This week is Orthodox Easter. Depending on the calendar year, Orthodox Easter often falls on a different date to Catholic Easter, or as we often say “Aussie Easter”.
It is a very sacred time for our culture and our Church. A lot of the food that we prepare is symbolic to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Food is a very big part of the Orthodox Tradition of Easter. It starts with Nestia – a fasting ritual that begins 40 days prior to Easter.
During Nestia we cook vegetarian and vegan meals. For example, we have fish, tarama, psomi, salads and fakes-Greek Lentil Soup.
On Holy Thursday, we make traditional Greek Easter Bread (tsourekia). We also dye the eggs red, symbolising the blood of Christ.
On Good Friday, there is no cooking or work as it is the day that Jesus is crucified. For this reason all food preparation should happen on Holy Thursday or Easter Saturday.
We also eat fakes (Greek lentil soup) or other boiled food with vinegar on Good Friday. This is because Jesus was given vinegar to drink.
Any Easter baking will be finished on the Saturday. All the koulouria, flaounes and other baking is wrapped up ready to gift to family and friends on Easter.
After Saturday night mass, we will break the fast with our traditional avgolemono soup (chicken and lemon soup). For Easter lunch we enjoy souvla, mezzes and a bunch of salads. This is accompanied with the cracking of the red dyed eggs.
Kalo Pascha, Happy Easter to you all.
Do you have any food traditions that you celebrate at Easter time? I would love to know what you and your family do. Please leave a comment below.
