Rick Steves’ European Easter: Greek Orthodox Celebrations

This segment of Rick Steves’ European Easter traces Greek Orthodox Easter celebrations. In the town of Nafplio (two hours south of Athens), we attend the series of packed, candlelit, incense-augmented services that mark the events of Greek Orthodox Holy Week. In Greece, late night on Holy Saturday is a time of community-wide celebration, as the entire town comes together on the main square for fireworks at midnight. Watch the full one-hour special on your local public television station or visit www.ricksteves.com/easter.

[@danieldanyels3678]

Proud to be Eastern Orthodox , Greeting from Romania ,to all Orthodox brothers !!!

[@sstudios12]

18yrs as Baptist till I found out about this hidden gem, orthodoxy. So happy to have found Orthodoxy

[@POLITICUS-DANICUS]

Hidden gem? You must be American 😂

[@hermespsychopompos8267]

Mate, Orthodoxy is the second largest branch of Christianity after Catholicism. It goes from Greece all the way up to Russia. Can't fathom what you could possibly mean by saying "hidden".

[@sstudios12]

@@hermespsychopompos8267 I understand what you are saying. I am expressing this from my experience coming from the protestant world. The hidden i suppose would mean the Churches Teachings and world view (from my experience :-)

[@Cyrus_II]

What are all these nasty replies? Sad Instead of rejoicing that the prodigal son has returned or a brother has found a treasure you have indignation

[@sstudios12]

@@Cyrus_II it's ok brother. at least i am engaging with them and also trying to see where they are coming from. Many folks have not heard of the Orthodox Church and we shouldn't take that for granted.

[@kamelhaj6850]

I am a Christian who is Roman Catholic. My deepest respects to my many Orthodox brethren. The beauty of your service made me cry.

[@huawsagaa1186]

AMEN AMEN AMEN

[@kossllan6144]

God bless you.. Amin

[@valentinloghin4004]

Join Ortodoxy ! We were waiting for you for many years !! Amen

[@mandyandreopoulos2785]

Thank you. I was Roman Catholic

[@mandyandreopoulos2785]

The most beautiful moment when our church is completely dark. Then the single flame is passed and lights our entire church. Christ is risen! Truly He is risen! Χριστός ανεστι! Αλιδος ανεστι! May 5th! Cinco de Mayo. Ha ha ha

[@ravenblackhawke]

I am Greek Orthodox and I wish all humanity a wonderful Easter Orthodox Celebration! Christos Anesti, Alethos Anesti.....Indeed Christ Has Risen!!!

[@blessedhighlyfavored9458]

Amen 🙏🏾!

[@rodouladoulos1548]

CHRISTOS ANESTI....a very good reason for us to be happy and thankful!!!!!!!!!!

[@jacobbaia6530]

ALETHOS ANESTI

[@jacobbaia6530]

Christ is risen

[@cyberp0et]

Aληθώς ανέστη!

[@Yoryona]

I LOVE the depth of my Greek culture and Orthodox religion. Viva Hellas!

[@catherineperez4518]

I loved this video.. I'm a 90 yr old Greek American. Xristos Anesti. It is the only reality.

[@maxkol4380]

I like it too.

[@alexiagiannopoulos5018]

Me too!

[@constantinekyriazopoulosjr6972]

DOXA ORTHODOXIA ☦ DOXA H ELLADA 🇬🇷

[@77MsHelen]

I am a Russian Orthodox. Christos Voskrese! Voistinnu Voskrese! Christ is Risen! Indeed He has Risen!

[@pablitos89]

I fell in love with an orthodox church while visiting greece

[@lovemystery7328]

Proud Orthodox. Peace to all the world in the name of Jesus Christ ⛪

[@ivanronin8209]

Happy Orthodox Easter ! Greeting from Bulgaria to all Brothers and Sisters !

[@user-er1dc1ww3l]

Χρήστος Ανέστη

[@cyberp0et]

@@user-er1dc1ww3l Aληθώς ανέστη!

[@marienasrallah4096]

Christ is risen.... Indeed he is risen. المسيح قام.... حقاً قام.

[@12Mn730]

Truly He is Risen!

[@catherinezurmuenl6454]

Being a Orthodox Christian is a blessing. This is my favorite part it all started on forgiveness Sunday. All way up to Pascha . Thank you for your hard work you do. Especially about the Orthodox Church .

[@PapaPhilip]

Christ is Risen! Indeed He is Risen! Christos Anesti! Alithos Anesti! Christos Voskrese! Voistinu Voskrese! Lovely video, thank you for this!

[@vicpappas8282]

All this beautiful comments about the beautiful. Orthodox mike me cray Hristos Anesti

[@tomjones2202]

Wow,,,, I wish I could go there and experience this for REAL,, Absolutely touching!

