁴ and feast on the traditional mayeritsa. After the long fast, this soup is soothing to the stomach and a gentle break from the fast.

On Easter Sunday morning, in many parts of the country lamb is prepared on the spit. In other regions, the meat for the Easter table – lamb or kid – is roasted in the oven. There is a festive atmosphere everywhere and people drink retsina, eat and dance usually until late into the night.

Greek Orthodox Easter photo gallery.

The 2013 Greek Orthodox Easter is celebrated on May 5th, more than a month later from the respective Catholic festivities. If you wish to calculate the Greek Easter dates you must take into account that:

• It must be based on the Julian calendar, not the Gregorian one.
• It must be after the Jewish holiday of Passover.
• It must be on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox, which for this purpose is fixed as March 21st.

Notes

1. The Greek Orthodox church is part of the Eastern Orthodox church. Until 1054, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic churches were one body.
2. Catafalque: a raised structure on which the body of a deceased person lies or is carried in state.
3. The Holy Light kept in the Greek Orthodox Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. Read also The miracle of the Holy Light.
4. A funny custom, an egg smashing competition called tsougrisma. Each person chooses one of the red hard-boiled eggs to crack against someone else’s. The person whose egg doesn’t crack is considered to have good luck for the rest of the year. The egg symbolizes the new life of the Resurrection. The cracking of the egg is symbolic of Christ’s emergence from the tomb
5. For an intense discussion of calculating Easter in general, with a short section on the special difficulties of calculating Greek Easter, see Claus Tondering’s detailed and long Calendar FAQ.

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

In Greek waters they are most plentiful in the sea off Methana and Poros, south of Kythera, off Halkidiki and Karpathos, and around Lemnos. Fresh swordfish in the market is exclusively Greek. Fishing this species is banned between October 1st and January 1st. Usually sold in fillets, prices range from 16-18 euros per kilo. The best way to enjoy swordfish is grilled, but becarefulnot to dry it out. Cubed and skewered with onions, tomatoes and sprinkled with basil and oregano, cooking requires no more than 10-12 minutes, but keep turning and basting. Ask your fishmonger to cut them in thicker slices of about 3,5 to 4 centimeters for skewering to obtain larger cubes.

Last chance. Get it fresh before the annual ban on swordfish fishing starts on October 1st.

Firm swordfish fillets lend themselves to a variety of recipes – while the season lasts.
For grilled marinated swordfish you’ll need:

• 3 sliced garlic cloves
• 3 tsp olive oil
• Finely chopped leaves of 6 parsley sprigs

Mix the wine, gin, pepper, thyme, rosemary and half a cup of water in a large bowl. Place the fillets in the marinade so that they are covered and leave in the refrigerator for
about three hours, turning every 45 minutes. Strain the fillets, keeping the liquid aside and saute in the oil with one of the garlic cloves, sliced, for one or two minutes. Remove and set aside. Add the rest of the garlic to the pan and simmer for 10-12 minutes until the liquid is reduced by about half. Put the fillets into a baking dish and grill them, basting with the sauce, for about 5-7 minutes on each side, depending on the temperature.

Serve garnished with the sauce and the chopped parsley.

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

For those who would prefer the mountain to the shore there is the recently renovated hotel is located at the top Mt. Profitis Elias, near a small Byzantine Monastery with the same name. Surrounded by a large cedars, pine and cypresses forrest of a unique beauty, the complex is mainly consisted from two buildings. The larger, a three-storeyed one named Elafos and a two-storeyed one, Elafina, that it is not currently used. The buildings have a very dinstictive architectural character, build like the traditional hostels of the Alps, both with large, stone build walls in the basement and high pitched wooden roofs. Captive deer do graze on the hotel grounds; and the 800m. elevation, provide a coolness especially appreciated by Alexandrian Greeks, who come to escape the Egyptian summer.

The construction of the Elafos hotel or better l’Albergo del Cervo as it was originally named, started during 1929 under the italian fascist regime. The name derives from the presence of herds of Rhodian dears (Dama dama) in the island’s forrests. In 1930, a ground floor restaurant with a large veranda, a tennis court and a dancing floor were added while later on, the second floor was constructed, replacing the veranda. During the year 1932 the building was extended with a new wing, called Elafina. Thus, the hotel was finally named Elafos and Elafina after a certain species of deer that lives in the woods nearby. Recently the large building was renovated and it is currently run by a municipal company.

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

Or How to organize your Greece wedding…

The reasons to choose to marry abroad can be varied: a wish to make something really memorable and romantic, desire to avoid family conflicts and even to cut costs, convenience, trend. Usually the couples that make this choice share a more informal approach to the ceremony and care less about wedding gowns and big receptions. Admittedly, organizing a wedding abroad may not sound romantic to you at all. In fact mixing travel with a wedding might sound like a stressful experience. However, if you are careful to plan ahead, a romantic wedding can be a hassle free alternative.

Greece is not only rich in archeological heritage, but also in traditions. Grecian weddings are among those rich cultural traits.

