(18 Apr 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Athens, Greece – 18 April 2025
++NIGHT SHOTS++
1. Tilt shot of Epitaph
2. Wide of Epitaph procession marking Good Friday
3. People holding candles
4. Wide of procession
5. Various of faithful with candles
6. Close of candles
7. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Vassilis Kyriazidis, Athens resident:
"I feel overwhelmed. It is very beautiful, it has very nice weather and even ritual is very nice. Happy celebration all over the world."
8. Wide of procession and people carrying Epitaph
9. SOUNDBITE (Greek) Vassilis Kyriazidis, Athens resident:
"Here it is quite important (Easter) that we all gather as a family. We go to church, we go and on Sunday it is a beautiful holiday to gather family."
10. Various of people, singing holy songs and holding candles
11. SOUNDBITE (English) Martha Koumplidou, journalist:
"It’s important because we’re Orthodox and we really believe in religion as a country in Greece, that’s why."
12. Various of procession
13. Close of phone filming candle
14. Various of Epitaph with the Acropolis in background
STORYLINE:
A Good Friday candlelight procession of the decorated bier from the church of St. Demetrios Loumpadiaris illuminated the Greek capital Athens on Friday, ahead of the Easter weekend.
Hundreds followed the procession from the small, old church on Philopappos Hill along a route with the ancient Acropolis as its backdrop.
The nickname of the church comes from what is claimed to be a true story dating from October 26, 1658, the day of the feast of St. Demetrius, when Athens was part of the Ottoman Empire.
Apparently, an Ottoman official had planned to bomb the church and kill participants in the feast using a Loumbarda (heavy cannon).
Before he could do so, lightning struck an ammunition storage, causing a huge explosion that destroyed the cannon and killed the official and many others.
The church, which may date from as early as the 9th century, was extensively restored in the 1950s.
Thousands of Athens residents attended the bier processions, one at each parish, Good Friday, to commemorate Christ’s burial.
The biggest procession was that of the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral, which ends at the city’s central Syntagma (Constitution) Square, across from the Greek Parliament.
Vassilis Kyriazidis, an Athens resident said, "I feel overwhelmed. It is very beautiful, it has very nice weather and even ritual is very nice."
Martha Koumplidou, an Athens based journalist told The Associated Press, "It’s important (Easter) because we’re orthodox and we really believe in religion as a country in Greece, that’s why."
AP Video shot by Srdjan Nedelkovic
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