Easter is the most important orthodox feast-more important even than Christmas. It is a symbol of God’s victory of sin and death, of life prevailing over death, of physical and spiritual awakening. It offers a message of love and hope for better times. The Greeks love this feast and celebrate it through countless customs and traditions all over the country. 

A very interesting custom associated with orthodox Easter is the custom of “Lazarines”, the girls who sing Lazarus’ carols a week before Easter , on the Saturday of the Resurrection of Lazarus

It’s a custom widely spread throughout the whole of the Balkan Peninsula. In Greece it appears in many places, mostly in Macedonia, Thrace, Thessaly and Epirus. It used to be a very popular custom up until the mid1950s but then it gradually started to wane and was nearly abandoned in some places by the 1970s. However, the custom has revived in many villages in the past years and it offers people a lot of joy, whether they participate in it or simply watch it.

The ritual may seem simple but has a lot of symbolism.  Young girls, called “Lazarines”, gather in groups on the eve of Lazarus Saturday, go out into the fields and collect flowers. They use these flowers along with colourful ribbons to decorate a basket.

They bake “Lazarakia” or “Lazaros”, spiced cookies that commemorate the miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead and put them in the flower basket.

 The cookies have sweet spices in them and people who fast can eat them because they do not contain any dairy products.

Lazarakia come in the shape of a man who is supposed to be Lazarus. There is a mouth and cloves for eyes, arms are folded and the body seems to be shrouded, just like Lazarus body in his tomb.

In many regions "Lazarakia" are filled with ground walnuts, almonds, figs, raisins, honey and it is a real delicacy for children. 

On the island of Kos girls who are engaged to be married make a “Lazaros” the size of a small child, filled with countless goodies to send to the groom.

“Lazarines” also prepare Lazarus idol. This is usually a stick covered with colourful pieces of fabric. They put “Lazarakia” in their basket and they go about the village visiting all the houses. They sing Lazarus’ carols and give people the joyful message of his resurrection.

It is extremely interesting to spot the contrast between the “unsmiling” Lazarus who experienced the bitterness of death and the underworld, as he says in the carols, and the image of the smiling girls carrying their goodies in their flower basket.

There are many variations of Lazarus carols. Here is a common one. 

“….Tell us, Lazarus, what you saw in Hades when you went there.

I saw fears, I saw terrors, I saw torments, I saw pains.

Give me just a little water to wash out the poison

From the heart and lips 

And ask me no more.”

More than 80 songs sung on that day have been recorded only in the region of Visaltia, Serres. Out of them only 2 are associated with Lazarus resurrection. 

The rest refer to basic life events, such as housekeeping skills, emigration and mainly love.

It is widely accepted that ancient carols have survived in “Lazariatika” songs and that the custom has its origin in  ancient festivals that evolved to suit Christianity which replaced the ancient pagan religion.  

“Lazarines” dressed up in their best traditional costumes, with their best and most beautiful hand embroidered accessories on, go around the village houses, offer “lazarakia” cookies  and sing songs that praise the landlord, the housewife and the children of the family.

The housewives offer the girls treats, usually money and eggs in return.