Easter in Kefalonia, as in all Greece, is a deeply spiritual event more important than Christmas.
The celebrations of Easter are characterized by lunches with whole lambs on the spit, by folk dances and by the nice tradition to paint eggs red, which are then broken with friends.
There is a legend that gives an explanation about the red eggs.
Mary Magdalene after she went to Jesus’ tomb and found it empty, she ran to the house where the disciples were. She announced the great news and a disbelieving Peter looked at her and said, “I will believe you only if the eggs you have in the basket will become red” and immediately the eggs were painted red.
For somebody the red color symbolizes the blood of Christ, for others it’s the expression of joy for the Resurrection and at the same time it is a way to keep away the evil.
On Good Friday there is the procession of the Epitafios and on Easter Monday, in Vlachata, there is the procession of the icon of Sissia Monastery.