Dear travellers and explorers,
Please find below the 2024 Corfu Easter celebrations and customs program. This post shows each custom celebration's dates, times, and locations! Tap the location links 📌 for directions via Google Maps to each church or gathering location!
Additionally, we have created an interactive map to help you quickly locate the times and locations where the customs take place on each date!
You can view the interactive map below!
If you are unfamiliar with an interactive map, we've got your back; please find here instructions on how to make the most of the map!
Please note that most of the customs and events mentioned in this post are in Corfu town, except for my sharing my favourite Easter custom with you, which takes place in my home village.
Corfu town will be packed with tourists. If you prefer a calm atmosphere, consider visiting the small villages outside the city center. In every village - town, liturgies take place, and some litanies also!
Holy Monday - 29th of April 2024
21:00
Religious music concert of Kinopiastes Philharmonic at the Catholic Cathedral of SS Jacob and Christopher (Duomo). 📌 Please Find the exact location here.
Holy Tuesday - 30th of April 2024
21:30
Poetic and musical night gala entitled "From Golgotha to the Resurrection" at the colonnade of the Palace of SS Michael and George.
20:30 Concert of the musical corps of the Korakiana Philharmonic "Spyros Samaras" at the Holy Catholic Church of St. Francis of Assisi.
20:30 Religious Music Concert from the Corfu Conservatory on Holy Tuesday at the Holy Church of Agios Georgios, Old Fortress.
Holy Wednesday - 1st of May 2024
19:00 The choir of ecclesiastical music of the Metropolitan Church of Corfu chants the Foot-Washing Service in the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu at the Holy Church of Aghioi Pantes in the old town. 📌Please tap here for the exact location!
20:30 Concert of Philharmonic Skriperou at the Holy Church of St George in the Old Fortress. 📌 Please find the exact location here!
Holy Thursday - 2nd of May 2024
20:00 The ritual of Footwashing at the Catholic Cathedral of SS Jacob and Christopher (Duomo). His Eminence Catholic Archbishop F. Georgios Altouvas washes the feet of twelve children, and late at night, the ceremony of the Holy Hour follows. 📌 Please Find the exact location here.
Holy Friday - 3rd of May 2024
All city churches organize the procession of their Epitaphs, which take place in a certain order, with the participation of musical ensembles, choirs, schools, and scouts. The churches' choirs sing the appropriate hymns and the philharmonic bands play the following oeuvres, accompanying the Epitaphs in the streets of old town: Albinoni- Adagio, Abel Moreno Gomez- La Madruga, G. Verdi- Marcia Funebre, Joaquin Rodrigo- Aranjuez, Mariani- Sventura, Chopin- Marche Funèbre. Procession of Epitaphs
12:30
H.C. of St Eirini (Hospital)
H.C. of St Artemios (Police Headquarters)
14:00
H.C. Pantokrator (Campiello) 📌Please tap here for the exact location!
H.C. Spilaiotissa (New Fortress) 📌Please tap here for the exact location!
15:30
H.C. of St Nikolaos of the Baths (Gate of St. Nikolaos - Faliraki)
16:00
H.C. of St George (Old Fortress) 📌 Please find the exact location here!
16:30
H.C. of St Panteleimon (Psychiatric Hospital) 📌Please find here the location!
17:00
Holy Monastery of St Euphemia 📌Find the location here!
H.C. of Odigetrias - Panagiopoula (Porta Remounta) 📌Please tap here for the exact location!
17:30
Holy Monastery of Kassopitra (Figareto - Kanoni) 📌Find the location here!
H.C. of Ascension (Analipsis- Kanoni) 📌Please find the exact location here!
H. C. of St. George (Mandouki) 📌Tap here to find the exact location!
18:00
H.C. of SS Pantes (old town) 📌Please find here the exact location!
H.C. of Resurrection (1st municipal cemetery) 📌Find here the exact location!
Ι. Μονή Αγ. Θεοδώρων (Στρατιά) Holy Monastery of SS Theodore (Stratia) 📌Please tap here for the exact location!
18:30
📌H.C. of St Paraskevi (Porta Remounda - old town)
19:00
H.C. of 📌St Antonios (Spilia)
H.C. of 📌 St Triada (Holy Trinity, Garitsa)
H.C. of 📌 St Konstantinos and Eleni (Koulines)
H.C. of 📌 Koimiseos (Dormition) of Mamali (Koyievinas Hill)
H.C. of 📌 SS Jason and Sosipatros (Gartitsa)
19:15
H.C. of 📌 St Sophia (Jewish neighbourhood)
H.C. of 📌 Theotokos Vlacheraina (Garitsa)
19:30 H.C. of 📌 St Eleftherios (Cofinetta - old town)
H.C. of 📌 St Spyridon of San Rocco (Kotselas - new town)
H.C. of 📌 the Three Martyrs (Garitsa)
H.C. of 📌 Faneromeni/ Panaghia ton Xenon (old town)
20:00
H.C. of 📌 St. Vasileios (old town)
H.C. of St Ioannis of Lazos (Kefalomandouko)
H.C. of 📌St Barbaros (Potamos)
H.C. of St Nikolaos of Alikes (Alikes Potamou)
H.C. of 📌SS Pantes (Gouvia)
20:15
H.C. of 📌 St Nikolaos of the Elders (Campiello - old town)
20:30
H.C. of 📌 St. Ioannis (old town)
20:45
Catholic Cathedral of the 📌 SS Jacob and Christopher
21:00
H.C. of 📌 St Spyridon . Procession of the Epitaph inside the church, accompanied by the Philharmonic Company of Corfu
H.C. of 📌 St Triada (Holy Trinity, Kontokali)
22:15 H.C. of 📌 Spilaiotissa, Metropolitan Church (Spilia- old town)
Holy Saturday - 4th of May 2024
06:00
Representation of the Earthquake followed the Resurrection of Christ at the H.C. of Panaghia ton Xenon in the heart of the old town.
