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***Idou O nymfios erxetai*** Petros Gaitanos Behold ***

Easter in Ionian Islands
CORFU (KERKYRA)

On Palm Sunday at 11 in the morning, the procession of the sacred relics of St Spyridon takes place. This procession is being held since 1630, in remembrance of the deliverance of the island from the dreadful plague epidemic which cost the lives of so many Corfiots in 1629. The procession is the largest on the island, with no fewer than 14 bands taking part.
At 4 p.m. on Good Friday, the imposing procession of the bier of Christ (epitaphios) sets out from the Church of St George at the Old Fortress. Until 9.30 in the evening the epitaphios of each separate church emerges, together with the inevitable band, choirs and girls with baskets full of multi-coloured sweetly-smelling flowers. The last epitaphios to emerge, at 09.30 in the evening, is that of the Cathedral. In all its grandeur, it is accompanied by bands playing solemn music (such as the adagio of Albinoni), the great choir of the Cathedral, the clergy, and the local officials.
In the Church of Our lady "of the Strangers" it is tradition to create an "imitation earthquake". This happens at 6 in the morning of Holy Saturday - after the reading of the Epistle - and symbolises the earthquake which is described in the Gospel as a triumphal sequel to the Lord's Resurrection.
On the same day, at 9 a.m., the epitaphios procession of the Church of St Spyridon takes place. In 1574 the Venetians prohibited the Orthodox from holding their epitaphios procession on Good Friday, so ever since the procession from the Church of St Spyridon, which includes the sacred relics of the Saint, has taken place on this day. This is an ancient and deeply devotional procession held to commemorate a miracle performed by the Saint to save the people of Corfu from famine. The Saint, in the form of his relics, goes first and is treated as the presiding bishop in the procession. He is followed by the epitaphios. The pace of the procession is set by the solemn music of three of the town's bands. By tradition, the funeral march from Hamlet, by the Italian composer Faccio, is played at the Town Hall by the "Old Philharmonic" band. This is followed by another funeral march - Calde Lacrime (Hot Tears) - by the Italian Michelli played by the Mantzaros band, and, finally, the funeral march from the Eroica of Beethoven by the Capodistrias band....

Info:***Easter in Ionian Islands***