Candlelit Good Friday

Pyrgos is the highest-built village in Santorini. Located around 10 km from the capital, it has managed not to be affected by mass tourism, keeps a low profile, and maintains its traditional ambiance. Every year on Good Friday night, one can witness a truly spectacular sight - the illumination of the village from candle flames.

From early in the morning, residents gather to pace tins with flammable material (in particular, sawdust and paraffin) across the village in order to “indicate” the route to the Epitaph procession that takes place at night. Before the procession begins, people light the tins, and the village lights up solemnly. The locals have been practicing that ritual for around 50 years, placing more and more tins over the years. In 2021, their number surpassed 16.000!
Around 50 inhabitants participate in the process, which starts in Lazarus Saturday and lasts until the morning of Good Friday.

If the weather pulls for the locals and the guests, the tins remain lit until Holy Saturday morning.
The scenery is stunning, attracting the visitors of Santorini and allowing Pyrgos to overshadow the cosmopolitan caldera villages!

The upcoming Good Friday is on April 7, 2023.