MUNICIPALITY OF CORFU Easter on Corfu island © Municipality of Corfu

Texts by: Demetris Zymaris Maria Kamonachou

Translated by: Demetris P. Dallas Management by: Municipality of Corfu, Office for Communication & Public Relations Photographs by: Yiannis Gasteratos Nikos Giohalas Yiannis Demetras Tasos Diavatis Thalia Kympari Stamatis Katapodis Markos Kyprianos Theodosia Mantzavinou Yiorgos Vlachopoulos Shutterstock

Graphic design by: Fileni Lorandou

This booklet was written in collaboration with • the Metropolis of Corfu, Paxos and the Diapontian Islands, • the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Corfu, Zakynthos and Cephalonia the Corfu Reading Society and • the Ephorate of Antiquities of Corfu with the support of • the Municipal Organization for Culture, Sport & Environment (DOPAP) Dear friends,

We welcome you to Corfu, one of the most alluring travel destinations in Greece and a meeting point of West and East. This season on our island bears the sweetness of springtime, the weight of tradition, and the strength of Christian Orthodox faith. Religious processions, rites of worship, and various other events combine to form the unique experience of Easter time on Corfu. We invite you to taste this emblematic element of our cultural identity in all its aspects. You may verify the vital relationship of Corfiots with such activities, and their participation in them. Easter is rooted in the collective conscious of the inhabitants of this island. You can feel this with all your senses; delight in the images, the colours, the sounds, the smells, the tastes. We furthermore invite you to stroll in Corfu Town and visit the island’s interior: make the acquaintance of the town’s historical centre, a UNESCO World Heritage Monument, the picturesque villages, the exquisite greenery of the countryside. Discover the history of this place and of its civilization.

Our friends, We wish you a most pleasant stay. Happy Easter!

The Mayor of Corfu Kostas Nikolouzos A BRIEF HISTORICAL NOTE

Corfu lies at the extreme north-west of Greece. It was part of the Byzantine (or Eastern Roman) Empire until the year 1204. In later times, until 1864, the island came under the domination of various western powers. The most notable was the four-century period of Venetian rule (1386-1797), which shaped to a considerable degree the identity of these parts. The island never passed under Ottoman occupation. Corfu Town consequently received refugees from Constantinople after 1453, and from Crete in 1669, following the fall of Chandax to the Ottomans. Having become a melting pot of various populations with different cultural backgrounds, it none the less retained its Hellenic cultural identity, on the apex of which was the Greek Orthodox faith. On the other hand, incorporating influences from the Venetian, French, Russian and British rule, the town developed many characteristics of western European cities, an established indigenous professional class, and structured self-government institutions. For example, during Venetian rule the town’s Grand Council would determine the usage of public space and organize religious and lay festivals that reflected the cast of mind and collective consciousness of the various population groups throughout the island. Already from the latter 1400s the town authorities, in collaboration with the local Orthodox and Catholic clergy, had begun to institute and gradually embed the annual cycle of public religious expression. The most significant among such celebrations were those that involved the Holy Relic of Saint Spyridon, which had been transported from Constant­ inople to Corfu in 1456, that locally buttressed the prestige of the Orthodox

2 The religious procession of St Spyridon at Corfu J. Cartwright, Views of the Ionian Islands, London, 1821

Church and Corfiot community. As one of the great ritual festivals of Christ­ endom, Easter week held pride of place among commemorative festivals. The Corfiot Easter celebrations may be said to have three fundamental characteristics for people: the uniqueness and wealth of customs; real and living relationship with a deep tradition; and the sense of continuity, attested

3 by the participation in them of one and all inhabitants of Corfu Town, the protagonist and ideal backdrop of the festival. As time passed, Easter celebrations multiplied. This means that nowadays there is a noted presence in them of Corfiots of every age. People participate in those great civil­cum-religious rituals, each ­person having a full understanding of their role and mission. Participation is ensured through local parishes, the brass marching bands of the philharmonic orchestras (a custom initially attached to the musical accompaniment of religious processions by

