Palm Sunday
April 13th, 2025
Palm Sunday observes the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem that was marked by the crowds waving palm branches and proclaiming him as the messianic king. The branches of the palm trees symbolize Christ's victory over the devil and death. On this Sunday, the Church observes the Blessing and Distribution of the Palms.
On Corfu Palm Sunday is the day of the miraculous deliverance of the island from the deadly plague in 1629, thanks to the intervention of Saint Spyridon. The Body of the Saint is carried in procession around the streets of the town, accompanied by all the 18 island's philharmonic orchestras. This litany is the largest in size and length. The procession sets off from the Saint's Church at 11 in the morning and follows the line of the old town walls, from where the Saint drove off the plague. This is the only time all bands of the island perform in the Corfu town Easter celebrations. After that, the three town bands perform in town and the rest of the bands in their villages.
The traditional dish of this particular day is "stakofisi or cod Bianco" with garlic-flavoured mashed potatoes, and is served in every household and taverns of the island.
On the same evening, the Kapodistrias Philharmonic band and the men’s town choir give a concert in the church of St. George, situated in the Old Fortress.
