Well, Easter is coming in a few days so i would like to write something about that, especially the traditions of my country, Cyprus.It is the greatest holiday in the Orthodox Church that's why everything should look clean: clothes, car, houses, whatever you can imagine.
On Thursday most women do their Easter baking of "flaounes", made by cheese, egg and mint filling, formed into triangular or square shapes. Eggs are dyed as well. Traditionally they are dyed red or yellow. However, in towns you can buy small packets of different dyes. Some people dye their eggs in a more artistic way by tying the flower marguerite onto the egg with a piece of muslin boiling them in a colour. Tradition says that the Virgin Mother Mary dyed eggs this colour to celebrate the Resurrection oh Christ and to celebrate life.
Celebrations continue with the cracking of eggs, a traditional game in which each person takes an egg and challengers attempt to crack each others' egg. The breaking of the egg is meant to symbolize Christ breaking from the Tomb. The person whose egg lasts the longest is assured good luck for the rest of the year.
Good Friday begins with everyone taking flowers to church so that young girls can decorate the ''Epitafios'', a four postured litter with a canopy in which the icon of Christ is laid in state. The whole structure is completely decorated with flowers. The procession of ''Epitafios'' starts after the evening, where Scouts of young men carry the litter of Christ and then the choir is following singing hymns.
After lunch on Easter Sunday, young people celebrate by hanging up ''souses'' (swings). For this purpose young men and girls hang ropes from trees and while girls swing, they all sing love songs.
These are the most basic traditions of my country, i'm really proud of being a Cypriot girl and i will do my best in order to keep these traditions safe.
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