09:00
Litany of the Holy Relic of St Spyridon and procession of the Epitaph of St Spyridon Church. It is the oldest litany of St Spyridon, dated about in 1553, commemorating his miracle to save Corfu from famine. Epitaph procession that takes place on Holy Saturday morning due to an old tradition. The three philharmonics of the city accompany the litany and the Epitaph with oeuvres of Franco Faccio- Amleto, Cesare de Michelis- Calde Lacrime, DimitrisAndronis- In the Kingdom of Pluto, Beethoven- Sinfonia Eroica. After the litany, the relic of St Spyridon stands for three days in front of the gate of his church for worship.
11.00
After the litany, the Vespers of Resurrection occur at the Metropolitan Church; at 11.00, all city churches ring their bells joyfully. At the same time, people throw earthenware pots filled with water from their windows and balconies. This is the custom of "First Resurrection," and it is believed to be a very old one.
A convenient location to watch the custom taking place is somewhere near the Lison area 📌
11:01
In the 📌Pinia area, in the heart of the old town (Nikiforou Theotoki and Kolla str.), the custom of "Mastella" takes place. In a big ornamented barrel full of water, passersby throw coins and make a wish. After the bells ring for the First Resurrection, the first man to jump into the barrel takes what it has inside: money and a bath.
💡 Insider Tip: This is a custom that divides the local community; some love it, and others hate it!
21:00 -- 23:00.
Service of the Easter Wake at the Catholic Cathedral (Duomo) accompanied by choir and church organ, in the presence of His Eminence Catholic Archbishop f. Georgios Altouvas. The service lasts until 23.00.
22:00
Reception of the Holy Light from the Holy Sepulchre. It takes place at 📌Pentofanaro in Liston, in the local authorities' presence. The Holy Light is transferred to the H.C. of St Paraskevi in Porta Remounda. There, the Service of Resurrection takes place in the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu. Over the last few years, the Catholic Archbishop has interrupted his service to receive the Holy Light from the hands of the Orthodox Metropolitan during the transportation of the Holy Light to the Church of St. Paraskevi.
23.00 Service of Resurrection and the start of an all-night vigil at the H.C. of 📌 St Paraskevi in Porta Remounda.
23:40
The Resurrection Service is transferred to the Kiosk in upper 📌 Spianada square, at the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu. At midnight, all people chant the Resurrection Hymn "Christ is risen" in a spectacular atmosphere of a sky full of fireworks and under the sounds of the town's philharmonics playing simultaneously a joyful march. The Service of Resurrection at night takes place in various churches all over the city of Corfu.
Great + Holy Easter - Sunday - 5th of May 2024
09:00-11:00
The Resurrection Service takes place in the morning, in most churches of Corfu, due to an old tradition. Also, a litany of the the icon of Christ's Resurrection takes place according to the byzantine tradition, which still exists also in the islands of the Aegean and the Slavic orthodox countries.
Procession of the icon of Resurrection in Corfu Town
07:30
📌H.C. St. Sophia (Jewish neighbourhood, old town)
07:45
Holy Metropolitan Church of Spileotissa (Spilia - old town)
08:00
📌H.C. of SS Pantes (Liston - old town)
08:15
📌H.C. of St Spyridon San Rocco (Kotselas, new town)
08:30
📌 H.C. of St Eleftherios (Cofinetta, old town) Ι.Ν. Αναλήψεως (Ανάληψη) 📌 H.C. of Ascension (Analipsis, Kanoni)
📌 H.C. of St George (Mandouki)
📌 H.C. of TheotokosVlacheraina (Garitsa)
08:45
H.C. of 📌 St Vasileios (Pinia - old town)
H.C. of 📌 St Paraskevi (Porta Remounda - old town)
09:00
📌H.C. Panaghia ton Xenon (old town)
📌 H.C. of St Nikolaos of the Elders (Campiello - old town)
📌 H.C. of St Ioannis (old town)
📌 H.C. of St Antonios (Spilia - old town)
10:00
Holy Worship of St Spyridon, with the participation of the two oldest Philharmonics of Corfu. 📌 Please find the exact location here!
18:00
19:30
Vespers of Love at the📌 Metropolitan Church, in the presence of His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu, during which the Gospel is read in all languages.
Renewal Monday - 6th of May 2024
9:00 - 14:00
I come from Sinaredes village and would love to share my favourite Easter custom with you! It combines a hike and cultural and religious aspects!
Every year on Renewal Monday, a litany takes place in Sinarades village.
The journey starts from 📌Saint Nikolaos church and passes through the village before following a scenic route in the village's rural area. Along the way, the village choir sings psalms, and the village priest stops at small isolated chapels to offer prayers.
It is a lovely experience, an alternative group hike experience with cultural and religious interests! If you decide to join the local community, the Litany starts between 9:00 - 9:30; you will follow a circular route. At the end, the Litany returns to where it started!
Renewal Tuesday - 7th of May 2024
18:00
The Holy Relic of St. Spyridon was placed in his sarcophagus in the presence of authorities and the participation of the two oldest philharmonics of the city. This ritual is called "Basmata." 📌 Please find the exact location here!
“There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in.”
― Leonard Cohen,
Have a wonderful holiday in Corfu. May the holy light warm everyone's hearts and brighten our thoughts! Yours sincerely, Katerina
Main info source: www.corfuland.gr