4 military bands that dates at least to the time of Venetian rule), the organized choral ensembles, and the Red Cross, Scouts, Guides, and other associations. Easter time in Corfu is a complex phenomenon of religious worship, unique in magnificence and popular participation, that has been organized here for at least five hundred years. It is an admixture of the old Byzantine ritual with influences from Venetian religious example, which was in itself rooted in Byzantine provenance. That ritual was embodied in the public ceremonies arranged then by the town itself, and nowadays organized by collaboration between Town Council and Church. One more defining characteristic of Easter here is that already since the time of Venetian rule the local Catholic Archdiocese had agreed to celebrate Easter on the same day with the Orthodox Church — and this custom is still observed. Alongside the ancient and established religious rituals, more recent years have seen the initiation of events centred on music and literature, in harmony with the season’s spirit, that enhance the quality of festivities. These are largely organized by philharmonic orchestras, choral societies and cultural associations. Villages throughout the island also celebrate Easter time in unique and beautiful fashion in the splendid greenery of Corfiot springtime. There are impressive religious processions on the Resurrection that usually take place during the week after Easter Sunday. This is one more old Byzantine custom that may be connected with the official blessing of fields by the Church in April or May. It is still extant only on the monastic community of Mount Athos, a few Cycladic islands, and among islanders of the Ionian Sea, where the Orient and Occident can enjoy peaceful coexistence.

5 EASTER IN CORFU TOWN*

Friday, eve of Lazarus Saturday 19:30 Concert with Holy Week hymns by the Holy Metropolis Ecclesiastical Choir “St Arsenios” at the Church of St Spyridon. 21:00 Church music concert by the Corfu Choir at the Metropolitan Church of St Theodora, with the participation of the Children’s and Women’s choral ensembles.

Lazarus Saturday 11:30 The Church of the SS Nikolaos of the Elders and Lazarus, which celebrates on this day, sees choral ensembles from various places on the island start on processions, singing the Lazarus Carols. After they end their divergent itineraries, they meet at 12:30 to sing the same carols at the old Town Hall. The event is organized by the Corfiot Events Organization (OKE). 20:00 Concert by the band of the Corfu Philharmonic Society, the island’s oldest philharmonic orchestra, at the Municipal Theatre.

Palm Sunday 11:00 Procession of the Holy Relic of St Spyridon, patron saint of Corfu Town. Following Mass at the Church of St Spyridon, the longest of all annual pro- cessions of His holy relic takes place. It covers the length of the old town wall, led by the Most Revd Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu, Paxos and the

* This timetable does not include all devotional services and holy masses, but only those deemed to have a special character for our guests.

6 Church music concert by the Corfu Choir at the Metropolitan Church on Friday, eve of Lazarus Saturday.

Diapontian Islands. This procession was first held in 1629, in remembrance of the island’s miraculous deliverance from plague. 20:30 Concert by the “Kapodistrias” Philharmonic Association of Corfu and the ecclesiastical music division of the Corfu Choir at the Church of St George in the Old Fortress.

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Great Holy Monday 20:30 Concert by the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society at the Municipal Theatre. 21:00 Sacred music concert by the Kynopiastes Philharmonic Band at the Catholic Cathedral of St. Jacob and Christopher (the Duomo).

Great Holy Tuesday 21:30 Evening for poetry and music titled “From Golgotha to Resurrection”. Organized by the Corfiot Events Organization (OKE) at the Peristyle of the Palace of SS Michael and George.

Great Holy Wednesday 19:00 The Service of the Laver is chanted at the Church of All Saints by the Holy Metropolis Ecclesiastical Choir “St Arsenios”, led by the Most Rev Metropolitan Nektarios. 21:00 Sacred music concert. Requiem by W.A. Mozart by the “San Giacomo” Mu- nicipal Choir and the Thessaloniki State Symphony Orchestra at the Mu- nicipal Theatre.

