Holy Saturday
Today is Holy Saturday, and I am going to midnight mass because tomorrow is Easter. I am Greek Orthodox , was baptised as so anyway. I really only go to church at Christmas & Easter time. I could attend church more often but I am a firm believer in karma, so I think I'm alright for now....I get that from my mom, she was from Cuba & didn't convert to Orthodoxy. My brother is semi-atheist & he goes to church for Easter like every other year. We are so bad, we get the giggles instantaneously, laugh at everything, get dirty looks from some people but it's fun! I think it has something to so with the 'kerio-lasun' smoke the priests make crosses with....
Greek Easter is the biggest holiday for Greek's. This whole week was 'Holy Week', where you are suppose to fast, go to church every night & 'be good'....had to throw that in there! Anyways, the service is neat but also long & tiring. You are there for a couple of hours and stand most of the time. If you never experienced Holy Saturday's midnight mass in a Greek Orthodox church, you should it's interesting.
One year I brought a friend with me (he was considering converting) and he was so amazed. Just before midnight the lights are turned off and the priest announces the resurrection of Christ. Everyone lights each other's candles from one another starting from the priest, and we say "Christos anesti". Then row by row everyone walks outside, and you have to be on guard so that the person walking behind or near you doesn't light your hair on fire. The time my friend came with me he was worried about my hair, and we actually witnessed this lady's hair go in flames....it was wicked!
When the service is completed, some people stay to eat lamb & potatoes, cheeses, breads, wine and they just pig-out....and those are usually the ones who claim they ate 'horta' all week (which is a spinach-like vegetable, that's really good with garlic & oil or vinegar). Other people will go home, and while driving they have to keep their candles lit until they get home....even if other driver's are staring, honking, flashing their lights or passing by making disturbing faces, yeah like you are in some wacked-out cult! Once you are home you then make a cross with the soot from one candle above your front door. This is done so that your house is protected all year until the following Easter.
Usually my family has our big feast on Easter day, and we play the dyed red egg game. This is where you hit each other's egg's and whoever's doesn't crack will have good luck for the year. I'll let you know who wins tomorrow!
