Corfu Easter Schedule of Events

Find all the locations, the schedule, and all the events taking place in Corfu during the Easter period.

Corfu Easter Schedule of Events

Friday (Eve of Lazarus Saturday)

18:00 Event by the Corfu Lyceum of Greek Women at the Church of St. John. The Corfu Philharmonic Society (Old Philharmonic) participates.

Lazarus Saturday

11:30 Choral ensembles from across the island start from the Church of St. Nicholas of the Elders and St. Lazarus, celebrating with the “Lazarus Carols.” After singing at various locations in the historic center, the choirs meet at 12:30 and perform the carols at the Old Town Hall “San Giacomo.” Organized by the “Corfiot Expression Organization.”

20:30 Concert by the Corfu Philharmonic Society, the oldest philharmonic on the island, at the Municipal Theater.

Palm Sunday (Procession)

11:00 Procession of the Holy Relic of St. Spyridon. After the Divine Liturgy at the Church of the patron saint, the longest and most extensive procession of the Holy Relic takes place, commemorating the miraculous deliverance of the island from the plague in 1629.

20:30 Concert by the Kapodistrias Philharmonic Union with the Choir of the Holy Metropolis, at the Church of St. George in the Old Fortress.

20:30 Religious concert featuring all sections of the Corfu Choir at the Peristyle of the Palace.

Holy Monday

20:00 Concert by the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society at the Municipal Theater.

21:00 Concert by the Kinopiastes Philharmonic with religious music at the Catholic Cathedral of Saints James and Christopher (Duomo).

Holy Tuesday

20:30 Religious concert by the “Brass Ensemble” with the participation of the “Dimodokos” Municipal Choir, at the Church of St. George in the Old Fortress.

21:30 Poetic Musical evening themed “From Golgotha to Resurrection,” organized by the Corfiot Events Organization (OKE) at the Peristyle of the Palace of St. Michael and St. George (Old Palace).

Holy Wednesday

19:00 The “Service of the Washing of the Feet” is sung by the Choir of Ecclesiastical Music of the Holy Metropolis “St. Arsenios” at the Church of All Saints in the city, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu.

20:30 Concert of ecclesiastical music by the Corfu Municipal Choir “San Giacomo” at the Municipal Theater.

Holy Thursday

20:00 General rehearsal of the “Mantzaros” Philharmonic Society, performing all the masterful funeral marches they play during the Holy Week religious ceremonies, at the Church of St. George in the Old Fortress.

20:00 The “Washing of the Feet ceremony” at the Catholic Cathedral of Saints James and Christopher (Duomo), during which the Catholic Archbishop symbolically washes the feet of twelve children, followed by the Holy Hour ceremony late in the evening.

Tip: In the evening, under the buildings of the island’s philharmonics, people gather to listen to the final rehearsals for the Good Friday processions.

Good Friday (Epitaphios Processions)

From early afternoon, all the churches in the city organize the procession of their Epitaphios with specific order and participation of musical ensembles, choirs, schools, scouts, and others. The choirs sing the “Lamentations,” while the philharmonic bands perform adaptations of classical works such as Albinoni’s “Adagio,” Verdi’s “Marcia Funebre,” Mariani’s “Sventura,” and Chopin’s “Funeral March.”

Corfu Easter

Epitaphios Processions

12:30

Church of St. Irene (General Hospital)

12:30

Church of St. Artemios (Police Headquarters Old Hospital)

14:00

Church of Pantokrator (Kampielo)

14:00

Church of Our Lady of the Cave (New Fortress). Organized by Corfu Naval Station

15:45

Church of St. Nicholas of the Baths (St. Nicholas Gate). Organized by SYAP Corfu – Corfu Scouts Association

16:00

Church of St. George (Old Fortress). Organized by the Corfiot Events Organization

16:30

Church of St. Panteleimon (Psychiatric Hospital)

17:00

Monastery of St. Euphemia (Mon Repos)

17:30

Monastery of Our Lady Kassopitra (Figareto)

17:30

Church of the Ascension (Analipsis)

Church of St. George (Mantouki)

18:00

Church of All Saints (City)

Church of the Resurrection (First Municipal Cemetery)

Monastery of St. Theodore (Army)

18:30

Church of St. Sophia (Jewish Quarter)

Church of St. Paraskevi (Porta Remounda)

19:00

Church of St. Anthony (Spilia)

Church of the Holy Trinity (Garitsa)

Church of Sts. Constantine and Helen (Koulines)

Church of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (Kogevina Hill)

Church of Sts. Jason and Sosipater (Garitsa)

19:15

Church of Our Lady of Vlacherna (Garitsa)

19:30

Church of St. Eleftherios (Kofineta)

Church of St. Spyridon Saroko (Kotsela)

Church of the Holy Three Martyrs (Garitsa)