Great Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) 20:00 The Washing of the Feet rite is performed at the Catholic Cathedral (the Duomo) of SS Giacomo and Cristoforo. During the ritual the Most Rev Archbishop Ioannis Spiteris symbolically washes the feet of twelve children. Later in the evening there follows the Service of the Royal Hours: the veneration of the Holy Eucharist and of the Stations of the Cross.

Procession of the Holy Relic of St Spyridon on Palm Sunday. . Good Friday All churches set forth the procession of their flower-covered Holy Sepulchres (i.e. carved wooden biers that symbolize the Tomb of Christ) in well-tempered order. Each is followed by parishioners, and with the participation of marching bands, choral ensembles, local schools, scouts and others. The chorister bodies of each church (especially the Metropolitan and Municipal ones) in deep devotion sing the “Encomia” (Hymns of Praise), whereas marching bands provide appropriate airs in arrangements of music from the western tradition: TheAdagio by Tomaso Albinoni (the Corfu Philharmonic Society); Marcia Funebre by Giuseppe Verdi (the “Mantzaros”

10 GOOD FRIDAY PROCESSIONS

12:30 Church of St Eirene (General Hospital) Chapel of St Artemios (Old Hospital) 14:00 Church of the Pantocrator (Campiello) Church of Our Lady Spelaiotissa (New Fortress: organized by the Naval Station of Corfu) 15:45 Church of St Nikolaos of the Baths (St Nikolaos Gate: organized by the Scouts Association of Corfu) 16:00 Church of St George (Old Fortress: organized by OKE) 16:30 Church of St Panteleimon (Psychiatric Hospital) 17:00 Monastery of St Euphemia (Mon Repos) 17:15 Church of the Virgin Mary Our Guide (Porta Remunda: organized by OKE) 17:30 Monastery of the Virgin Mary Kassopitra (Figaretto) Church of the Ascension (Analepsis) Church of St George (Mandouki) 18:00 Church of All Saints (Liston) Church of the Resurrection (First Municipal Cemetery) Monastery of the Saints Theodore (Stratia) 18:30 Church of St Sophia (Evraike) Church of St Paraskeve (Porta Remunda) 19:00 Church of St Antonios (Spelia) Church of the Holy Trinity (Garitsa) Church of SS Constantine and Helen (Koulines) Church of the Assumption of the Virgin at Mamaloi (Koyevina) Church of SS Iason and Sosipater (Garitsa) 19:15 Church of St Eleutherios (Cofinetta) Church of the Virgin Mary of Vlachernae (Garitsa) 19:30 Church of St Spyridon at Sarocco (Kotsela) Church of the Three Martyred Saints (Garitsa) Church of the Virgin Mary Phaneromene / Our Lady of Mainlanders (Plakada) 20:00 Church of St Vasileios (Pinia) Church of St Ioannes the Lazos (Kefalomandouko) Church of St Varvaros (Potamos) Church of St Nikolaos (Alykae) 20:15 Church of St Nikolaos of the Elders (Campiello) 20:30 Church of St Ioannes (Piazza) 20:45 Catholic Cathedral of St. Jacob and Christopher (the Duomo) 21:00 Church of St Spyridon; Procession of the Sepulchre within the church with music by the Corfu Philharmonic Society 22:00 Metropolitan Church of Our Lady Spelaiotissa (Spelia) 11 Georgios Samartzis (1868-1925), St Spyridon procession, 1912 (detail). Oil on canvas. Georgios Laskaris Collection.

12 Philharmonic Society); and the funeral elegy Sventura by Giuseppe Mariani and Marche Funebre by Frédéric Chopin (the “Kapodistrias” Philharmonic Association).

