Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

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• Cyprus Property
• www.cyprus101.com

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• The carnivals are over and Lent is almost over
  a 40 day fasting period of no meat, poultry or
  dairy products is near the end. The bakeries
  accommodate those who fast by adding dairy-free,
  egg-free and meat-free pastries and cookies to
  their already vast array of goodies.

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• Generally, fasting is followed more strictly in
  the villages of Cyprus than in the towns, but
  most restaurants and takeaways also add fasting
  dishes to their menus during this period.

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• As Easter draws near, an air of festivity
  envelops the towns and villages. During Holy Week
  (the week preceding Easter Sunday) there is a
  flurry of church-going, shopping for new clothes
  and baking.

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• The smell of the traditional Cypriot
  flaounescooking, combined with the heady scent of
  orange blossoms in the air and the sound of
  singing which emanates from the churches,

creates an atmosphere of expectation - a feeling
that something good is just around the corner.
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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• Easter is the most important religious holiday in
  the Greek Orthodox Church. The date of Greek
  Orthodox Easter is based on a modified Julian
  calendar. In 2012 Greek Orthodox Easter will be
  on April 15th.

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• Thursday of Holy Week is when the wonderful
  aromas begin to waft out onto the streets as this
  is traditionally the day when housewives start
  preparing the flaounes (small loaves made of
  flour, eggs, cheese, mint and

sometimes raisins). These are shaped into
triangles, sprinkled with sesame seeds then baked
in the oven.
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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• Tiropites (small cheese pies in puff pastry),
  paskies (small meat pies) and koulouria (biscuits
  made of milk, flour, spices and sugar) are also
  prepared. Eggs are hard boiled and dyed red in
  preparation for games on Sunday. Everywhere is a
  hive of activity.

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• On the Friday morning before Easter (Good Friday
  or Great Friday as it is called in Greek)
  families, carrying flowers, gather in the
  churches. The flowers are collected and used by
  young girls to decorate the

Epitafios (Holy Sepulchre) during the service.
TheEpitafios is a four-post litter with a canopy
in which the icon of Christ is placed.
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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• Early Friday evening a solemn service is held in
  all churches where the decorated Epitafios is
  carried into the streets, for a short procession,
  then returned to the church for a continuation of
  the service.
• On Easter Saturday two services are held in
  church - one in the early morning and another at
  11 p.m.

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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• Before the 11 p.m. service, which is called "The
  Ceremony of the Resurrection," church bells peal
  out in the villages and towns of Cyprus calling
  everyone to come and celebrate the resurrection
  of Christ. Huge bonfires are lit in the

churchyards and slowly people begin to gather
there. Every person carries a large unlit lampada
(candle) and there is a general feeling of
excitement in the air.
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Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!

• Thank You

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