The Greek Orthodox Easter was on the 6th of May. It was 1956 and we were on home leave. We were staying in the family house in Kifissia and to our great joy, after so many years, we were going to celebrate Easter in Greece.
All over the country spring was in full bloom. The garden had a few fir trees, multicoloured rose shrubs, and a wisteria climbed elegantly around the rails of the stairs, leading to the front porch.
A few words about Holy Week and Easter in Greece. Some of the Greek Orthodox services, during Holy Week, have a considerable amount of ceremony.
On every Good Thursday, during the Holy Passion service and the agony of the Crucifixion, the Twelve Gospels are read. During vespers, called the lamentation at the Tomb, the priests remove the body of Christ from the cross and place it in a sepulchre, the Epitaphios a bier symbolizing the tomb of Christ.
On the early hours of Good Friday, the Epitaphios is adorned with the most beautiful of spring flowers, and late in the evening, it is carried with pomp, in a candle-lit procession of priests and faithful, all chanting the beautifully touching hymn "O glyky mou e-ar" (Oh, my sweet spring). The grief and lamentations for the death and burial of Jesus are commemorated very dramatically by our church.
Late on Good Saturday, the faithful go to church, in anticipation of the resurrection, holding candles. After a few minutes before midnight, the lights of the churches and the surrounding areas are switched off and the priests light candles from the vigil light and offer it to the congregation. Then the lead the faithful, holding lit candles outside the church, chanting "Christos Anesti ek Nekron" (Christ has risen from the dead). All over the land, the church bell ring joyfully, people great each other cheerfully, delighted for being with their loved ones and optimistic for better days. "Kalo Pascha! Ke tou hronou!" May we all be together next year.
Aleco and I enjoyed the Holy Week and we invited all the Cocalis, my parents and the extended family for Easter lunch. I didn't know much about cooking then, except for a for few desserts and a quiche or two, but we were lucky to have Margarita Roussos, who was a wonderful cook. So on Thursday before Easter, dyed Easter eggs, prepared koulourakia, small Easter biscuits and tsourekia, delicious, buttery, aromatic and slightly sweet Easter bread.
On Saturday, I prepared a chocolate dessert, a strawberry pavlova and a quiche Lauren, while Margarita prepared heaps of dolmadakia, wine leaves stuffed with a very tasty minced meat filling drenched with avgolemono sauce. She also boiled asparagus and made the traditional mayeritsa. and Aleco, my husband, iced several bottles of red and white wine. We decided not to roast lamb on the spit because it would be too time-consuming
In those days, one could ask the baker to roast the lamb, So Aleco took charge of the roasting procedure, by taking the lamb to the baker, early on Easter morning. The result was excellent it was roasted to perfection.
So, on Easter morning we only had to prepare masses of roast potatoes, heat the magheritsa, the quiche and the dolmathakia. Make interesting salads, lay the tables and decorate them with bowls of roses from the garden, and wait for our guests to arrive.
I consider myself very lucky, because my Mother-in-law, my sisters and brothers-in-law were charming personalities, of whom I soon became very fond. Our little nieces and nephews were just adorable.
Also, Susanne and Milto Zouros and Aspa and George Magnis, old friends from India were also on home leave in 1956. So we often went to the theatre, to the "pictures" and also to trendy small restaurants ane clubs where we danced until the early morning hours.
In May 1956 we decided to visit Meteora, in Thessali, central Greece. Metora are enormous rock formations that rise steeply from the plains, a spectacular geological phenomenon.
As early as 11th century, Greek Orthodox monks, attempting to discover the perfect place to attain peace and harmony, lived in spiritual seclusion in caves at Meteora. During the 14th century, the monks trying to isolate themselves from the deadly attacks of the Ottoman Turks, built monasteries at the top of the Meteora. Then, access to monasteries was only through removable rope ladders and or windlass winches. Today one can approach the monasteries easily, due to the steps that are carved in the rocks during the 1920s to the modern highways that reach right to most entrances.
Out of the 24 monasteries, only the 6 are functioning, today. and they are included in UNESCO's World Heritage List.
