Listed 5 sub titles with search on: Festivals and fairs for destination: "EPIDAVROS Municipality ARGOLIS".
5/1/2003 - 6/1/2003
On January 5th, following the ancient Christian tradition, on this day the local priest tours the whole town, house to house, entering and blessing each house. Tradition has it, that the bad spirits who saw the tree of the earth, when they come in contact with the holy water they turn to dust.
On the 6th, after the morning church service, thousands of people gather at the portside, many in small boats and other craft. A procession from the church arrives and after a short prayer the local priest he throws a small decorated cross into the freezing waters. This is to symbolize the baptism of Jesus Christ. This is the signal for men and boys of all ages, to dive into the sea with complete disregard for the cold and they race to reach the cross as it sinks to the see floor. The victor, who successfully retrieves the cross, receives the blessings of the priest and church for the rest of the year.
When the evening church service finishes local women and girls gather in the church hall. Here they take great pride in the painstaking work of adorning the symbol of the coffin of Christ. Each flower ribbon and candle is placed with loving care. Many hours and many people end up making a beautiful masterpiece. Of course many people like to visit just to watch the work in progress.
The height of the days long services culminate a few minutes before midnight, thousands of people have congregated at the church inside and out. The lights of the thrush go out and the people await the coming of the "first light" from Jerusalem. Suddenly the priest appears with the light and the congregation with many decorated candles takes light from this and spread it throughout the crowd. The church bells peal in triumph and happiness and fireworks light the sky from everywhere making night into day (they continue long into the morning). The crowd exchanges greetings and best wishes with each other and then starts to wind their way home to their houses, carrying the first light and marking a cross with the smoke above the doorway of their houses and then bringing the light inside. Then after the fasting is over, traditional foods "magiritsa" and "patsas" are eaten by most.
A day of celebration from morning to night, everywhere from early morning, fires are prepared and then lambs are roasted on long spits over the hot coals. Hot work that requires many hands and much refreshment, this is a day where families get together catch up on the previous year and the singing and dancing begin. Everywhere there is joy and high spirits and celebrations go on all day.
A sad day for all, the church bells toll mournfully throughout the day for the dead. The atmosphere of the village is heavy. Then after the evening church service the sacred drama reaches its zenith. A procession forms and the cross and the symbol of the coffin of Christ that was prepared the previous night leave the church and tour the village. Boys of the service and girls dressed in white costume lead the procession chanting as the procession moves slowly around the village. It stops at intervals where the people pass under the symbol to take a blessing. Eventually they return to the church where it is laid to rest.
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