Orthodox Easter 2027 falls on Sunday, 2 May. Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday, 25 April, and the climax comes on Holy Saturday night - 1 May into the early hours of 2 May - with the Anastasi (Resurrection) midnight service, the most important moment in the Greek Orthodox liturgical year.
For travellers, Easter week is one of the best times to experience Greece beyond the tourist sites: the country closes down for several days, families return to their island homes and villages, and the streets fill with candlelit processions that are as communal as they are religious.
Key Dates for Holy Week 2027
| Date | Observance |
|---|---|
| Sunday, 25 April | Palm Sunday (Kyriaki ton Vayion) |
| Thursday, 29 April | Holy Thursday - liturgy and the Last Supper |
| Friday, 30 April | Good Friday - Epitaphios procession |
| Saturday, 1 May | Holy Saturday - Anastasi midnight service |
| Sunday, 2 May | Easter Sunday - lamb roasting, family celebration |
| Monday, 3 May | Easter Monday - public holiday |
Note that 1 May is also Labour Day in 2027, creating a three-day weekend. Expect unusually high domestic travel within Greece around this period.
Good Friday: The Epitaphios Procession
The Epitaphios is the decorated bier representing Christ’s funeral - covered in flowers and processed through the streets by candlelight on Friday evening. In every Greek town and village, the procession leaves the church at around 20:00–21:00, winds through the streets, and returns. Bells toll continuously.
In Athens, the most atmospheric processions leave from the Cathedral of Athens on Mitropoleos Square, from the church of Agios Georgios on Lycabettus Hill, and from dozens of neighbourhood churches across the city. The Lycabettus procession is particularly dramatic - the hilltop location means you can see the line of candles descending through the dark city.
On the islands, Hydra (which prohibits motor vehicles) and Spetses are considered two of the finest places to experience the Epitaphios - the procession by torchlight through narrow streets, with only the sound of bells and feet on stone, is unlike anything in an urban setting.
Holy Saturday: The Anastasi
At midnight on Holy Saturday, churches across Greece extinguish all interior lights. The priest emerges carrying the Holy Light - received annually from Jerusalem - and passes the flame to the congregation candle by candle. The church fills gradually with golden light as hundreds of candles are lit from one another. At midnight, the priest announces Christos Anesti (Christ is Risen); the congregation responds Alithos Anesti (Truly He is Risen). Fireworks erupt outside. The fast is broken with magiritsa, a lamb offal soup eaten in the small hours.
Finding a position inside a church for the Anastasi as a visitor requires arriving early - at least an hour before midnight for any church in Athens or on the popular islands. Standing outside and watching from the square as the candles emerge through the doors is equally moving and more practical for larger groups.
Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday morning brings the spit-roasted lamb (arni stin souvla) to gardens and courtyards across the country. This is a family day: Greeks spend it at home or in the village. Restaurants in tourist areas are open, but the atmosphere is domestic and celebratory. Red-dyed hard-boiled eggs (kokkina avga) - cracked against each other in the traditional tsougrisma game - appear everywhere.
Where to Spend Easter in Greece
Athens: The city is busy but very much alive. The Epitaphios in Monastiraki and Plaka is impressive; the Acropolis hill offers sight lines over the lit city during the midnight celebrations.
Hydra: No cars, stone streets, spectacular Epitaphios. Book accommodation months in advance - the island fills completely for Easter weekend.
Crete: Heraklion and Rethymno both have significant traditions. Crete’s size means more accommodation options than the smaller islands.
Corfu: A distinctly different tradition - on Holy Saturday morning, large clay pots are thrown from upper windows and balconies in Corfu Town, smashing in the street below. This Botides ceremony is unique to Corfu and draws large crowds.
For background on the Orthodox Easter tradition - what to expect, what not to miss, and how to approach the ceremonies respectfully - our Easter in Greece guide has the detail. For Athens tours that include the Easter period, booking early is essential as the calendar fills from January onward.
Practical Notes for 2027
Greece is effectively closed on Good Friday afternoon, Easter Sunday, and Easter Monday. Most shops, pharmacies, and services shut down. Tourist businesses (restaurants, hotels, ferries, archaeological sites) operate on reduced hours but generally remain open. Confirm specific sites and ferry schedules closer to the date.
Ferry bookings in particular fill very early for Easter week - domestic routes to the islands are heavily in demand as Greeks travel home.