While planning a wedding ceremony away from home, the first thing to keep in mind is the kind of help you may require and the amount you may have to spend on it. Factors arising due to travel may considerably alter the budget you may have planned for your ceremony. You can start by contacting a professional. There is a large number of wedding planners operating in Greece and, in particular, in Rhodes. They can help you to decide the course of events that a Greek wedding requires. In some cases there is only the need of some paper work to be done and a couple of bouquets to be arranged for the bride and groom. In other cases though, there may be a considerable amount of decisions to be made as greek wedding ceremonies require a lot of detailing, depending on how far one had made their mind to follow the rich traditional route.

It is for you to decide how traditional and lavish or not the ceremony will be. The place of the actual wedding can be a place of worship, like one of the beautiful small Greek chapels, a private villa, on a cruise liner or a resort by the sea. Decisions such as the nature of reception after the wedding ceremony involving buffet, sit-down meal, Greek or non-Greek cuisines etc., should be made well in advance. Depending on the budget and activities, one could plan to stay afloat anything from 2-3 days to an entire week. Of course, this should take the legal aspect and the required paper work into consideration too, as it would additionally require your time and attention.

Beach wedding in a hot mid summer day requires also proper planning. Some prefer to marry in a hotel or other shaded area and then have the reception ceremony on the beach. Others decide to wed in the early evening, when the heat and the sun has died a bit. You could decide to stay at private villas, self-catering apartments or sea resorts depending on your personal taste. You should also decide in advance regarding which activities your guests may prefer to be part of. This may include the activities like cruise journey, sightseeing, swimming, snorkeling, spa, golf and hiking.

Like any other wedding, your wedding in Rhodes does also demand for wedding robes, the mode of transportation, a very clear thought on how far the guests’ expense may have to be born by you – some guests may prefer to have their own ideas, but you could not choose to overlook maximum possible expenditure.

The average cost of a wedding in the UK today is around 14.000 euros. Compared to a Greek wedding ceremony of an average cost around 800 – 1.000 euros which usually includes fees for the registrar, marriage license and certificate, a wedding cake with stand and a bouquet and buttonhole for the groom. Obviously the cost of the honeymoon is not included. Weddings in Greece are legal for couples coming from Europe, US, UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most other countries. The paperwork depends from where you come from, but it has become much easier that it once was.

UK residents wishing to marry in Greece may choose between Civil or Religious Ceremony. The basic documentation required includes:

• An original birth certificate.
• A consular registration certificate.
• A recent (non older than 2 months) Certificate of No-Impediment (two copies), obtained from the Superintendent Registrar. Bear in mind that it might take a month to issue this certificate.
• Decree Absolute (the final divorce paper where applicable).
• Death Certificate (widow or widower).
• Change of Name Deed (required if you’ve changed your name).
• Adoption certificate (where applicable).

Once again, this is the basic documentation required. There might be cases where further certificates will be requested.

All documents must be legalised by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Legalization Department and then translated to Greek. Further documents will be required for the religious ceremony, also translated to Greek. All translations must be handled by an Official Translator and then legalised. Once collected all the required documentation, it must be forwarded to either the Registry Office or to the priest, at least 4 weeks prior to the ceremony.

After the wedding the couple must declare (in non more than 40 days) the marriage to the local Registry Office in Greece so a Marriage Certificate will be issued (within 3 days). If you have a wedding planner they will send your certificate for translation and then forwarded to you at your postal address (if requested). Alternatively you can translate it by visiting the Consular Authorities and request the document to be forwarded to the General Register Office in the UK where it can be deposited.

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

The Greek seas are among the most popular and inviting sailing destinations in the world, scattered as they are with over 2000 beautiful islands, set between blue sky and shades of emerald blue water. Wind and weather will set your pace. And if you are a sailor full of passion and want to share a unique experience competing with several other sailing enthusiasts, you may join one of the races that are are held here every year like the Aegean Regatta.

Rhodes can be used as a starting point for your sailing holiday, especially if you want to concentrate on the Greek islands. In fact it is the main base in the Dodecanese islands and the adjacent Turkish coast for a large number of yacht charter companies and suppliers.

If you’re interested in a bareboat charter, you have to take into account that the Greek law requires to have on board 2 crew members (skipper and co-skipper) with sailing certificates proving their competence. But if no such certificates are obligatory in your country, you will be required to present a reference from your yacht club verifying your ability to sail. The skipper and co-skipper will be asked to complete and sign an official self declaration form stating their sailing competence.

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).

The beach is easily accessed with some of parking space in the nearby. Most of the east side is covered with deck chairs and beach umbrellas for rent and it is pretty common to see ladies sunbathing topless. In high season it can be difficult to find chairs for rent here, as the beach is full of hotel guests but you can always take your towels from the and spread them out closer to the water front.

A lifesaver service operates from June to October daily from 10 am to 6 pm. Also there are lifesaving and first aid equipment and staff on duty on the beach. There are sport facilities and facilities for disabled people (ramps, WC).

Discover Rhodes - Your holidays guide on the Greek island of Rhodes (Rodos).