Auckland Greeks say ‘Happy Easter, opa!’ for Sunday

For many Kiwis Easter is a distant memory, but for Greeks around the globe Easter took place on Sunday.

The Greek Orthodox Church and Hellenic community of Auckland celebrated Holy Week, which was the week leading up to the religious celebration of Easter Sunday.

Greek Aucklander Emily Tsaliagou said celebrating the resurrection of Christ is the most important aspect of the Christian Orthodox religion.

She explained it is difficult for some Greeks moving to a multicultural country like New Zealand.

“At the Greek community and the Greek church we try and celebrate like Greece. We do our best as it is not in the everyday life.”

Mrs Tsaliagou said that coming from a country where everything revolves around the church to a country where there are different national holidays is hard to adjust to.

“On an Easter Sunday we are celebrating with friends and family and we are making the lamb on the spit.”

Mrs Tsaliagou said Easter customs vary from village to village in Greece.

In Athens, where she is from, family and friends all come together for the religious occasion.

“We celebrate, we are laughing, we are eating, we are drinking together, all of those things. Like a Greek party, let’s say.”

Father Paul, of the Greek Orthodox Church of Auckland, explained that the date of Greek Easter is usually on the first Sunday after the first full moon and the first vernal [spring] equinox.

In his opinion, having Easter on this date is culturally respectful for the Jewish land. “It anchors historical context.”

The Greek Orthodox Church of Auckland celebrated Easter with a lot of symbolism .

Father Paul said the Greek Orthodox church is “flooded” with symbols.

“Human beings respond to symbols … for example in a simple way the halo [around the head of saints] reminds us that the church must be a light.”

Georgios Patitsas, 14, said the Easter Candle is prominent during the Saturday night service where it is lit from an oil lamp on the altar table.

“Then we pass the light on from one to another, kind of like how word of mouth spreads.”

At the celebrations, Greeks greet each other for 40 days saying ‘Christos Anesti’ with a reply of ‘Alithos Anesti’ which means ‘Christ has risen, He truly has risen’.

To learn how to pronounce this greeting, click here.

Easter may be a distant memory but not for Greek Aucklanders. Video: Lydia Lewis