Maundy Thursday

The Easter holiday is seen as the most important holiday in Greece and is celebrated from Maundy Thursday and continues through Easter Monday.

The Easter weekend festivities begin on Maundy Thursday as families begin to prepare for the holiday. Churches hold the service of the Holy Passion. After the mass, tsoureki is prepared if it is not being bought from the store. Tsoureki is a sweet yeast bread that is braided into three strands to represent the Holy Trinity. Within the braids is a red-dyed hard boiled egg to represent the blood of Christ. Families also dye eggs red on Maundy Thursday in preparation for Easter Sunday’s festivities. The red of the eggs is supposed to represent the rebirth of life and nature.