American in Cyprus: Welcoming Easter

Most of the day was spent doing projects around the house and visiting with family. We took a late "nap" around 7:00 in the evening to prepare for the midnight church service. The Easter bunny isn't a tradition in Cyprus, but somehow he managed to find Alex and Sofia while we were sleeping. They didn't really want to wake up but became a bit more alert when they discovered there was hidden chocolate. We left for church a bit after 11:00 p.m. The church is only about a block away and since it is a small village everyone walks there. Candles are given out at the church for the candle light service, but must people decorate their own to bring. Aunt Maria and her girls made some for our family. It was already pretty crowded when we arrived, with people standing in the aisles. We headed to the balcony where there were few people and a much better vantage point. Alex liked peering over the edge to see what was happening. There was an area in the middle of the church decorated with flowers that represented Christ's tomb. Men at the front of the church chanted/sang until midnight. At that time everyone lit our candles to welcome Easter day. The priest then walked down the center aisle, made a stop at the "grave" and then headed out the back of the church to speak to the people. The most surprising part of the evening was the "bombs" that were constantly being set. They are actually incredibly loud firecrackers, but they are placed right along side the walls of the church. It is mostly teenagers who set them off. Honestly, it sounded like we were under attack, and as midnight came it got so loud you could barely hear the service. There is also a large bonfire that burns behind the church, all done as part of the celebration. Apparently, this does not happen in the cities, only the villages. Once we got home, we had some small fireworks and sparklers like the type I remember as a child.