Easter in Hermionis, 2015 - Memoir

Easter in Hermionis

Easter  is among other religious festivities the most important for the modern Greeks. It is maybe because of its symbolism, the death and the resurrection of the Godman which may reflect the ancient Demigods Dionysos or Adonis; it's maybe because of the warm and sweet arrival of Spring; it could be also because of the festivities during the last three days of the Holy Week. Hermionis is broadly well known for its rich tradition in the customs and the events occurring on Holy Friday, Holy Saturday and Easter Sunday.

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The Greek Orthodox Holy Week is a period of mourning (penthos), in contrast to the Greek landscape which is embracing the coming Spring Season all dressed in wild green colours and colourful wild flowers. During these first days of the Holy Week the churches are crowded with  believers that attend there to hear the Christian narrates and the ancient Byzantine hymns about Christ's Passions.

               
             O Glyky Mou Ear - Vangelis & Irene Papas

On Holy Friday, there is an icon of Christ lying in a Greek-Epitaph/(Epitaphios) representing the dead Christ. Previously that day many of the worshippers had offered much of their time at the church decoratings the Epitaphios with wild flowers selected from their fields and their gardens. The colourful decorated Greek-Epitaphs of the two main churhes of Hermione are carried out all over the old village  while the priests are chanting and the villagers follow the procession holding dark coloured mournful candles. Finally both of them along with the worhispers and the clergy  meet at the port of Hermione. 

          Hermion House

On Holy Saturday the main local churches of Hermione, Panagias and Taxiarchon, are ready to celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. A common tradition among the villages of Hermionis is to celebrate with fireworks when the priest says “Christos Anesti” (Christ has Risen). A chorus of thunderous sounds is created by the hundreds fireworks outside the local churches and among the old stone cobbled roads of Hermione, as the worshippers of the Orthodox Church hold and then swing up and down together with the joyful rhythm of the bells their specific Easter-made colourful candles. The colourful candles called in Greek "lambathes" are lit from the same Holy Light transferred to Greece from Jerusalem's Temple of Resurrection. After the priest delivers joyfully the message "Christ is risen"/"Christos Anesti" the thousands of villagers, visitors and tourists are gathering at the local tavernas where the old standing tradition of cracking the red Easter eggs starts, just before the Holy Saturday dinner begins with the traditional Easter soup called “magiritsa".

             Xenon House

Easter Sunday is a day of great celebration around the Easter table with all the family and friends. It is mainly dominated by meat being roasted all the morning on a spit. It's the day where traditional songs and dances last until late at night when another custom the of "Burning of Judas"/"Kapsimo tou Iuda" occurs  in Hermione and at the port of the near island Hydra as well.

This special custom, the "Burning of Judas" revives every Easter Sunday in the port of Hermione attracting people from every corner of Greece and the rest of the world.  
The "burning of Judas" is a special and very old custom representing the punishment of the avarice traitor- Judas. During the past 25 years the custom has gained much popularity and interest mainly because its spectacular,  large scale, striking effects.
It takes place in the centre of the main harbor of the village and it can be watched  through out all the natural bay that surrounds the harbor. 

The preparations start two or three days before when the locals make an effigy of Judas out of fabric, wood and straw. The "Judas" is set on a wooden raft in the centre of the harbor ..waiting for his spectacular punishment.  

The custom begins at 21:00 o'clock when a  small fleet of fishing boats approaches it from the Posidion peninsula where the ancient Greek &Byzantine acropolis once stood. The small fleet moving in circles around the effigy creates a fantastic scenery while  the locals upon the boats hold torches and smoke canisters as the music plays on and petards explode from far like lightnings. At the last circle the leader of this small fleet of "avengers" sets fire on the raft where "Judas" stands giving the "coup de grâce" to the Traitor. A chorus of thunderous sound and dazzling displays of colors are created by the hundreds fireworks upon the sky of Hermionis giving a festive character to the punishment of the traitor Judas. At that point and on traditional dances start while the effigy of Judas continuously explodes and finally burns up.

" The Burning of Judas" in Hermione - 2015

We wish you had a Good Easter!

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