Easter at the American School

The official religion of Greece is of course the Greek Orthodox church.  Easter here is a much much bigger holiday than Christmas.  This year, Greek Easter, which is still set according to the Julian calendar, happened to coincide with Catholic Easter, which is determined by the Gregorian calendar.  At left, you see us returning from the midnight service at the monastery of Moni Petraki in our neighborhood.  When the service begins, all is in darkness, but at midnight, candle flames are passed from person to person, from the main candle in the church, and everyone greets their neighbor with "Christos anesti" (Christ is risen).  The bells peal madly. 

Of course, being Greece, cellphones were going off the entire time in the congregation.

Here we are on our way home from church, candles still lit.  It was a beautiful night. 

Somehow, the next day the Easter Bunny managed to find the kids in Greece, and they ate chocolate until they were sick.

The next day, the American School sponsored the official lamb roast and potluck lunch in the garden of the American School.  

(Yes, we did have food for the vegetarians in the group. )

Here are a few of the characters who have been surrounding us this year!

Egg cracking -- whoever's egg lasts the longest will have good luck for the year. 

Caroline Snively and Jim Sickinger

June Allison

Students eating

Faculty, researchers and students

Alison, Caroline, Christina and Matthew in the sandbox

After the beer run

Tennis -- is that the British ambassador?

Kevin Glowacki and Edie discussing fire escapes and window shutters

--Edie Folta, April 24, 2004

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