The custom of “Flauna” dates back to the 19th century and according to tradition was made on Holy Saturday and then transported to churches and consumed after the Resurrection. Nowadays, housewives usually make them on Maundy Thursday.

“Flaunes” is a food which in ancient times and even today, was used for the transition of believers from fasting to the consumption of non-fasting foods, without the risk of various stomach disorders.

The main ingredient of the traditional “Flauna” is the special cheese for flauna and eggs. The classic flauna contains cheese and halloumi. In recent years, however, many have shown a particular preference for anari, because it is a healthier choice and the process of preparing the dough is less time consuming.

The process of making the flauna starts from the previous day, with the grating of the cheeses to become the famous “foukos” or “fokos” or “foutzia”, in simpler words the filling. Then add the eggs, the yeast, the semolina to the cheese and mix them. They also add various scents (mahlep, mint, cinnamon, mastic) and raisins to the seal for a sweeter taste. The housewives leave the seal all night to “enter”, ie to inflate.

The next day the dough is prepared for the flauna leaf, after first the yeast has been shaken (regenerated) from the previous night. in small pies, it is filled with the seal and the edges of the pie are folded on the sides. Its shape varies from square, triangle or even round. After the preparation process is over, the final step is the baking of the flauns. The housewives place the flauns on plates or traditional chests and bake them either in their neighborhood oven or in a wood oven.

However, in some villages of Paphos, the so-called “Paskies” are prepared, which are slightly different from the other flauns. Paskies are round flaunes, about the size of a palm, and are stuffed with pieces of meat, usually fried with spices.

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Natural Easter Egg Dyes

Step 1: Egg Preparation

Hard Boiled the eggs for 10 minutes.

Step 2: Color Preparation

For the colors to be bright and vibrant, it is recommended to use eggs with white shell. Before applying the color, you must thoroughly clean the eggs with water and vinegar.

Step 3: Color per Natural Product

Red color – madder root
Green color –spinach
Yellow color – ground cumin
Orange – chili powder

Step 4: Dye the eggs

Boil each ingredient separately at a very high temperature in pots.
After the water is fully colored (estimated time 30 – 45 minutes), strain the water so as to separate it from the ingredient and use its broth for soaking the eggs.

Add the eggs in the pot and let them soak for at least 1 hour.

If you prefer a more vibrant and solid color let the eggs soak longer.

After your ideal color is achieved, extract the eggs carefully with the use of a spoon and place them to a paper towel to dry.

For better results, with the use of a brush, you can repaint over the already dye eggs.

Have fun!

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Why do they dye the Easter eggs red?

The red color of the Easter Eggs represents the blood of Jesus; their hard shell symbolizes the enclosed tomb of Christ, whereas the cracking of eggs symbolizes the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Additionally, the red egg is a symbol of renewing one’s life as well as celebrating life’s victory over death.

What symbolizes the custom of cracking the red eggs?

The cracking custom of the Easter eggs typically occurs on Saturday midnight after “Christos Anestis”.

This local custom is actually a game whereas one player taps the egg of another player, saying “Christos Anesti” (meaning “Christ has risen”). The other one responds, “Alithos Anesti” (Meaning “Indeed, he did!”).
All players select their red eggs randomly from a basket.

Each round has a “winner” and “loser.”

The winner uses the same non-cracked egg and move to the following player. The egg tapping game continues until there’s only one winner, the chosen one with the un-cracked egg!

The one with the strongest egg will enjoy good luck for the rest of the year.

The Greek name of this custom game is called “tsougrisma” and it is a very popular and fun game in Cyprus and Greece, especially when people try applying tricks on theirs eggs to be stronger.

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Police Spokesman Christos Andreou told CNA said that will be no complacency during the next few days as Police patrols will become more intensive in an effort to maintain the government measures to restrict the spread of coronavirus.

Andreou said that instructions have been given to divisional police chiefs to order patrols and have an increased presence during the Easter holidays both in urban areas and also on the highways.

He also said that municipalities and representatives of foreigners’ groups will be contacted to ensure that mass gatherings of foreigners are avoided. Andreou said that ignorance of the laws does not absolve people of the repercussions of committing an offence.

The Police Spokesman further said they will be very strict with young people who light bonfires and throw firecrackers during Easter, especially now when measures are in force to restrict the coronavirus.
He urged parents to exercise effective control on their children.
The Orthodox Easter bonfires or Burning of Judas is a ritual where an effigy of Judas is burned on the night of Easter Saturday. However, groups of young people compete as to who can build the biggest bonfire.