Great Holy Saturday 06:00 Re-enactment of the earthquake that followed the Lord’s resurrection at the Church of the Virgin Mary Phaneromene (Our Lady of Mainlanders), as described by the Evangelists. 09:00 Procession of the Holy Relic of St Spyridon and of the Sepulchre of the same church. That is the oldest procession of the saint’s relic in Corfu Town, in remembrance of the island’s release from food privation, probably in the year 1553. According to a very old tradition, the procession includes the church’s Sepulchre, as in the morning of the Great Holy Saturday the mourning of Good Friday still continues. It must be noted that the saint’s holy relic holds the position of Exarch in the procession, i.e. is carried before the Sepulchre, following the Byzantine order of rites, especially the Constantinopolitan one. The marching bands of the three philharmonics of the town take part in the procession. They play an arrangement of the funeral march from Franco Faccio’s opera Amleto (the Corfu Philharmonic Society); the funeral march Calde Lacrimae by Vincenzo de Michelis (the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society); and an arrangement of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Marcia Funebre, the second movement of his Third Symphony (Eroica) (the “Kapodistrias” Philharmonic Association). After the procession, the Holy Relic of St Spyridon is placed by the door of the church in worship for three days. This is also a very old tradition,

13 probably rooted in Constantinople, when the saint’s relic was still retained at the Church of the Holy Apostles there. 11:00 Following the end of the religious procession, the Ressurection Vespers are sung at the Metropolis Church. When the Metropolitan reaches the line: “Arise, O God, judge the earth” (Psalm 82), all church bells in town ring in joy. Then inhabitants start throwing and breaking old clay utensils from their windows and balconies. This is the custom of the so-called “First Resurrection” and has very old roots. It has been conjectured that this breaking symbolizes the victory of life over death. Corfiots themselves apply a Christian meaning to the

The old custom of "Mastela".

custom; their comprehension of the Lord’s Resurrection chorus: “Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel” (Psalm 2:9). 11:01 At Pinia, in the old town’s commercial centre, the old custom of the Mastela (or Barrel) has been revived in recent years. A barrel is filled with water and decorated with myrtles and coloured ribbons. Passers-by drop in coins and each makes a wish. After church bells peal for the “First Resurrection”

16 the first person to dive into the barrel takes all coins and is subsequently drenched in water. Organized by OKE. 21:00 Service of the Easter Vigil at the Catholic Cathedral (the Duomo) with church organ and polyphonic chorus, officiated by the Most Rev Archbishop Ioannis Spiteris. The service concludes at 11 p.m. 22:00 Reception of the Holy Light, lit at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, takes place at Pentofananaro (near Liston) in the presence of the local authorities. The Holy Light is transported to the Church of St Paraskeve, where the Lord’s Resurrection service begins, officiated by the Most Rev Metropolitan Nektarios. In recent years it has emerged as custom for the Catholic Archbishop to receive the Holy Light from the Orthodox Christian Metropolitan in a brief ceremony at Porta Remunda, during the procession to the Church of St Paraskeve. 23.00 Service of the Resurrection Vigil at the Church of St Paraskeve, near the Upper Square. 23:40 Assembly at the Upper Square Rotunda for the Resurrection ceremony, officiated by the Most Rev Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu. The hymn “Christ is risen from the dead, trampling upon Death by death” is sung. The marching bands of the town’s three philharmonic orchestras play together the march “Graeci” in a joyful atmosphere. In the following churches a Resurrection Mass is conducted during the night: All Saints, Our Lady of Mainlanders, SS Iason and Sosipater, Three Martyred Saints, Assumption of the Virgin at Mamaloi, SS Constantine and Helen; All Saints at Gouvia and at the monasteries of Platytera, St Euphemia, Virgin Mary Kassopitra, and the Saints Theodore.

17 The Rotunda at the Upper Square: hundreds of fireworks light up the Corfiot sky as an accompaniment to the Resurrection upon the words “Christ is risen”.

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Easter Sunday 09:00-11:00 Most churches on the island hold the Resurrection Mass in the morning, on an old tradition based on the passage of the New Testament: “And very early in the morning, the first day of the weeke they came unto the sepulchre, at the rising of the sunne” (John, 20:1). A procession of the icon of the Lord’s Resurrection also takes place in accordance with the Byzantine ritual that is still extant in some Aegean islands and Slavic Orthodox countries.

