Religious holidays & folk customsDietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0

Religious holidays & folk customs

Church holidays, old customs and anniversaries that the whole island still keeps.

Faith and tradition in Crete

Faith and tradition are part of daily life on Crete. The big church holidays are celebrated in every town and village, and many old customs, from bonfires to blessing the flocks, have lasted for centuries.

Easter and the big holidays

Easter (Pascha) is the most important holiday of the year. In Holy Week the churches are full, on Good Friday the decorated Epitaphios is carried through the streets, and at midnight on Saturday the Resurrection is announced with candles, bells and fireworks. On Sunday families roast lamb outside. Orthodox Easter often falls on a different date than Western Easter.

Other big days are Epiphany on 6 January, when the waters are blessed and swimmers dive for the cross, and the feast of the Virgin Mary on 15 August.

Folk customs

Some customs follow the farming year: the raki season in autumn, when families distil the new raki together and friends come by to eat and drink, or the feast of the shepherds on Saint George's day. Others are much older, like the Klidonas bonfires in June that people jump over.

Remembering history

Crete also remembers its history: the sacrifice at Arkadi Monastery in November 1866 and the Battle of Crete in May 1941 are marked every year with services, wreaths and gatherings.

Must do's

6 Jan Epiphany: blessing of the waters A priest throws a cross into the sea and young swimmers dive into the cold water to bring it back. 23 Jun Klidonas: midsummer bonfires Neighbourhoods burn the May flower wreaths in bonfires and people jump over the flames for luck. 3 May Saint George: the shepherds' feast Shepherds bring thousands of sheep to the church to be blessed and milked; the milk is boiled and shared with everyone. 25 Oct (Usual dates, check locally) Kazanemata: the raki distilling season Village stills fire up to make tsikoudia, with food, music and raki straight from the copper pot. 8 Nov Arkadi anniversary & feast of the Archangels Crete remembers the 1866 sacrifice at Arkadi monastery on the feast of the Archangels. 20 May Anniversary of the Battle of Crete Memorial services, parades and re-enactments marking the German airborne invasion of May 1941. Arkadi Monastery Rethymno Arkadi Monastery Symbol of Cretan resistance and the 1866 revolt against Ottoman rule. List Churches & monasteries Faith and resistance

Coming up

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Chania 7 Rethymno 2 Heraklion 2 Lasithi 6

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June 2027

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August 2027

Good to know

  • Shops, offices and many museums close on the big holidays; plan ahead.
  • Visitors are welcome at services and processions; dress modestly and stay quiet during the liturgy.
  • At Easter, book your table early: many tavernas are full with local families.