http://www.cyprus101.com/ As Easter draws near, an air of festivity envelops the towns and villages. During Holy Week (the week preceding Easter Sunday) there is a flurry of church-going, shopping for new clothes and baking.

1. Easter in Cyprus
2012 - It is
Almost Here!
By
Cyprus Property
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2. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
The carnivals are over and Lent
is almost over – a 40 day fasting
period of no meat, poultry or
dairy products is near the end.
The bakeries accommodate
those who fast by adding dairy-
free, egg-free and meat-free
pastries and cookies to their
already vast array of goodies.
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3. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
Generally, fasting is followed more strictly in the villages of
Cyprus than in the towns, but most restaurants and
takeaways also add fasting dishes to their menus during
this period.
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4. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
As Easter draws near, an
air of festivity envelops
the towns and villages.
During Holy Week (the
week preceding Easter
Sunday) there is a flurry
of church-going,
shopping for new clothes
and baking.
www.cyprus101.com

5. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
The smell of the traditional
Cypriot flaounescooking,
combined with the heady scent
of orange blossoms in the air
and the sound of singing which
emanates from the churches,
creates an atmosphere of expectation - a feeling that
something good is just around the corner.
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6. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
Easter is the most important
religious holiday in the
Greek Orthodox Church. The
date of Greek Orthodox
Easter is based on a
modified Julian calendar. In
2012 Greek Orthodox Easter
will be on April 15th.
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7. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
Thursday of Holy Week is when
the wonderful aromas begin to
waft out onto the streets as this
is traditionally the day when
housewives start preparing the
flaounes (small loaves made of
flour, eggs, cheese, mint and
sometimes raisins). These are shaped into triangles,
sprinkled with sesame seeds then baked in the oven.
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8. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
Tiropites (small cheese pies in
puff pastry), paskies (small
meat pies) and koulouria
(biscuits made of milk, flour,
spices and sugar) are also
prepared. Eggs are hard boiled
and dyed red in preparation for
games on Sunday. Everywhere
is a hive of activity.
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9. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
On the Friday morning before
Easter (Good Friday or “Great
Friday” as it is called in Greek)
families, carrying flowers,
gather in the churches. The
flowers are collected and used
by young girls to decorate the
Epitafios (Holy Sepulchre) during the service. TheEpitafios is a
four-post litter with a canopy in which the icon of Christ is
placed.
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10. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
Early Friday evening a solemn service is
held in all churches where the
decorated Epitafios is carried into the
streets, for a short procession, then
returned to the church for a
continuation of the service.
On Easter Saturday two services are
held in church - one in the early
morning and another at 11 p.m.
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11. Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
Before the 11 p.m. service, which is
called "The Ceremony of the
Resurrection," church bells peal out
in the villages and towns of Cyprus
calling everyone to come and
celebrate the resurrection of Christ.
Huge bonfires are lit in the
churchyards and slowly people begin to gather there. Every
person carries a large unlit lampada (candle) and there is a
general feeling of excitement in the air.
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12. Thank You
Easter in Cyprus 2012 - It is Almost Here!
Please visit
http://www.cyprus101.com/blogs/cleo_shahateet
/archive/2012/03/11/easter-in-cyprus-2012-it-is-
almost-here.aspx
For more details.
Cyprus Property @ www.cyprus101.com