PROCESSIONS OF THE ICONS OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION IN TOWN 07:30 St Sophia (Evraike) 07:45 Metropolitan Church of Our Lady Spelaiotissa (Spelia) All Saints (Liston) St Paraskeve (Porta Remunda) 08:10 St Eleutherios (Coffinetta) 08:15 St Spyridon at Sarocco (Kotsela) 08:30 Ascension of the Virgin (Analepsis) St George (Mandouki) Virgin Mary Phaneromene / Our Lady of Mainlanders (Plakada) Virgin Mary of Vlachernae (Garitsa) 08:45 St Vasileios (Pinia) 09:00 St Nikolaos of the Elders (Campiello) St Ioannes (Piazza) St Antonios (Spelia) 10:00 St Spyridon; with the participation of the Corfu Philharmonic Society playing "Tannhäuser" by Richard Wagner, and the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society playing Resurrection: "Marcia Trionfale" by Soteres Kretikos. 18:00 Holy Trinity (Garitsa)

20 Procession of the icon of the Lord’s Resurrection.

19:30 The Agapē (Love) Vespers at the Metropolitan Church, officiated by the Most Rev Metropolitan Nektarios. The passage 20.19 – 20.25 from the St John Gospel is read in various languages.

Tuesday following Easter Sunday 18:00 Reposing of the Holy Relic of St Spyridon to its Sepulchre in the presence of local authorities and the participation of the town’s two oldest philharmonic bands.

21 ARSENIOU

ANTIVOUNIOTISSA FALIRAKI

VIRGIN MARY PANTOCRATOR OLD PORT SQUARE KREMASTI

SPELIA METROPOLITAN ST NIKOLAOS PALACE OF SS MICHAEL CHURCH OF THE ELDERS AND GEORGE NEW FRANCIS ST ANTONIOS OF ASSISI FORTRESS ST SPYRIDON VIRGIN MARY NIK. THEOTOKI KASSOPITRA PLAKADA VIRGIN MARY T'AGIOU OF TENEDOS VIRGIN MARY ST VASILEIOS PHANEROMENE SAINT ST IOANNES FATHERS ESPLANADE

SYNAGOGUE ALL SAINTS LISTON EVG. VOULGAREOS

DUOMO OLD OLD TOWN HALL FORTRESS SQUARE ST SOPHIA EVG. VOULGAREOS

KAPODISTRIOU ESPLANADE (PANO PLATEA)

ROTUNDA MOUSTOXIDI

SAROCCO GEORG. THEOTOKI ANGLICAN CHURCH

ST SPYRIDON PROCESSION (HOLY SATURDAY) ST PARASKEVE PROCESSION OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE OF THE METROPOLITAN CHURCH (GOOD FRIDAY) EASTER IN VILLAGES

In the Easter season many villages on the island organize interesting cultural activities in the spirit of the time’s devotional atmosphere. On Good Friday the procession of each sepulchre takes place with the participation of the brass bands of local philharmonics. On Great Holy Saturday the Resurrection is traditionally celebrated at village squares in the presence of all inhabitants and their Easter guests. The procession of the Resurrection icon of each parish takes place in the morning or afternoon of Easter Sunday (during the Agapē Vespers), or on the “New” Monday (Easter Monday). The Easter period ends with the Ascension Vespers on the Wednesday after Easter Sunday. Again the procession of the Resurrection icon of each parish is conducted according to local tradition. Then the icon is returned to its permanent place within each parish church until the following Easter.

23 PROGRAMME OF CELEBRATIONS BY AREA*

PARELION MUNICIPAL DISTRICT On Good Friday the brass band of the Sinarades Philharmonic participates in the procession of the Holy Sepulchre at the village of Sinarades. On Easter Monday the same brass band takes part in the procession from the Church of St Nikolaos in the same village. On Easter Monday processions from the villages of Vatos, Giannades, Kokkini and Pelekas end at picturesque country chapels, where Mass follows. In the same afternoon there are music festivals at Vatos and Pelekas with the local traditional dance groups. On the Sunday week after Easter (the St Thomas Sunday) a religious procession is held at Marmaro.