[@mandyandreopoulos2785]

Every Orthodox Church celebrates it the same. You can go to any church here in the States.

[@blueblazerable]

im catholic but I love the sacredness of orthodox christianity

[@Herr_Flick_of_ze_Gestapo]

The orthodox Church is a catholic church. just not Roman.

[@WaldiKenway]

@@Herr_Flick_of_ze_Gestapo indeed. I'm Roman catholic, but I see the orthodox as my brother

[@RWFGHNSRH]

oh that's not even the best part on Friday we bbq a lamp slowly form the down till the midday

[@derekward3512]

@Doge di Amalfi we won’t ever be reunited unless Rome abandons their heretical teachings

[@CopperheadAirsoft]

@@derekward3512 We wont ever be reunited as long as you keep showering yourself with pride and refuse to submit to the leader of the church whom Christ specifically appointed. (Matt 16:18)

[@gabihajji6348]

Thank God im ORTHODOX ☦️☦️☦️❤❤❤ sending love ❤ from a Syrian Lebanese Orthodox from Sydney Australia

[@Michaelbos]

Happy Easter to all the Greek people.

[@tsakeboya]

As someone who plays in a marching band, playing in the epitaph precession is magical.

[@frostylunetta]

I am Roman Catholic, and I hope to experience the Greek Orthodox Easter in Greece one day. 🥰

[@smanonmani3948]

Beautiful tradition. Greetings to our Orthodox sisters and brothers.

[@angelwings3128]

Thank you Rick Steves for bringing attention to this beautiful & authentic Orthodox faith to the world. It saddens me that not many understand this faith that has kept to its original doctrines & practices where nothing changed. God bless all. ✝️🙏🏻

[@Tyranthunter1821]

Very true. 🇬🇷

[@severianmonk7394]

All in all this was quite a balanced and insightful commentary coming from an non-Orthodox. I'm surprised at how much he understood and intuited from the atmosphere. Very sensitive observations.

[@enlightenmentandphilosophy]

I think orthodoxy is one of the closest depictions of the Lord.

[@1985LISS]

Amin. Proud to know that Tom Hanks because Greek Orthodox and so did Jonathan Jackson from General Hospital so there are celebrities hidden who worship and do their job but then spend time with family and not involve themselves with the others. Also I found surprising is Prince Charles denouncing his faith to be Orthodox

[@ChrisBrown-gu3tp]

@M W His wife is.

[@freeman7055]

Oh was Jesus greek?

[@KarmaKraftttt]

@@HS-pz3sq Dont bother these protestants dont know anything about Christianity!!!

[@christos4]

So your claiming that 1500 Years of Christianity is false??????

[@conde_concini]

I like the Orthodox Christianity

[@pelopidasalexis6943]

And we love you brother, wish health to you and your family!

[@marley5853]

ㄷㅎ듀아ㅏㄴㅇ핲ㄱㄷㄷㅈ휴ㅓ노ㅗ삿ㅅㄷ

[@timothyfreeman97]

"....heightens the 'EMOTIONAL' impact'. No, sir. It's the spirit by which these faithful are prompted to worship. Not mere emotion.

[@thomasturtle7207]

Indeed

[@tulinbennett6401]

Spot on

[@1212Artemis]

Exactly. I can't believe he said that.

[@johannavasko]

Incense imitates the sweet smell of prayers that rises towards God

[@alexdevetzi4558]

Congratulations for the video. Iam a greek and it depicts precisely the orthodox easter.

[@sethmouton3827]

As a Catholic this is very beautiful! God bless!

[@MikeJBeebe]

Even as an Atheist I find this beautiful and moving.

[@thatguy5844]

Jessy Dupas I’m an atheist too, but I can appreciate nice holidays like this. I just don’t believe in god

[@andrewgan557]

@@thatguy5844 me too and i'm a buddhist

[@charlesbovalis6591]

Our faith "touches" ALL ( faithful and non-faithful ) in a variety of ways - and I am glad to see these comments from atheists as well.

[@sterianburghelea6567]

Why are you an atheist? What is it that you don't believe? What do you need to start believing?

[@chaostade4087]

exactly my thoughts. i was moved but i am atheist too.

[@susanpower9265]

making cross above the doorway to house very beautiful sacred tradition

[@betelhemeshetu8870]

Dear rick Steve showing eropian ester it's so beautiful God bless Europe amen.🌹🇪🇺😙🌹🌹

[@milosnenezic2381]

Proud Orthodox ❤️

[@nikolaosgeorgiadis3812]

Truly remarkable video! You managed to depict Greek Orthodox Easter accurately! 👍 Trivia: people's candles on Good Friday are yellowish and on Good Saturday night white, representing their sorrow and happiness respectively.

