Programme of events over Easter weekend

On Holy Thursday crowds gather to listen to the final rehearsals by the philharmonic bands ahead of the Epitaphio on Good Friday.

At 20:00 people gather under the premises of the 'Old' Philharmonic Band in Nikiforou Theotoki St. to hear them rehearsing with open windows.

At the same time, the 'Mantzaros' Philharmonic Band will be rehearsing in the Church of St. George at the Old Fortress.

At 20:00 the 'Feet-washing' ceremony will take place at the Catholic Cathedral (Duomo) during which the Catholic Archbishop Georgios Altuvas symbolically washes the feet of twelve children. This is followed by a late-night service.

Good Friday (Epitaphio)

From early in the aftenoon the church choirs, especially that of the Metropolitan Church, as well as the Municipal Choir solemnly chant the Eulogies whilst the philharmonic (brass) bands play classical works such as Albinoni’s Adagio from the ‘Old’ Corfu Philharmonic Society, Verdi’s Marcia Funebre from ‘Mantzaros’ Philharmonic Society (Blue) along with Mariani’s funereal elegy Sventura and Chopin’s Funeral March from the ‘Capodistrias’ Philharmonic Society.

Epitaphios Processions

12:30 Church of St. Irene (General Hospital) and Church of St. Artemis (Police Headquarters – Old Hospital)
14:00 Church of Pantocrator (Old Town-Cambiello) / Church of Spilaiotissis (New Fortress): Corfu Naval Station
15:45 Church of Saint Nicholas of the Baths (St. Nicholas Gate): DOPAP & Corfu Scouts
16:00 Church of Saint George (Old Fortress): Corfu Events Organization
16:30 Church of Saint Panteleimon (Psychiatric Hospital)
17:00 St. Efymias Monastery (Mon Repos)
17:30 Church of Holy Virgin Mary Kassopitra in Figareto / Church of the Assumption in Analipsi / Church of Saint George in Mantouki
18:00 Church of All Saints (Agion Panton) (Town) / Church of the Resurrection in the 1^st Municipal Cemetery in Garitsa / St. Theodoros Monastery (Stratia)
18:30 Church of Saint Sophia in the Jewish quarter / Church of Saint Paraskevi (Porta Remounda)
19:00 Church of Saint Anthony (Spilia) / Holy Trinity Church (Garitsa) / Church of Saint Constantine and Helen (Koulines) / Church of the Dormition of Holy Mary belonging to the Mamalos family (Koyevina Hill) / Church of Saint Iasonas and Sosipatros (Garitsa)
19:15 Vlacherno Church (Garitsa)
19:30 Church of St. Eleftheriou (Kofinetta) / Church of Saint Spyridon (San Rocco Square-Kotsela) / Church of the Three Holy Martyrs (Garitsa) / Church of Holy Virgin Mary Faneromeni (St. Spyridon Sq. - 'Plakada')
20:00 Church of Saint Vasilios (Pinia) / Church of Saint Ioannis Lazos (Kefalomantouko) / Church of Saint Barbara (Potamos) / Church of Saint Nikolaos (Alikes) / All Saints Church (Gouvia)
20:15 Church of Saint Nikolaos (Cambiello)
20:30 Church of Saint Ioannis (Piazza)
20:45 Church of Saint Jacob & Christopher in Old Town Hall Square (Catholic Cathedral)
21:00 Church of Saint Spyridon – Epitaphios Procession in the church accompanied by Corfu Philharmonic Society
22:00 Metropolitan Church Spilaiotissis (Spilia)