Invited to comment whether Morphou Bishop Neophytos had violated the quarantine law after he held mass in a church in Peristerona on Sunday with the participation of members of the public, Andreou said that everyone is equal before the law.

When we ascertain any violations, these will be reported without exceptions, he added.

The government measures prohibit mass gatherings and prohibits the faithful from visiting holy sites. At the same time, unnecessary movement is prohibited after 9pm until 6am.

The Police chief has ordered an investigation into yesterday’s church service.

Authorities fear a rise in such cases as Cyprus entered the Holy Week.
“We are all equal before the law and when there are violations these will be reported without exceptions. Once again, we appeal to all, the faithful and clergy, to fully conform with the relevant measures”, Andreou added.

Source: CNA

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 He said the number of reported cases relating to serious crime stood at 129 in March compared to 163 in the same period last year.

Andreou said that the number of reported cases of burglary rose to 110 compared to 114 in the same period last year, while the number of reported cases of theft rose to 64 compared to 48 in the same period last year.

He also said that the number of drug cases in March of this year reached 71 compared to 78 in the same period last year.

 He finally, said that that the number of fatal accidents recorded from the beginning of this year until now was 12, of which one occurred in March, compared to 8 fatal accidents in the same period last year.

Source: CNA

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Ingredients

Ingredients for the dough:

•    750 g hard wheat flour

•    60 g olive oil

•    1 teaspoon dry active yeast

•    400 g water

•    pinch of salt

Ingredients for the filling:

•    500 g sweet gruyere cheese

•    200 g grated halloumi cheese

•    1 teaspoon dried mint leaves or lemon balm leaves

•    1 teaspoon mastic

•    1 teaspoon machlepi

•    1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

•    200 g raisins

•    3 eggs

•    80 g granulated sugar

•    80 g fine semolina flour

Ingredients for serving:

•    honey

•    cinnamon

•    egg for brushing and sesame for sprinkling

Preparation

1.    In a bowl, mix the yeast  with  water

2.    Add the olive oil, salt, water, and the flour, mix all the ingredients for the dough until it is soft and elastic. Cover with a towel and allow it to rest for at least 1 hour.

3.    Preheat the oven to 200 ^οC (Fan mode).

4.    Mix all the ingredients for the filing in a bowl.

5.    Divide the dough into 3 pieces.

6.    Roll out each piece to a 3 cm thickness.

7.    Cut into small square pieces (20×20 cm).

8.    Add the filling* in the middle of each square.

9.    Fold the two opposite sides of the square inward.

10.    In the same way, fold the other two sides and with a fork push the corners to get stuck.

11.    Bake them for 25 minutes.

12.    You can serve them hot with honey and cinnamon.

Tips

*the filing must be 80g

You can create a square or rectangular “nest”. Brush the tops with egg and sprinkle with some sesame seeds to make them look more appealing!!

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Greek Easter is the most spiritual holiday within the Greek Orthodox faith.

During the Holy Week, we revive a sacred memory of the events leading up to the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. Each day holds special meaning based on the actions of Jesus in his final hours.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is often called Passion Sunday. That day is marked with the celebration of the day Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey. When he entered the city, people welcomed him by waving palm branches and announce him as their savior. The people of Jerusalem were not aware that Jesus was going to be crucified and they would be the ones who would have wanted his death. That day is also known as the day to remember the sacrifice Jesus made, following his triumphant entry.

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday

The first part of Holy Week is these days which are based on the themes of the last days of Jesus’ earthly life. The story of Passion, as recorded by the Evangelists, comes before a series of events in Jerusalem and a collection of parables, centered on Jesus’ divine sonship, the kingdom of God, the Parousia, and Jesus’ criticism of the hypocrisy and bad motives of the religious leaders.

Those observances of the first three days of the Holy Week are rooted in these incidents and constitute a single liturgical unit.  For these three days, there are different parables, Holy Monday is about the honor of Joseph, the Patriarch, the beloved son of Jacob. The story of Joseph shows the mystery of God’s providence, promise, and redemption. His life shows the power of God’s love and promise. The lesson from Joseph’s life is the ultimate redemption wrought by the death and resurrection of Christ. The other parable is about the cursing of the fig tree which symbolizes a man without virtue.

Additionally, the parables of Holy Tuesday are related to the Second Coming. The first is the parable of the Ten Virgins symbolizing the faith that we must always be ready to welcome the Lord.  The second is the parable of Talents and has the allegorical meaning of the working man. On Holy Wednesday the attention is on the prostitute, the sinful woman who has rebelled and believed in Jesus and smeared His feet with myrrh.

