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Easter

Here below we mention enough from the old customs and which some of them exist up to today in the community of Tersefanoy.

Sikoses

The evening of Sunday of Carnival and Shrovetide Sunday, people masquerade (usually the men got dressed itself women and the women men) and turned in related and friendly houses creating enough mirth. The house-holders offered them wine and food. The much disguised ones did not reveal their identity.

On Green Monday the residents went out in their fields with various companies in order to accustomed "moutti tis Sarakostis" eating fasting foods, as beans boiled, octopus in the coals, grasses, olives and enough wine. In this day they flew their kites as well.

Customs of Easter

The days before Easter the housewives of the village make the general cleaning of the house. On Maundy Thursday or on Holy Saturday they make a traditional Cypriot cheese-bread called «flaouna» and on Saturday they dye the red eggs.

Palm Sunday: This day the landlords take olive twigs in the church, in order to remain there up to the day of Pentecost, therefore the olive sanctifies and people will take it in their house for the fumigating. People believes that fumigating turns away each villain and jealously from the family.

On Maundy Thursday the pictures of iconostasis are covered with black clothes as clue bereavements. The same evening people set up in the church above in a table effigy of cross with the Christ above while in right and left they put effigy of Apostle John and Virgin Mary.

On Good Friday at the morning takes place the epitaph's adorning from the girls of the village. At the evening takes place the epitaph's turn in Central Street of village.

On Holy Saturday during the morning Mass and at the moment where the priest will say "Christ has risen" faithful will strike the stools and the black clothes that covered the pictures will fall and the priest will fly roses to the world and leaves of laurel.

Around eleven o'clock in the evening the church bell rings joyfully in order to call the Christians to go to the Mass of Resurrection. Out of the church, people light a fire known as "Lampratzia". At midnight the priest says "Defte lavete fos from the anasperou fotos" (=it is a phrasal announcement of Christ resurrection) while simultaneously he comes out from the church with the chanters in order to make the litany. All the people turns on his candles from the holy light of Resurrection and they all comes outside. Outside all together sing the "Christ has risen". After the Mass of Resurrection, they all return home houses with their candles turned on from the holy light. In the house they will "chink" red eggs saying the wishes: "CHRIST HAS RISEN", "HE HAS INDEED RISEN". They eat «augolemoni» (=soup with chicken and egg and lemon) or «trahanas» soup (other kind of soup) and «flaounes».

On Easter's Sunday the family will be gathered with friends and will roast the traditional "Lamb in the spit" and will have fun all together.

 

 
 
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