Καλό Πάσχα! Easter Sunday in the U.S. was Palm Sunday here in Greece and the start of an amazing holy week. The kids here get the week off of school and the town is abuzz in preparation. It was an awesome privilege to be here and to soak up the celebrations which culminates at midnight on Sunday when the priest proclaims “Christos Anesti!”—Christ has risen!—and bells ring out the news. The whole country illuminates with handheld candles and fireworks pierce the midnight sky.
On Easter SATURDAY, clay Pots are ceremoniously smashed—a unique tradition done in both Corfu and Preveza. So Saturday morning, we ventured into Preveza’s small square under the old clock tower that has watched over the town for centuries.
Everyone gathers in front of the balcony near the clock, most bringing with them their own smaller clay pots. They wait for the moment giant pots are pushed off the balcony. Then begins a cacophony of smaller pots being thrown into the streets, some from other balconies and still more from people on the streets. The smashing of clay pots in Biblical times had various meanings and here its seems to be a symbolic reminder of the Divine striking down one’s enemies or perhaps to ward off bad spirits.
As the smashing begins to hush, the streets are strewn with shattered pots. Everyone collects a few small chards to take these pieces of good luck back home for the coming year.
As I bent down to pick up a my own, an elderly woman stood up from her wooden chair and smiled at me with youthful giddiness. As she stepped closer, she began saying something to me in Greek, then she stopped suddenly, took a surprised breath and pointed at a single piece among the pile and exclaimed, “Preveza!” I looked over and recognized the greek letters spelling out the town’s name “Πρέβεζα” almost entirely intact on the shattered piece. She seem so delighted that the name of her town was left whole and beckoned me to pick it up and keep it as if it was full of extraordinary luck and blessings.
We parted with smiles and a brief bond over the curious workmanship of a shared little miracle.
Next year, check your Julian calendar and put Corfu or Preveza on your Easter bucket list. It’s a mix of reverence and revelry that will awake your wonder of Easter. Καλό Πάσχα!