ACHILLEION MUNICIPAL DISTRICT On the afternoon of Lazarus Saturday the parish women of St Mary at Kynopiastes make crosses from palm leaves at the churchyard while singing the lay religious song “Good is the Holy God” (the Passion of Christ in folk lyrics). On Good Friday at Varypatades the old custom of the “Boboli” is re-enacted: hundreds of snail shells are filled with cotton (used as a fuse) and olive oil, lit up and placed along the root to be followed by the procession of the Holy Sepulchre. The processions at Kynopiastes, Chrysida and Gastouri are held with the participation of the brass bands of the Kynopiastes and Gastouri Philharmonics. On Easter Monday the procession at Benitses is accompanied by a philharmonic

* This programme is only indicative of the events organized in municipal entities other that that of Corfu Town.

24 On Easter Monday the procession of the Viros parish sails to the picturesque islet of Pontikonissi brass band, and the procession of the Viros parish sails to the islet of Pontikonissi. On the St Thomas Sunday processions are held at the villages of Kynopiastes, Gastouri and Agioi Deka.

PHAEACON MUNICIPAL DISTRICT On Good Friday the brass band of the Korakiana Philharmonic accompanies the procession of the Holy Sepulchre at the village of Poulades. The Ano Korakiana

25 procession is accompanied by a brass band and a choral ensemble. On Easter Monday one of the oldest and most traditional processions of rural Corfu is held at Ano Korakiana, with the participation of a brass band. A philharmonic brass band also accompanies the procession at Gazatika. On Easter Tuesday the brass band of the Korakiana Philharmonic takes part in the religious procession at Agios Markos. Processions are also held on the Friday after Easter (the feast of the Fount of Life) at the religious festival of the parish church of Kato Korakiana, and on St Thomas Sunday at Sokraki.

PALAEOKASTRITON MUNICIPAL DISTRICT The procession of the Holy Sepulchre starts in the morning from the Monastery of Palaeokastritsa. It heads for the harbour of Alypa accompanied by the brass bands of the Liapades Philharmonic Union, the Lakones Philharmonic Union, and the choral ensemble of the Lakonites Music Association. The latter two also take part in the procession of the Church of St Nikolaos at Lakones in the evening. The procession of the Holy Sepulchre from the Church of St Anastasia Resolver of Poisons at Liapades is conducted with the participation of the choral ensemble and the brass band of the Liapades Philharmonic Union. The brass band of the Skripero Philharmonic accompanies the procession at the village of Skripero. On Easter Monday a great procession is held at the village of Doukades. Other processions are held on the same day at Skripero (Skripero Philharmonic) and Makrades (Lakones Philharmonic), followed by a music festival. On the Friday after Easter the festival of the Monastery of the Holy Virgin at Palaeokastritsa is held, with the participation of the choral ensemble of the Lakones Cultural Association and Parish.

26 The procession of the Holy Sepulchre from the Monastery of Palaeokastritsa heading to the harbour of Alypa

On the St Thomas Sunday the procession at the village of Krene is accompanied by the Philharmonic brass band and choral ensemble. A music festival follows with the participation of the Krene traditional dance group.

THINALION MUNICIPAL DISTRICT In the evening of the eve of Lazarus Saturday the village of Episkepsis celebrates with the singing of the traditional Lazarus Carols. The Good Friday procession at the same village is accompanied by a brass band and choral ensemble. The brass band of the Thinalion Philharmonic participates

27 in the procession of the Holy Sepulchre at Acharavi. On Easter Monday processions are held at the villages of Klematia and Nymphae. On the St Thomas Sunday a religious procession and musical festival are organized at Episkepsis.

AGIOU GEORGIOU MUNICIPAL DISTRICT In the morning of the Tuesday after Easter a religious procession takes place at Pagoi with the participation of a philharmonic brass band and choral ensemble, followed by a traditional music festival in the afternoon.

