Tag Archives: Traditions

  The Zakynthos Informer and members of the Zakynthos Volunteer group have been trying to access the English Cemetery for over a year, to help clear it up and write up a post about its incredible history. Unfortunately, the site has been closed and despite many attempts to get more …

When Greece was invaded during World War Two, life for the Greek people was hard. Initially they were under Italian rule, as part of the Axis powers, but when the Germans invaded in 1943 things changed dramatically. One of the first things that happened upon the German invasion of Zakynthos …

Navel organges are coming into season and an orange pie is just what is needed, especially now that the cooler weather is settling in. There are many different recipes for organge pie or portokalopita in Greek here is a simple version.   For the orange pie:   1 packet of …

This year has been a difficult year for us all. After the struggles of 2020, residents, businesses, and tourists all hoped to have a better season this year, but unfortunately, 2021, was another short season full of restrictions and disappointment for some. We’ve missed everyone who should’ve joined us this year. …

August, 29th A religious feast that goes back centuries, for today is the liturgical commemoration of the Beheading of St. John the Baptist. It is almost as old as that commemorating his birth, which is one of the oldest feasts, if not the oldest, introduced into both the Eastern and …

A while ago we promoted the fact that something was happening in Zakynthos,the exact day was Saturday the 12th of June, 2021. It’s usually around this time of year that Zakynthos celebrates the three day event of Giostra. An event that was one of the most popular way back in …

Religious Celebrations continue in Zakynthos today, perhaps the most unique of all is the Festival in Voidi today. (more information will be given in the book Zakynthos the flower of the East ) Early in the morning the icons of the Resurrection and Laurentaina are taken up from the Holy Trinity …

Orthodox tradition holds that the Holy Fire happens annually on the day preceding Orthodox Pascha (Orthodox Easter.) During this time, blue light is said to emit within Jesus Christ’s tomb, rising from the marble slab covering the stone bed believed to be that upon which Jesus’ body is to have been …

Greek orthodox tradition….the remembrance of those who are no longer with us. *Soul Saturday* in Zakynthos it is celebrated today with an afternoon service at all churches. Special bread is made, known as *prosforo* and given to the church for blessing usually in honour of the dead. Koliva is also …

Finally!!!!! Celebrations start again!!! After a three year period of no carnival, Zakynthos was in full swing with Tsiknopepmti…. What is Tsiknopempti? Greeks celebrate Tsiknopempti, which literally means “Thursday of the Smoke of Grilled Meat”. Tsikno being the smoke from the grilled meat and Pempti being Thursday.  It is celebrated …