Culture and Custom; "Megalo Paraskevi"

Hello Again, and Welcome. This is the second of my postings for Greek Holy Week. This time I am going to share some wonderful videos of music and ceremony from past "Megalo Paraskevi" events. "Megalo Paraskevi" is "Great (or Good) Friday", and it is a night of lamentation for the death of Jesus. Each church will decorate their "Epitafio", the symbolic coffin of Christ. The Epitafio is carried on the shoulders of men in a procession thru the villages, sometimes accompanied by a band or simply drums and the faithful congregation. My first year here in Greece, I joined in one of these processions, but walking on our uneven, unlit dirt roads, along the side of the mountain here on the island proved not to be one of the safest things for me to do, so I have been passing since then on that particular custom.

This Megalo Paraskevi, however, we will be in Crete, in the village of Samonas, high atop a rugged mountain and I wouldn't miss the opportunity to join in that procession for anything!

So, sit back and enjoy the music, the ceremonies and the culture. Let me know if you enjoyed this posting by your comments at the end.

Megalo Paraskevi in Jeruselum, the liturgy in front of the tomb of the Holy Sepulcher.

This shows the procession in Naphpaktos, Greece

Here are wonderful images and music from a Moscow Orthodox Church on Megalo Paraskevi

Another Moscow church...watch for someone very famous, and take not that he does NOT return the kiss of the Pappas.

Here is a beautiful video of Great Friday in Romania.

Now I will bid you a "Good Night" and leave you with the wonderful rendition of a beloved traditional Greek song of Lamentation, which is sung all over Greece on Megalo Paraskevi. I suggest you to put this on full screen to enjoy the wonderful images as well as the inspiring music. Good Night.