Easter Saturday

06:00 Reenactment of earthquake following Christ's resurrection at Panagia Xenon Church in St. Spyridon Square (Plakada).
09:00 Church of Saint Spyridon. Epitaphios procession combined with procession of the Saint’s holy relics. The three Corfu Town Philharmonic Bands will take part. The ‘Old’ Band play the funeral march from Faccio’s Opera ‘Amleto’, the ‘Blue’ band play de Michelis’ funeral march ‘Calde Lacrimae’ (Hot tears) and the Capodistrias Band play from Beethoven’s funeral march from the Eroica Symphony.
11.00 The first Resurrection followed by throwing of clay pots ("botides").
11:01 Another old custom of Corfu Town residents is the “mastella”, a great half barrel placed at the heart of the town, Pinia. The barrel is filled with water and decorated with myrtle and palm leaves. Passers-by throw coins in it and make a wish. When the church bells ring at 11 a.m. the person standing closest to the barrel is pushed into it. As compensation for getting soaked to the bone on a day like this, he gets all the money in the barrel.  (Organized by Corfu Events Organization)
21:00 Easter Vigil Devotional at the Catholic Cathedral (Duomo) with ecclesiastical music and choir and officiated by the Catholic Archbishop Ioannis Spiteris. The ceremony ends at 23:00
22:00 Reception of the Holy Fire from the Holy Sepulchre. This takes place at the Pentofanaro (Liston) in the presence of local dignitaries. The Holy Fire is taken to the Church of Saint Paraskevi where the Devotional for the Resurrection begins, led by the Archbishop Nektarios of Corfu. Recently the ceremony has been established for the reception of the Holy Fire by the Catholic Archbishop from the Orthodox Archbishop during the procession to the Church of Saint Paraskevi in Porta Remounda.
23:00 Commencement of the Devotional Vigil for the Resurrection at the Church of Saint Paraskevi, near the Upper Square.
23:40 The procession sets out from the Church of Saint Paraskevi towards the stage in the Upper Square led by the Archbishop of Corfu Nektarios. The Resurrection is celebrated there and ‘Christos Anesti’ (Christ is Risen) is chanted and the three Philharmonic Bands play in a spectacular atmosphere.

There are Resurrection services in the following churches: St. Spyridon, All Saints, Virgin Mary ton Xenon, Saint Iasonas and Sosipatros, Three Holy Martyrs, Dormition of Holy Mary belonging to the Mamalos family, Saint Constantine and Helen (Koulines), All Saints (Gouvia) and the following monasteries: Platyteras, Saint Efthimia, Kassopitras (Kanoni) and Saint Theodoros (Stratia).

Easter Sunday

09:00 – 11:00 Most churches in Corfu hold the Holy Resurrection Liturgy based on the old tradition. There is also a litany with an icon of the Lord’s Resurrection according to Byzantine tradition as is also done in the Aegean Islands and in the Slav Orthodox countries.

Processions with the Resurrection Icon in Corfu Town
07.30 - Church of Saint Sophia in the Jewish quarter
07.45 - Metropolitan Church Spilaiotissis (Spilia) / Church of All Saints (Agion Panton).
08.15 - Church of Saint Spyridon (San Rocco Square-Kotsela)
08.30 - Church of the Assumption in Analipsi (Kanoni) / Saint Eleftherios (kofinetta) / St. George in Mantouki / Church of Virgin Mary ton Xenon (strangers) in Plakada (Saint Spyridon square) / Church of Holy Virgin Mary Vlahernon (Garitsa)
08.45 - Church of Saint Vasilios in Pinia / St. Paraskevi (Porta Remounda)
09.00 - Church of Saint Antonios in Spilia / Panagia ton Xenon / St. Ioannis in Piazza / Church of Saint Nikolaos (Cambiello)
10.00 - Church of Saint Spiridon in Plakada with the 'Old' Corfu Philharmonic Band playing Wagner’s ‘Tannhäuser’ and ‘Mantzaros’ Philharmonic Band playing Kritkos’ ‘Marcia Trionfale’’
18.00 - Church of Holy Trinity in Garitsa.
19:30 Evensong of Love at the Metropolitan Church with the Archbishop of Corfu Nektarios reading the Gospels in all languages.

Easter Tuesday

18:00 At the Church of Saint Spyridon the holy relics of Saint Spiridon are ceremoniously placed back into the crypt in the presence of local dignitaries and with the two oldest Corfu Philharmonic Bands.