Thousands of locals and tourists gathered on Orthodox Holy Saturday at Spianada Square on the Greek island of Corfu to watch the spectacular tradition called “botides.”
On Holy Saturday, Corfiots who have decorated their windows with red flowers and badges, throw huge clay pots, known as botides and filled with red ribbons, from their windows. The symbolism is to create an “earthquake” that is like the one that occurred following Christ’s resurrection from his tomb.
The botides are clay jugs with a narrow spout and two handles on the side to carry them. Balconies are decorated, and residents tie red ribbons to the jugs, as red is the color of Corfu. To add to the atmosphere, there were thunderous cannon fires from the city’s Old Fort, as well as the music played by the philharmonic bands of Corfu.
The origins of the botides tradition in Corfu
The custom of botides in Spianada on Corfu is a combination of Venetian traditions and Orthodox customs.
There are various theories about how the tradition came about. Some say the custom comes from Venetian Catholics, where people threw away their old things at the beginning of the year so that the new year could bring them new and better things. The people of Corfu adopted this custom but replaced the old things with jars to make more noise.
The second theory refers to the time of the ancient Greeks, who celebrated the beginning of the agricultural and vegetation period in April by throwing away their old jars to fill the new ones with the new crop. Some people on Corfu will surely tell you that, regardless of the truth, Corfiots like to drive away evil with their jars, signifying both the end of winter lethargy and the rebirth of nature.
Earlier on Saturday, the procession in honor of Saint Spyridon began at the church of Saint Spyridon on Corfu. The procession was introduced in 1550 when Corfu was saved from a famine.
Unlike the rest of Greece, where the epitaph procession takes place on Good Friday, on Corfu, a unique epitaph procession is also held on Holy Saturday morning together with the procession of Saint Spyridon. This custom dates back to the Venetian period, when Orthodox processions on Good Friday were restricted, leading to the transfer and adaptation of the ritual.
Until the evening of the Resurrection, Corfu is flooded with people who normally attend church services or the small events and customs that take place all over the city. One of the most impressive but also fun customs is the Mastelas tradition, which is revived in the shopping center of Corfu. According to this custom, the locals set up a half barrel decorated with ribbons and myrtles and invite passers-by to throw coins, which is said to bring good luck. At the end of the day, when the bells of the resurrection ring, someone has to dive into the barrel and take out the coins.
What the coins are for, we do not know exactly, but the locals say they go to the community. A few centuries ago, when the custom began, the locals used to catch a passer-by wandering ignorantly through the town and throw him into the barrel to collect the coins.
Related: 15 Reasons to Visit Corfu, Greece
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