Greek Orthodox Easter and the Great Lent

The Orthodox observances of Lent and Easter follow a modified Julian calendar and dates don't always mesh with the dates in other faiths; however, wonderful Greek foods can always be incorporated into your Lent and Easter observances, whatever your faith.

Starting with the Great Lent seven weeks before Easter, the Paschal season in Greece is the most important religious event of the year. Foods play a large part in the season's traditions.

The name for Koulourakia comes from their round twisted shape but you will also see them shaped as small braids or in the shape of the letter “S.” Kids will love helping you shape these traditional Greek cookies.

A sweet egg bread that is the traditional bread of Greek Easter. With or without the festive red egg this is a sweet and delicious treat that will be the centerpiece of any holiday table.

The traditional Greek Easter soup is called Mayiritsa (mah-yee-REE-tsah). After the midnight resurrection service, it is customary to break the Lenten fast with this rich lamb soup flavored with Avgolemono. NOTE: The lamb broth can be made a day ahead. You can chill the broth overnight in order to defat it easily before proceeding with the...

These buttery twists are the traditional cookie of Greek Easter. They can be twisted and shaped in many ways and often will have a bright red egg as decoration.

The Great Lent in the Greek Orthodox faith starts seven weeks before Easter Sunday and is a period of fasting during which certain foods are not eaten. Learn more about religious and food traditions during the Great Lent.

A step-by-step photo tutorial on preparing and roasting a whole lamb on the spit for Greek Easter. Many thanks to guest chef Ted Christou who graciously shared his family recipe and photos with us.

A traditional Greek favorite at holidays and celebrations, Roast Leg of Lamb with Potatoes is sure to please a crowd.

Whether you're cooking for 1 or 100, with a small or large budget, there's a fabulous Greek recipe for lamb to meet your needs.

Ted Christou is a Greek American who has been making a spit-roasted lamb every year at Easter for the past 20 years, and he shares his fabulous recipe.

Red eggs are a traditional part of Greek Orthodox Easter but Easter eggs are also dyed other colors and decorated. Enjoy photos of eggs dyed and decorated for Easter, with descriptions of how they were made, and contribute your own.

Dyed red eggs are a tradition at Greek Easter, symbolizing the blood of Christ (red color) and rebirth and new life (egg). Learn how to dye red eggs using onion skins to achieve a deep red color.

Traditionally fixed once a year as the meal to break the fast following the Great Lent, Mayiritsa is a soup that is served following midnight Easter services in Greek homes around the world.

Greek Easter is a joyous celebration that brings together family, friends, and strangers around tables of fabulous food. Take some ideas from my Easter menu and add your own touches to create a festive meal.

Greek Orthodox dietary restrictions prohibit eating foods that contain or are derived from red blooded animals, which means no meat, no fish, no dairy products. But that doesn't mean that foods are bland or tasteless. These favorite Greek Lenten dishes are delicious!

Clean Monday is the first day of the Greek Orthodox Lenten season and foods eaten on this day are traditional - and delicious. Here's a sample menu for this day of picnics and kite-flying.

Clean Monday, the first day of the Greek Orthodox Great Lent, is a day of celebration. Greeks gather - as families, friends, or entire communities - to enjoy a day of picnics with traditional foods, music, and dancing. Enjoy the photos!

Menu and recipes for the traditional meal eaten after the midnight Service of the Resurrection that breaks the Lenten fast at Greek Orthodox Easter.

Traditional Greek Easter meals can include a few appetizers or nibbles, one or more main dishes with accompanying sides, and a few desserts. Here are some ideas to help reduce the stress of preparing your Easter meal and add to your enjoyment of the gathering.

Tsougrisma is a game played in Greek homes around the world at Easter. It's all about cracked eggs. Learn more.

"Tsoureki" may be well-known as an Easter tradition, but it's a delightful sweet bread often served as a dessert bread, breakfast bread, or snack. This version is simpler than other traditional versions.

Tsoureki, the sweet bread made at Easter, can also be made in a bread machine to enjoy at any time.

Words and terms used in connection with Greek Lent and Easter, pronunciations and translations.