[@olganikolaevna3957]

Thanks a lot for this video! Greetings from Kyiv! Christ is risen!!! ☘☘☘

[@AA-fw4kp]

Who celebrating this Easter in 2020?

[@anastunya]

A Y 🤚🏻 Christ is Risen!

[@claudiasager9743]

All the orthodox

[@claudiasager9743]

All the orthodox

[@HS-pz3sq]

I dont understand why people watch a video and still dont follow it to know whats its all about?

[@g1orgii]

Me!

[@orthodoxosmaxitis503]

Greece I miss you so much my home

[@stormdance056]

Христос Воскресе!

[@panosa2502]

Вои́стинꙋ воскре́се!

[@39Thorns]

Christos Anesti!!! Love you, Nafplio, see you soon!

[@cyberp0et]

Aληθώς ανέστη!

[@charlesbovalis6591]

What a beautiful presentation - as a Greek myself - thumbs up - on this very well narrated presentation !!! ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΑΝΕΣΤΗ !!! ( Christ is RISEN ) as we just hit another Easter. God Bless you Rick for taking the time and do this for the non-Greeks :) God Bless you all !!!!

[@cyberp0et]

Aληθώς ανέστη!

[@vassiliosbenos9588]

There is nothing more to say, you have said it all. Love you all. Καλό Πάσχα. Χριστός Ανέστη. From United Kingdom, I wish I was there.

[@otelders]

Christ is Risen!

[@orthoglobus]

Truly He is Risen!

[@xSAINTPERKx]

Wow that's beautiful

[@xSAINTPERKx]

I'm tearing up a bit.

[@ukerkater]

Christ is Risen! Христос Воскрес! Throughout the world, Orthodox worshippers have many customs, but this is a very good overview of the essentials of Orthodox Paschal celebrations.

[@patc6146]

i'm a catholic and feel so bad that the 1960's Vatican 2 removed the tradition...orthodox feels ancient, proper

[@Scrooge-1978]

I am Serbian Orthodox. Greetings to everyone who celebrates today.

[@kxenia7852]

Made me tear up

[@katerinavasil721]

Thank you Rick for making this video and celebrating with our country this special time of year!

[@user-jh5ur5ft1w]

I miss those days so bad😭😭😭😭😭

[@elenimichailidis2642]

happy easter

[@saracoble5551]

wait this is actually so beautiful

[@Tyranthunter1821]

Thank you for posting this. I converted at the age of twenty two. I'm fifty four now.

[@patriciah3235]

Rick, thank you for a respectful and accurate presentation of Pascha. You are truly a goodwill ambassador.

[@darlenegattus8190]

Lovely, they really do it correctly.

[@georgemandilakis5630]

Rick, thanks for this, addressing Orthodoxy. Sweet Redeemer forgive us all,especially the ignorant and arrogant that crucified you,and still doing it today. Would this nation ever learn. Christ is everywhere, look for him, don’t leave it too late. Love each other.❤, George, Crete, Norwich, 🇬🇧✝️🇬🇷

[@ivarrsantos148]

Wow Easter is like a Christmas celebration🥰🥰🥰

[@nraphael9004]

Beautiful...👍 Old traditions ar always beautiful & elegant no matter what...!

[@HermesSonofZeus]

Made me cry with joy. Thank you, Rick and team.

[@dimiruda4796]

Wunderschöne Dokumentation. Vielen Dank, Christus ist auferstanden....

[@joshua_wherley]

Wahrlich ist er auferstanden!

[@dehawu7434]

Beautiful 🙏🙏🙏 full of tradition

[@malouxou.pa2012]

thanks, G o d bless you Rick... Happy Easter

[@staygreezy107]

Beautiful! Christ is Risen!

[@savanahmoorer10]

This is so beautiful

[@marley5853]

Im just loving the background music

[@jamessirris2795]

BEAUTIFUL STORY!

[@gvtrivia6780]

beautiful video

[@tedperry6466]

I miss the Greek Easter celebrations of my youth. Though I didn't like the long church services, crammed in like a sardine, smelling that awlful lamb guts soup the church prepared during Sat's midnight mass. I loved the family cookout we did Sunday afternoon, over CHARCOAL GRILL, NOT GAS!!!. The pork souvlaki, sheftalias, lemon oregano chicken and lamb burgers were the best.

[@kouklip3756]

Thank you Rick for the wonderful video. May God provide us all with health and wellbeing.

[@LIVEINPEACE2023]

Beautiful 🙏

[@dadsonworldwide3238]

Thank you jesus .

[@amolagarwal5336]

i'm gonna watch all your videos... what a wonderful coverage.

