The Greek islands are famous for their customs and festivals. It’s been said times and times around that one should spend Easter at least once in a life time in Greece. Beside Easter, Kefalonia’s festivals include: The Carnival, Christmas and New Year, March 25 (or the Annunciation of Virgin Mary), May Day, August 15, Celebration of the Holy Cross, Bourbourelia, Ascension Day, Lambadaris and the feast of Agios Gerasimos.

Feast of Agios Gerasimos

Most of the festivals and customs in Kefalonia have religious routes. The feast of Agios Gerasimos takes place every August 16 and October 20. He is the patron saint of the island and can cure crazy people.After he became a monk he went to the Holy Land where he spent 12 years. Then he spent 5 years in Zakynthos. After those travels, the saint came to Kefalonia and for the first five years on the island he lived in a cave beneath the small hermitage on the hills overlooking Lassi. He later moved to the lush Omala Valley where he founded a monastery. The saint lived at the monastery until his death. Each year on August 16 and October 20 his coffin is taken under the old tree of the monastery.

Easter

Easter is the most spectacular Christian holiday in Kefalonia. On Good Friday all the Orthodox churches are decorated with flowers as the procession of mourners go around the city to bless the houses and the area. On Saturday morning, the church floor is decorated with bay leaves. At midnight the Resurrection is celebrated. Everyone should take the light with them at home, doing their best to keep it alive and thus brining home the miracle of Resurrection, which will bless the house for the entire year. The feast is complete with fireworks display. By tradition, roasted lamb and red-dyed eggs, accompanied by the Easter bread, are eaten on Eastern day.

>>more information on Easter in Greece and Easter Food in Greece

Christmas and New Years

Christmas and New Year are also two beautiful festivals a traveler should not miss while visiting the island of Kefalonia. The houses are decorated with branches of red berry and myrtle. The women bake the Christmas Cake which is decorated with the sign of cross.

For a very interesting New Years celebration you should head to the village of Argostoli. Here people bid farewell to the old year by walking up and down the street and spraying each other with perfume. Meanwhile, carols and other traditional songs are sung by choirs and bands. To stay true to the custom, people go out in the countryside and pick Father Christmas plant (askinokara). The plant is then hung over the front of the door as it protects the house and the family, brining good luck and health for the New Year. A pomegranate is broken in front of the house and the number of seeds it contains symbolizes the number of good wishes for the family.