Moreover, Holy Wednesday is the last day of freedom Jesus had before his arrest. Jesus called his pupils and had the Last Supper with them. Jesus washed his pupils’ feet while teaching and giving them His final instructions to pass his message of helping others through the love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. After the Last Supper, Jesus went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane until late.  On that day, Judas, one of Jesus’ 12 disciples, betrayed Jesus for 30 silver coins and gave up Jesus to those who wished to kill him.

Holy Thursday

The Holy Thursday is the day of the greatest drama for all Christianity,  a day dedicated to the Passion of the Savior on the Cross.  The sufferings  Jesus endured are mockery, the crown of thorns, scourging, nails on His hands and feet, thirst, the vinegar and gall, and cry of sadness. Later that day, Jesus Christ died on the Cross.

Holy Friday

On Holy Friday, the body of Jesus was removed from the cross wrapped in white clothes and buried in a tomb. He descended to Hades and was declared dead. This day is the most important day of Holy Week. On this day, the bells are ringing sad melodies. Before people attend church for the evening, women and children will take flowers to decorate the symbolic tomb (epitafios where Jesus was buried. Once the death of Christ is mourned, the community comes together for a procession that takes them to the cemetery and back to Church while believers follow the epitafios and hold lighted candles.

Holy Saturday

Holy Saturday marks the day of Jesus’ death and His resurrection. That day is also the day where drama turns into happiness. That day embodies, in the fullest sense, the meaning of happiness and sadness, feelings which dominate the celebrations of Holy Week. Before Easter Sunday, on Saturday at midnight, the church goes completely dark and after midnight, we have the resurrection of  Jesus and the churches light up with candlelight, the Saint Light, which arrives from the Church of Holy Sepulchre. People  “announce” to each other “Christos Anesti” which means “Christ is risen” and respond “Alithos Anesti” which means “Indeed, He is risen”.

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Fantastic and easy recipe, step by step!

Ingredients

Mixture Α

• 150 g sweet bread flour or strong white flour
• 120 g water, at room temperature
• 25 g active dry yeast

Mixture Β

• 200 g milk
• 100 g butter
• grated zest of 1 orange
• 14 g mahlab
• 310 g granulated sugar
• 3 g mastic
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 eggs, medium
• pinch of salt

Mixture C

• 850 g sweet bread flour or hard flour
• 100 g melted butter

Preparation

Mixture Α

1. Place the flour, water and yeast in the mixer and mix them well with a whisk.
2. Leave the mixture to rest for 15 minutes for the yeast to be activated.

Mixture B

1. In a mortar add 1 tbsp. sugar and mastic and beat until finely ground.
2. Cut the butter in pieces, put it in a saucepan, then add the mastic mixture, milk, mahlab, vanilla extract and the rest of the sugar.
3. Place the saucepan on low heat until the butter melts and all the ingredients are completely incorporated. *
4. Remove the saucepan from heat and let cool for 5-10 minutes.
5. Add the eggs, salt and whisk thoroughly. **
6. Add to mixer’s bowl that contains the yeast (mixture A).  Beat for 5 minutes on low speed with the hook attachment.

  Mixture C

1. Add the flour to mixer’s bowl and continue beating for 10-14 minutes on low speed until all the flour is incorporated and then speed up.
2. Add the melted butter and beat at low speed for 5-7 minutes until the butter is absorbed.
3. When the dough pulls back from the sides of bowl is ready.
4. In a separate bowl, brush the sides with vegetable oil and transfer the dough to it.
5. Cover the bowl with a plastic wrap and put aside for 1- 1 ½ hours, until it doubles in size.

Formation

• Divide the dough in two pieces and then cut each part in four equal sized pieces. Then shape into 50cm round strips.
• Tsoureki has the form of braids and in order to create the braid, you must connect the four ends on one side.
• Name each strip a number, 1-2-3-4.
• Fold strip 4 over strip 2. Strip 1 over strip 3 and strip 2 over strip 3. Repeat this process until you make a beautiful braid.
• Carefully transfer the braid to a baking pan with cooking paper and follow the same process for the second sweet bread – tsoureki.
• Preheat the oven 150^ο C fan.
• Cover the sweet breads with a plastic wrap and let them to rise for 30 minutes.
• Brush with the egg***, sprinkle with almond and bake for 50-60 minutes.

Tips

* Attention! You do not want the mixture to boil. Only to warm a little.

** The eggs should be 50g each, 200g in total.

*** The yolk of the egg mixed with little water.

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