‘Botides’: Corfu’s Unique Holy Saturday Tradition
According to the tradition, at 12pm on Saturday, Corfiots who have decorated their windows with red flowers and badges, throw huge clay pots with red ribbons. The custom of the artificial ‘earthquake’ re-enacts the earthquake that followed Christ’s Resurrection. Thunderous knocks create an atmosphere of piety and triumph, showing the victory of life over death.
Shortly after 11am, right after the litany of the relics of St. Spyridon, Corfu’s most popular Easter custom began. Corfiots hurled dozens of clay pots filled with water from windows and balconies, crashing noisily on the streets below. The gripping atmosphere was heightened by the thunderous cannon fires from the city’s Old Fort, as well as the music played by the philharmonic bands and the applause of hundreds of tourists and locals who attended the celebration.