The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron is the largest of all the Monasteries and is dedicated to St Athanasios the Metorite. The Cathedral is decorated with beautiful 16th century frescoes and the Museum where the historical codices and icons of the best byzantine art are displayed,
Varlam Monastery was founded by Osios Varlaam. This beautiful monastery is in honour of Agioi Pantes and it was built by two brothers Osios Theophanes and Osios Nectarios. The elegant murals are attributed to the Hagiographer Franco Catelano.
The Holy Trinity Monastery is built on a lower rock, which makes it more accessible. It has beautiful murals painted by an unknown artist of the Cretan school. It is situated on a very steep rock, therefore, it is very difficult to reach. But when you arrive the view is breath-taking. The Cathedral was built during the15th century and decorated with frescoes by the Hagiographer priest Antonios and his brother Nicolaos.
The Holy Monastery of St Nicolas Anapaphsas is the first Monastery that one meets on the way to Meteora. Due to the limited space, the monastery was built on several levels with an internal staircase. At the entrance of the monastery is the church of St Anthony and the crypt where the codes and the monastery's heirlooms are kept and where 14th century paintings can be admired. On the second floor is the Cathedral dedicated to St Nicolas. The Holy Table is on the third floor, which is decorated with beautiful murals. Also, the Chapel of St John Prodromos is erected there.
St Stephen's Monastery is the most accessible, where one crosses a small bridge to reach the entrance.
So we drove with our Fiat Cinquecento to Kalabaka. The town was burnt down, in1943, by the Germans during the occupation. Now it is a beautiful new town, built among the precipitous rocks of Meteora, with Mount Olympos the residents if the twelve gods of antiquity, spanning a history of 3.000 years. Just 4 km outside Kalabaka is Theopetra Cave, where a stone wall, the oldest man-made structure was built 23.000 years ago.
We registered in a newly built hotel and started visiting the most accessible es. We saw the Monastery of Great Meteora and St Stephen and were very impressed by the elegance of the architecture and the beauty of the frescoes and the portable icons. But we also felt spiritually elevated and had a feeling of utter serenity and contentment on this sacred and simultaneously cultural pilgrimage.
All over the country spring was in full bloom. The garden had a few fir trees, multicoloured rose shrubs, and a wisteria climbed elegantly around the rails of the stairs, leading to the front porch.
A few words about Holy Week and Easter in Greece. Some of the Greek Orthodox services, during Holy Week, have a considerable amount of ceremony.
On every Good Thursday, during the Holy Passion service and the agony of the Crucifixion, the Twelve Gospels are read. During vespers, called the lamentation at the Tomb, the priests remove the body of Christ from the cross and place it in a sepulchre, the Epitaphios a bier symbolizing the tomb of Christ.
On the early hours of Good Friday, the Epitaphios is adorned with the most beautiful of spring flowers, and late in the evening, it is carried with pomp, in a candle-lit procession of priests and faithful, all chanting the beautifully touching hymn "O glyky mou e-ar" (Oh, my sweet spring). The grief and lamentations for the death and burial of Jesus are commemorated very dramatically by our church.
Late on Good Saturday, the faithful go to church, in anticipation of the resurrection, holding candles. After a few minutes before midnight, the lights of the churches and the surrounding areas are switched off and the priests light candles from the vigil light and offer it to the congregation. Then the lead the faithful, holding lit candles outside the church, chanting "Christos Anesti ek Nekron" (Christ has risen from the dead). All over the land, the church bell ring joyfully, people great each other cheerfully, delighted for being with their loved ones and optimistic for better days. "Kalo Pascha! Ke tou hronou!" May we all be together next year.
Aleco and I enjoyed the Holy Week and we invited all the Cocalis, my parents and the extended family for Easter lunch. I didn't know much about cooking then, except for a for few desserts and a quiche or two, but we were lucky to have Margarita Roussos, who was a wonderful cook. So on Thursday before Easter, dyed Easter eggs, prepared koulourakia, small Easter biscuits and tsourekia, delicious, buttery, aromatic and slightly sweet Easter bread.