[@nikolaosaggelopoulos8113]

Thank you for uploading this very sympathetic documentary about Easter in Greece. It was lovely to watch while having to stay in Germany for teaching duties - it felt a little like mentally sharing the wonderful emotions of my fellow countrymen.

[@MsP4ndu]

Love from Indonesia.

[@bthomas2097]

Thank you Rick, Splendid video, informative with awesome camera angles and insider views which only you can get. Thank you for presenting the experience as one among them and very much part of the service and festivities.

[@anastudio3172]

Very beatifully and respectfully described

[@sambaritone]

The kovouklion is decorated and contains the icon called the epitaphios, which is the icon of Christ’s burial.

[@maxkol4380]

Beautiful

[@telosfd]

Very correct narrative at all points. My best wishes!

[@UnCutGameplayCYP]

Thanks for creating this video!

[@acastrohowell]

Love this happy Easter 🐣🐰

[@midnightsky2895]

This was such a well done and just beautiful video. Educational and very enjoyable to watch. Thank you.

[@user-pc8gn4hd4f]

Χριστός Ανέστη!ο θάνατος νικήθηκε..Η Ελπιδα γεννηθηκε στην αιωνια ψυχη μας... Σ'ευχαριστω Χριστε μου,μονο ΕΣΥ μπορείς να μας σωσεις απο το σκοταδι

[@tonybarde2572]

My friends are Greek Orthodox

[@kostastz8395]

Realy great video. Thank you very much.

[@theenglishcatholic5685]

It reminds me of Christmas but a REALLY meaningful one :)

[@DraSifisGr]

Two important points to note: - the religious church celebrations don't last only 3 days. They begin the previous Friday evening and continue on every evening (and some days also in the morning) until Easter Sunday morning. - after midnight on Good Saturday there is a very lengthy mass held which lasts till 3 - 3.30AM, the so-called "Ressurection's Mass". Sadly, most fellow Orthodox Greeks return home without attending.

[@BlueSwampyCraft]

In my country it lasts until 4-5 am. But most people leave after getting the light indeed. It’s sad

[@BlueSwampyCraft]

@Flou22 Romania. But it depends on the church. This year it ended at 4

[@BlueSwampyCraft]

@Flou22 don’t they have to start at midnight? I thought it was standard. Because we know Jesus redirected sometime between midnight and the sunrise, but we can’t know exactly the hour, that’s why the service is supposed to last all night to make sure we catch that hour

[@drunkbillygoat]

Fun fact. In Athens they also set off fireworks. Not sure if they do it in other cities though. My wife ( whis Greek) made me go and it was a very nice ceremony.

[@shingosshojiopoulos6608]

It happens everywhere and it's not only fireworks. It's firecrackers, molotovs, dynamites, gunfire, small rockets car reving and many more

[@Siomn779nil]

Im cristean orthdox , and proud ☦️☦️☦️ estern orthdox faith ☦️☦️☦️

[@thomassmigel3593]

Very very nice job Steve! Xristos Anesti

[@a.pantelides4590]

Excellent video! Congratulations!

[@mimmanuel672]

Thank you for this Blessed Video

[@lynnhill68]

Very nice video, thank you

[@Herr_Flick_of_ze_Gestapo]

CHRISTOOOOOOOOOOOOOS ANEEEEESTIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@worldcitizeng6507]

I was in Crete April of 2017, I didn't plan it but the Greek Easter was during my travel. I saw bakery selling the red eggs everywhere, saw the parade in Chania. The only inconvenience was all the buses reduce it's schedules, so I paid for 2 nights of hotel but only slept for 1 night, so that I can rushed back to it's capital to take the speed ferry to Santorini before 9am. I waited for 3 hours at the bus station from 5am. All the supermarket were closed in Santorini for 3 days, I can see the fruits & cookies I wanted to buy, but the doors were locked. I wish I had known it was Greek Easter, so that I can plan my schedules accordingly.

[@rrocketman]

Thumbs up, thanks for this

[@mpourmpoulithra2011]

AMAZING

[@nazrat1st]

Wonderful!!

[@tcideh4929]

Excellence video. Very informative and well filmed.

[@VASI_LIKI]

wonderful representation ...

[@lindapenisten4179]

Cool video unique way of Easter

[@jimpadou9071]

Great content! Very nice.

[@00fgytduydrtu]

Christ has Risen!

[@MrGb1965]

The different dates for Pascha are not a calendar issue but one in interpreting when the resurrection took place in relation to the Passover. Thanks for posting.

[@tiatorus]

How could that be calculated

[@MrGb1965]

@@tiatorus Not sure, sorry, but I understand the variables involved are the dates of Passover, the vernal equinox and first full moon. Sorry not to have for sure. Anyone out there care to help me out?

[@tiatorus]

@@MrGb1965 thank you for getting back to me about it . Trying to get more of an understanding of the date aspect