In Hydra island its inhabitants keep the traditions and the religious customs of the Holy Week and Easter. Certainly the Easter holiday in Hydra is different from any other Easter you have lived in Greece.

Visitors to the island throughout the Holy Week and Easter can experience the Holy atmosphere and participate in many different religious customs, throughought the island.

From the middle of the Holy Week, which culminates in the Divine Drama, the locals and the visitors fill the churches, experiencing and participating with intense religious mood and subtlety in the Divine Drama.

Thus the Holy Week flows in religious rhythms and ends in a brilliant Resurrection Night on the Holy Saturday night, to be completed with Judas' spectacular burning on the afternoon of Easter Sunday.

On the evening of the Great Thursday in a climate of great devotion, takes place in the Holy Virgin Cathedral of Hydra island - as in the other parish churches of Hydra - the representation of the Crucifixion of Christ.

On Good Friday, at the peak of the Divine Drama, the Lamentation of Christ was initially carried out in the parish churches of the island and then at the Holy Virgin Cathedral of Hydra island, with the participation of all the Holy Clergy of Hydra. All the bells of the parishes of Hydra were ringing in a sad rythm. First is being rung the Great Bell of the Monastery, followed by the bells of the other parishes of Agia Varvara, of Ypapanti and of Agios Dimitrios. During the Lamentation the sadness of the believers culminates.

During the night of the Great Friday, at the port of Hydra island in front of the gate of the Holy Virgin Cathedral, the beautifully decoative Epitaphs from the parish Churches of Agios Dimitrios, of Agia Varvara and of Ipapanti are gathered. The mournful and solemn procession of the epitaphs ends at their perspective Churches.

One of the most beautiful and most picturesque Hydra customs is the immersion of the Epitaph in the sea, on Good Friday evening, in Kamini beach.

On this particular day the Epitaph, after its walking into the district, is being immersed into the waters by people who support it for the purpose of sunctifing the waters. With this custom they believe the sailor will return fro their journey safe.

The custom was for the first time started in Kaminia during the year 1923 and since then the custom is repeated every year, according to tradition. The custom started by sponge divers of Kaminia whose sponge boats departed after the Sunday of the Holy Cross and returned close to the day of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

The spectacle is magnificent, spectacular and every Good Friday followed by faith and reverently by all the parishioners and many foreigners come Kamini to watch especially this custom.

The procession of the Epitaph at Kaminia is being done earlier than what of the rest of the Main place, to enable visitors to see all the customs.

In the town of Hydra, after the pieta, the bells tolls. First does the big bell of the convent bells, followed by the remaining parishes of St. Barbara, the Visitation and St. Demetrius. All Epitaphs gather at the north entrance of the Holy Dormition Monastery, Square P. Kountouriotis followed the procession of Epitaphs through the cobbled streets of the town of Hydra.

At the picturesque settlement of Vlychos in Hydra island and more specific at the Church of Saints Karpou and Papilou, the mournful and solemn procession of the epitaph is being done.

Apart from the above Epitaphs, in Good Friday you can follow the procession of the epitaph of the Holy Monastery of Prophet Elias, located at the Prophet Elias Mountain, two hours from the settlement of Hydra.

Also to the isolated location of Zouvra, where the Holy Monastery of Zouvra is, there is also a procession of the epitaph. A unique experience for those who want it.

THE HOLY FIRE

At recent years, the Holy Fire is comming to Hydra island the night of Holy Saturday. The Holy Fire is then given to all the Churches of Hydra and later, during the Holy Ceremony and the First Resurrection is being given to the people freely.

THE HOLY RESURRECTION

The night of the Holy Saturday in a pious environment there is a Divine Liturgy at the Holy Virgin Cathedral of Hydra island. The same Liturgy is being done to all the other Churches of Hydra, with the bells tolling happily and giving the meaning of the Resurrection of Christ. The resurrection night the visitor can see many fireworks.

THE DIVINE LITURGY OF LOVE

The Sunday of Easter, before noon, there is a Divine Liturgy of Love, where the priests give one red Easter egg to all the people gathered.

THE BURNING OF JUDAS

All parishes of Hydra had the custom of burning Judas, from old times, at the eve of Easter Sunday. The competition between parishes was great and indeed, during thr Holy Week, churches gouged tray to cover the expenses for the custom.

The preparation for the construction of Judah began long before the start of the Holy Week. They made the large doll as a real man, with the correct size and dress him up with Jewish clothes. Inside the doll put straws.

The doll's left hand made straight and into a fist, except from a finger from where they hung a purse with the 30 silver coins of the betrayal.

From the 90's the burning of Judas is done at the port of Hydra island, in front of the Merchant Marine School.