During the summer months, the island fills with visitors from Greece and abroad, who all enjoy Paros’ pebbled beaches, as well as drinks and meals at traditional restaurants.
By comparison, Paros, during Easter, is a more serene place, more detached from cosmopolitan ways. Easter celebrations are bright, spirited and lengthy all over the island, but it would not be an exaggeration to say that these traditions and customs are most intense, as experiences, at Paros’ northern villages. Holy Week is a special time to be in traditional Marpissa, beautiful & quiet Drios, Lefkes and Aspro Chorio.
Marpissa, is very close to the villages Piso Livadi and Drios. Not only there, but in all churches of the island too, every Easter Thursday, the women head up to the Metropolitan Cathedral, where they spend the night reverently decorating the Epitaphios in preparation for the next day’s solemn Good Friday funerary procession. In the afternoon of the same day, the inhabitants of the island visiting the churches and passing under the Epitaphs.
On Good Friday’s evening Epitaphios pass through the lifelike scenes presenting the Passion of Christ, which are not only presented in Marpissa, but neighbouring villages too, with children as the protagonists.
Next morning, on Easter Saturday, Marpissa maintains an early, initial Resurrection custom, for which young girls, dressed as angels, stand before village buildings and houses, creating a heavenly setting.
Finally, on Easter Sunday, you can visit Naoussa, where the Second Resurrection is celebrated followed by a feast in Naoussa square with traditional dances and treats. At the same time, in the port of Naoussa there is live music until the evening!