Countdown to Greek Orthodox Easter 2025

The countdown to the Greek Orthodox Easter or Pascha, the most important religious celebration of the year, is set to begin on March 3, 2025, when Greece celebrates “Kathara Defta” or “Pure Monday.”

This date marks the start of the period called Sarakosti, which denotes 40 days of great fasting leading up to the Greek Orthodox Easter on April 20. Interestingly, the Orthodox Easter is celebrated the same day as the Catholic Easter and two churches are in conversations to make this a permanent arrangement in the future.

Dates in the countdown to Greek Orthodox Easter 2025:

March 3 – Clean Monday
This day puts an end to the rebellious carnival celebrations and invites Orthodox Christians to leave all sinful attitudes and non-fixed foods consumed over the previous three weeks.

March 3 – April 19 – Sarakosti
Sarakosti is considered one of the most important annual parties in Greece that mark the 40 days of great lent to the Greek Orthodox Church. During this period, people refrain from eating meat, dairy or fish, but are allowed to eat seafood. The purpose is to prepare the believers to commemorate and enter Jesus’ passion and resurrection.

14 March – April 11 – Greetings Services
The Greek Orthodox Church marks the countdown to Easter with the solemn service of the greetings, where the Akathist Psalm, a deeply devoted poem dedicated to the Virgin Mary, is sung in parts over five Fridays.

12-13 April-Saturday by Lazarus and Palm Sunday
These two days are big parties in the church celebrating the breeding of Lazarus from the dead and Christ’s triumphs, respectively, in Jerusalem.

13-19 April-Holy Week
Also known as Passion Week, this period contains extensive liturgies that tell Christ’s passion, leading up to his death and descent to Hades.

April 20 – Greek Orthodox Easter
Greek Orthodox Easter 2025 will be celebrated on April 20. It is the most significant celebration of the Eastern Christian churches, where Greeks honor Jesus Christ’s death on the cross and celebrate the miracle in his resurrection.

Lecture for shared Orthodox Catholic Easter Date
Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has supported the proposal for the permanent establishment of the celebration of Easter by the Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches the same day that started this year when the dates happen to collapse. He expressed optimism that other Protestant denominations would also adopt such an agreement.