As you likely know, Easter is a huge deal in the Eastern Orthodox Church, bigger than Christmas or any other holy day, and it was late this year, so we got to see the celebrations. Lots of family visiting and feasts, and the national TV channels showed 48 hours straight of people filing through a cathedral kissing the feet of Jesus, while priests with huge beards intoned.
So far not too surprising, but what we hadn't experienced was the gleeful burning in effigy of Judas. Everywhere, even at our little hotel in a remote cove, giant bonfires were built at the base of large crosses, and a dummy representing poor Judas strung up. At midnight, or earlier if there were children to consider, the fires were set ablaze, and soon Judas was consumed, to the accompaniment of fireworks built into the cross. A bit macabre, and dare I say with echoes of the KKK, but it was a spectacular piece of theatre, similar to Britain's Guy Fawkes day, making our Easter egg hunts look a little tame and lacking in vengeance!
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