Greek Red Easter Eggs
The Red Eggs of Greek Easter
How Greek families dye, crack, and share red eggs every Easter.
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Dyed Red On Holy Thursday
On Holy Thursday, Greek households boil eggs and dye them deep red, often with red onion skins, then polish the shells with olive oil for shine.
Source: The Greek Foodie
Red For The Blood Of Christ
The red dye represents Christ's blood shed at the crucifixion, and cracking the shell symbolizes the sealed tomb opening at the Resurrection.
Source: Hellenic Museum Australia
Eggs Appear After Midnight Mass
Families break their Lenten fast just after midnight on Holy Saturday, following the Anastasi service, sharing red eggs and soup at the table.
Source: The Greek Foodie
Tsougrisma: A Table Wide Duel
Players tap egg tips together saying Christos Anesti and Alithos Anesti; whoever holds the last uncracked egg at the table is said to have luck all year.
Source: Hellenic Museum Australia
Always An Odd Number
Greek households traditionally dye an odd number of eggs for the basket, since an odd count is considered luckier than an even one.
Source: The Greek Foodie
An Orthodox Custom From Mesopotamia
Historians trace the red egg custom to early Orthodox Christians in Mesopotamia, from where it spread through the Orthodox Church across the Mediterranean and Europe.
Source: Hellenic Museum Australia
From Greek Easter tables to Multan mornings, a good egg still means fresh starts and a meal worth gathering the family for.
References
- The Greek Foodie thegreekfoodie.com
- Hellenic Museum Australia hellenic.org.au
- The Greek Foodie thegreekfoodie.com
- Hellenic Museum Australia hellenic.org.au
- The Greek Foodie thegreekfoodie.com
- Hellenic Museum Australia hellenic.org.au
Eggs worth eating every day
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