Medz Zadig (Easter)
Just as on Christmas, on Easter the family would gather around a rich table full of delicious traditional food and beautifully colored eggs. Egg cracking contests would be held at homes, in the churchyard, and in the streets. Slaughtering animals on Good Thursday was considered as an unforgivable sin, as their right for living was respected on that day.
Eight days before the Easter Sunday, people would pick different kinds of flowers and put them in big jars full of water. They would wash their faces with it for three days, starting from Good Friday until the next Monday. The fragrant rich water was called "Ootnous" (of eight days).
Everyone would attend the church ceremonies without exception. Even the shepherds would leave their herds on the mountains in the care of one or two of their fellow herdsmen (in turn) in order to attend the church ceremonies. After forty days of fasting, the villagers would enjoy the Easter feast in a special way. Relatives and friends would gather up around the tables in a cheerful atmosphere, troubled people would reconcile and peace would be established in every house.
