Easter

I had the most amazing experience of Easter in Athens and although its a bit late I want to share it.

We arrived at the church on Saturday evening about 11.30pm with the Lambada Annette had made earlier and it was full of people inside and out, dressed up to the nines waiting for the resurrection of the Lord. From the tomb of Jesus in Jerusalem a flame is taken and flown to Greece and distributed to the churches all over Greece and at midnight people gather at the church, carrying the unlit candle and at midnight the priest announces the resurrection of the Lord (“Christos anesti”) Christ is risen and the people light their candles. I must say I got emotional when all the candles had been light and the priest had announced “Christos anesti” and everyone stared cheering and fireworks went off from everywhere it was very cool. Most people left after the fireworks had stopped but some stayed for the sermon of which I didn't understand mostly because it was in ancient Greek and a bit because there was lots of kissing icons and blessings I will never get, at one point I got sprayed with Holy water and for a while I thought it burnt no one else found the statement “it burns, it burn I’m melting” funny apart from Annette. After the sermon we walked home with are Holy flames trying not to let the wind blow it out so we could bless are homes by making a cross above the door with the smoke and I got to bed about 3. You got to hand it to the Greek they sure know how to celebrate.  

Sunday was by far the thing that made this Easter the greatest I have ever had, even if I did only have 3 hours sleep. We went to a lovely Greek ladies house for lamb and I mean a whole lamb cooked on a spit since the early hours of the morning. Cooking below the lamb was stuffed intestine Chris told me that the evening before they had been stretched out and stuffed with the offal of the lamb and when we arrived we were greeted with a plate of this to eat. My first reaction was “it tasted like the smell of dog food” but really it wasn't that bad just the thought of it made me feel sick. We had a great day the lamb was so good, so tender and delicious banoffee pie for dessert and a walk on the beach with some great people. What an Easter!

What an Easter!