ESPERION MUNICIPAL DISTRICT The Good Friday processions at the villages of Avliotes, Karousades and Sidari are accompanied by philharmonic brass bands. The Easter Monday religious processions at the villages of Peroulades, Kyprianades and Karousades are held with the participation of philharmonic brass bands. On the Tuesday after Easter the processions at Avliotes and Magoulades end with a traditional music festival in the afternoon. The village of Kavallouri holds a procession for the Fount of Life feast on the Friday after Easter and a music festival afterwards. On St Thomas Sunday the village of Sidari organizes the procession of the “Mark of the Nails” icon with the participation of brass bands and choral ensembles, followed by a traditional music festival. The village of Valaneio also holds a religious procession on the same day. KASSOPAEON MUNICIPAL DISTRICT On Good Friday the Holy Sepulchre procession includes the miraculous icon of the Virgin Mary from the Church of the Virgin Mary Kassopitra.

28 Procession at the village of Avliotes on Easter Tuesday

KORISSION MUNICIPAL DISTRICT The village of Marathias organizes processions on the Friday after Easter and on St Thomas Sunday.

MELITEIEON MUNICIPAL DISTRICT The procession of the Holy Sepulchre on Good Friday is held with the participation of a philharmonic brass band.

29 Procession of the icon of the Resurrection at the village of Strongyli

The same village also organizes a religious procession on Easter Monday. The villages of Vouniatades, Agios Matthaeos and Strongyli conduct processions of the icon of the Resurrection on St Thomas Sunday.

30 LEUKIMMAEON MUNICIPAL DISTRICT On Good Friday the processions of the Holy Sepulchres at the villages of Kavos, Melikia, Potami and Agioi Theodoroi, and the parish of the Virgin Mary at Leukimme (Lefkimmi) are accompanied by the Leukimme Philharmonic Society (FEL). The processions at Rigglades and Anaplades are held with the participation of the Musical and Artistic Union of Leukimmaioi (MKEL), the Leukimme Choir, and the “Phaethon” Leukimme Dance Association. At 11 a.m. on the Great Holy Saturday the custom of breaking clay kitchen utensils is re-enacted by members of “Phaethon” and the participation of MKEL at the churchyard of St Arsenios. At 10.30 a.m. on Easter Monday a procession starts through the central streets of Leukimme (Melikia, Potami, St Theodoroi, Church of the Virgin Mary) accompanied by FEL. A prayer is held on the bridge of the Leukimme River. At 11 a.m. on the same day a procession is organized through Rigglades and Anaplades with the participation of MKEL. A religious procession is also held at the village of Vitalades. On the feast day of the Fount of Life (the Friday after Easter) a procession takes place at Kretika. At 9 p.m. on the Saturday after Easter the band of MKEL gives a concert at the theatre of Leukimme Primary School 2.

31 SIGHTSEEING

The confines of this booklet won’t allow for a complete presentation of the beauty of an island with such a unique tradition derived from so many sources. Suffice it to note that this may provide the spark for you to discover by yourselves the beauties of our hospitable homeland, and perhaps give you a good reason to visit us again. 1

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PERITHIA SIDARI RODA ACHARAVI KASSIOPE PEROULADES KAROUSADES OLD PERITHIA AVLIOTES MAGOULADES EPISKEPSI PANTOCRATORAS KAVVADADES NYMFES SINIES GIMARI AGROS AFIONAS SPARTYLAS PAGI SKRIPERO IPSOS ANGELOKASTRO LAKONES Κ.ΚORAKIANA DASSIA PALEOKASTRITSA LIAPADES GOUVIA

GIANNADES POTAMOS AFRA CORFU

PELEKAS ΚΑΝΟΝΙ KYNOPIASTES

SINARADES ACHILLION AG. DEKA Κ.GAROUNA BENITSES

STRONGYLI

AG. MATHAIOS MORAITIKA

GARDIKI CHLOMOS ALYKES KORISSION (SALT MARSH) LAGOON ARGYRADES

PERIVOLE LEUKIMME SPONSORS:

Municipality of Corfu www.corfu.gr