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Religion
A majority of the citizens of the Hellenic Republic are Greek Orthodox, 97,6%. Of the remaining population is 1,3% Muslims, 0,4% Roman Catholics, 0,1% Protestants and 0,6% other, including Jews.
Churches
Almost all of the dozen most famous and important Byzantine churches of Athens are from the 11th and the 12th century. This period called the golden age of Age of Athens’ has left several churches and Byzantine ancient remains behind well worth visiting when you’re in Athens.
Easter in Greece
Easter begins on the Saturday of Lazarus (the Saturday
before Palm Sunday) with children going from door to door
singing the hymn of "Lazaros" and collecting money and
eggs. On the morning of Palm Sunday people gather in church
and are given a cross made from palm fronds, which they
put on their icon-stands at home and keep it for the whole
of the coming year. The Easter is the biggest religious
feast in Greeceand it begins on Easter Saturday with an
evening worship. Just before midnight the churches are
crowded with dressed up people holding candles in their
hands. The church is silence and dark, on account of remembering
the death of Jesus. By midnight the priest proclaims that
Christ is risen and all the candles in the church are
lighten.
People, carefully, take home their lighted candles with the holly light of the Resurrection. Before entering their houses they make a cross with the smoke of the candle on top of the door, they light the oil candle before their icon-stand, and try to keep this light burning throughout the year.
The Lenten fast ends on Easter Sunday with the cracking of red-dyed eggs and an outdoor feast of roast lamb followed by dancing.
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