ANNUALLY IN APRIL
Easter is a major event for the Greeks, marked with a week of festivities.
Every island has its own traditions, and Corfu’s Easter Saturday pot smashing is among the most colorful. As soon as the church bells signal that the morning service is over, the streets erupt with the sound of earthenware pots crashing to the ground from windows, roofs and terraces. Marking the end to forty days of Lent fasting, the ritual is said to originate from a Venetian tradition where old objects are thrown out on New Year’s Day to exorcise evil spirits. Today, old, unwanted objects have been replaced by pots, jugs and any other kind of breakable to hand—the louder the better. You can even buy ceremonial Easter pots that have been made especially for the event.
