People holding candles during a Greek Orthodox Easter vigil in Oia, Santorini, with whitewashed buildings, blue-domed churches, and a sunset over the Aegean Sea in the background.
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Easter in Greece 2027: Dates, Traditions & Where to Celebrate

ByJimmy Mantzos

Greek Orthodox Easter Sunday falls on May 2, 2027 — over a month after Western Easter (March 28), since the Orthodox Church calculates the date using the Julian calendar. Holy Week runs from April 25 (Palm Sunday) through Easter Monday, May 3, with Good Friday on April 30 and Holy Saturday’s midnight Resurrection service on May 1.

Last updated: 20 Sep 2026

Key Dates for 2027

  • Clean Monday (start of Great Lent): March 15
  • Palm Sunday: April 25
  • Holy/Good Friday: April 30
  • Holy Saturday & Midnight Resurrection Service: May 1
  • Easter Sunday: May 2
  • Easter Monday: May 3

One planning note: Easter Sunday falls the day after May 1st (Labour Day), so expect the whole late-April-to-early-May stretch to be a major domestic travel period — book accommodation and transport early if you’re visiting during this window.

The Holy Light Tradition

On the night before Easter, Orthodox churches mark the arrival of the Holy Light (or Holy Fire) — a flame said to appear miraculously at Christ’s Tomb in Jerusalem and flown to Greece to light candles across the country at the stroke of midnight, symbolizing the Resurrection. It’s one of the most moving moments of the Greek Orthodox calendar to witness in person.

Easter Food & Traditions

Greek Easter is as much a feast as a religious observance:

  • Roast lamb — traditionally spit-roasted outdoors on Easter Sunday
  • Magiritsa — a soup eaten after the midnight service to break the Lenten fast
  • Tsoureki — sweet braided bread with a red-dyed egg baked into it
  • Koulourakia — butter cookies served with Greek coffee
  • Red-dyed eggs — cracked in a friendly game symbolizing the resurrection

Where to Experience Easter in Greece

  • Athens — historic churches like Agios Eleftherios hold candlelit services in the city center
  • Corfu — famous for the “Botides” tradition, where locals throw clay pots from balconies on Holy Saturday morning
  • Santorini — candlelit processions wind through the cliffside villages
  • Hydra — a solemn Epitaphios procession carries the symbolic tomb of Christ into the sea
  • Crete & Kalymnos — known for distinct regional customs and village celebrations

Planning a trip around Easter? Explore our private tours of Athens and beyond to build a custom Holy Week itinerary.

Practical Tips for Visitors

  • Many shops, banks, and public services close from Good Friday through Easter Monday
  • Public transport (including Athens Metro) may run reduced schedules, and strikes are more common around this period
  • Restaurants often serve special Easter Sunday menus — reservations are recommended in advance
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