Church of Our Lady of the Foreigners (Plakada of the Saint)

20:00

Church of St. Basil (Pinia)

Church of St. John the Baptist (Kefalomantouko)

Church of St. Barbara (Potamos)

Church of St. Nicholas Alykes (Alykes)

Church of All Saints (Gouvia)

20:15

Church of St. Nicholas of the Elders (Kampielo)

20:30

Church of St. John (Piatsa)

20:45

Church of Sts. James and Christopher (Catholic Cathedral/Duomo)

21:00

Church of St. Spyridon. Procession of the Epitaphios inside the church with the Corfu Philharmonic Society

22:00

Church of Our Lady of the Cave, Metropolitan Cathedral (Spilia)

Holy Saturday

06:00 Reenactment of the Earthquake after the Resurrection of the Lord, at the Church of Our Lady of the Foreigners, in Plakada of the Saint, interpreting the related Gospel passage.

09:00 Procession of the Holy Relic of St. Spyridon and procession of the Epitaphios of the Church. The oldest procession of the Saint, commemorating the miraculous deliverance from famine, likely in 1553. All three philharmonic bands of the city participate.

11:00 After the procession, the Vespers of the Resurrection is celebrated at the Metropolitan Cathedral. When the Metropolitan chants “Arise, O God, judge the earth…” all the church bells ring joyfully, and people throw old clay pots from their balconies, symbolizing the “First Resurrection.”

11:01 In the Pinia area, the tradition of “Mastela” is revived. A decorated barrel filled with water is placed, and passersby throw coins into it, making a wish. At the announcement of the First Resurrection, the first person to jump into the “Mastela” gets the coins and a soaking. Organized by the Corfiot Events Organization (OKE).

21:00 Easter Vigil Service at the Catholic Cathedral (Duomo), accompanied by organ music and a polyphonic choir, led by the Catholic Archbishop.

22:00 Reception of the Holy Light from the Holy Sepulchre at Pentofanaro (Liston) with the presence of local authorities. The Holy Light is then taken to the Church of St. Paraskevi, where the Resurrection Service begins, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu.

23:00 Start of the Resurrection Night Service at the Church of St. Paraskevi, near the Spianada Square.

23:40 Procession from the Church of St. Paraskevi to the Palko of the Spianada Square for the Resurrection ceremony, led by His Eminence Metropolitan Nektarios of Corfu. The Resurrection is celebrated, and “Christ is Risen” is sung, with all three philharmonic bands playing simultaneously in a spectacular atmosphere.

00:30 Easter Divine Liturgy is held in the night at various churches and monasteries.

Easter Sunday

09:00-11:00 In most churches in Corfu, the Resurrection Divine Liturgy is celebrated in the morning, following an old tradition, faithfully based on the Gospel passage “… early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb, the sun having risen”. Additionally, the icon of the Resurrection of the Lord is carried in procession, in accordance with Byzantine tradition, which is still observed in some Aegean islands and in Slavic Orthodox countries.

Corfu Easter

Processions of the Resurrection Icon in the City

07:30

St. Sophia Church (Jewish)

07:45

Metropolitan Church of the Virgin Spiliani (Spilia)

08:00

Church of All Saints (Listón)

08:15

St. Spyridon Church of Sarókou (Kotséla)

08:30

St. Eleftherios Church (Kofinéta)

Church of the Ascension (Análipsi)

St. George Church (Mandouki)

Church of the Virgin of Vlacherna(Garítsa)

08:45

St. Basil Church (Pínia)

St. Paraskevi Church (Porta Remounda)

09:00 Church of the Virgin of Feneromeni of the Foreigners (Plakáda tou Agíou)

St. Nicholas of the Elders Church (Kampiélo)

St. John Church (Píatsa)

St. Anthony Church (Spilia)

10:00

Sacred Pilgrimage of St. Spyridon. The Philharmonic Society of Corfu (Old) participates with the work “Tannhäuser” by R. Wagner and the Philharmonic Society of Manzaro with “Resurrection Marcia Trionfale” by Sotiris Kritikos.

18:00

St. Trinity Church (Garítsa)

19:30

Vespers of Love at the Metropolitan Cathedral, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Nectarios, where the Gospel is read in all languages.

A traditional roast lamb lunch is served in many households, with Corfu Easter celebrations continuing throughout the day.

Tuesday of Bright Week

18:00 The deposition of the Holy Relic of Saint Spyridon in His Larnaca, with the customary presence of the Authorities and the participation of the two oldest philharmonic bands of the city.

The so-called “Basmata of the Saint”.

This guide includes key events and activities, highlighting the unique and rich traditions of Easter celebrations in Corfu. Visitors are encouraged to participate and immerse themselves in the vibrant cultural and religious heritage of the island during Corfu Easter’s festive season.