On Saturday, I prepared a chocolate dessert, a strawberry pavlova and a quiche Lauren, while Margarita prepared heaps of dolmadakia, wine leaves stuffed with a very tasty minced meat filling drenched with avgolemono sauce. She also boiled asparagus and made the traditional mayeritsa. and Aleco, my husband, iced several bottles of red and white wine. We decided not to roast lamb on the spit because it would be too time-consuming
In those days, one could ask the baker to roast the lamb, So Aleco took charge of the roasting procedure, by taking the lamb to the baker, early on Easter morning. The result was excellent it was roasted to perfection.
So, on Easter morning we only had to prepare masses of roast potatoes, heat the magheritsa, the quiche and the dolmathakia. Make interesting salads, lay the tables and decorate them with bowls of roses from the garden, and wait for our guests to arrive.
I consider myself very lucky, because my Mother-in-law, my sisters and brothers-in-law were charming personalities, of whom I soon became very fond. Our little nieces and nephews were just adorable.
Also, Susanne and Milto Zouros and Aspa and George Magnis, old friends from India were also on home leave in 1956. So we often went to the theatre, to the "pictures" and also to trendy small restaurants ane clubs where we danced until the early morning hours.
In May 1956 we decided to visit Meteora, in Thessali, central Greece. Metora are enormous rock formations that rise steeply from the plains, a spectacular geological phenomenon.
As early as 11th century, Greek Orthodox monks, attempting to discover the perfect place to attain peace and harmony, lived in spiritual seclusion in caves at Meteora. During the 14th century, the monks trying to isolate themselves from the deadly attacks of the Ottoman Turks, built monasteries at the top of the Meteora. Then, access to monasteries was only through removable rope ladders and or windlass winches. Today one can approach the monasteries easily, due to the steps that are carved in the rocks during the 1920s to the modern highways that reach right to most entrances.
Out of the 24 monasteries, only the 6 are functioning, today. and they are included in UNESCO's World Heritage List.
 |
| Great Meteoron |
 |
| 16th Century Frescoes |
The Holy Monastery of Great Meteoron is the largest of all the Monasteries and is dedicated to St Athanasios the Metorite. The Cathedral is decorated with beautiful 16th century frescoes and the Museum where the historical codices and icons of the best byzantine art are displayed,
 |
| Fresco by Franco Catelano |
Varlam Monastery was founded by Osios Varlaam. This beautiful monastery is in honour of Agioi Pantes and it was built by two brothers Osios Theophanes and Osios Nectarios. The elegant murals are attributed to the Hagiographer Franco Catelano.
 |
| By Franco Catelano |
 |
| Holy Trinity Monastery |
The Holy Trinity Monastery is built on a lower rock, which makes it more accessible. It has beautiful murals painted by an unknown artist of the Cretan school. It is situated on a very steep rock, therefore, it is very difficult to reach. But when you arrive the view is breath-taking. The Cathedral was built during the15th century and decorated with frescoes by the Hagiographer priest Antonios and his brother Nicolaos.
 |
| Add caption |
The Holy Monastery of St Nicolas Anapaphsas is the first Monastery that one meets on the way to Meteora. Due to the limited space, the monastery was built on several levels with an internal staircase. At the entrance of the monastery is the church of St Anthony and the crypt where the codes and the monastery's heirlooms are kept and where 14th century paintings can be admired. On the second floor is the Cathedral dedicated to St Nicolas. The Holy Table is on the third floor, which is decorated with beautiful murals. Also, the Chapel of St John Prodromos is erected there.
St Stephen's Monastery is the most accessible, where one crosses a small bridge to reach the entrance.
 |
| Kalabaka and Meteora |
So we drove with our Fiat Cinquecento to Kalabaka. The town was burnt down, in1943, by the Germans during the occupation. Now it is a beautiful new town, built among the precipitous rocks of Meteora, with Mount Olympos the residents if the twelve gods of antiquity, spanning a history of 3.000 years. Just 4 km outside Kalabaka is Theopetra Cave, where a stone wall, the oldest man-made structure was built 23.000 years ago.
We registered in a newly built hotel and started visiting the most accessible es. We saw the Monastery of Great Meteora and St Stephen and were very impressed by the elegance of the architecture and the beauty of the frescoes and the portable icons. But we also felt spiritually elevated and had a feeling of utter serenity and contentment on this sacred and simultaneously cultural pilgrimage.
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