Orthodox Palm Sunday Today; Shops Open in Greater Athens-Piraeus Area

Today, Sunday, April 28, marks Orthodox Palm Sunday in Greece, with the shops and stored open until 4 p.m. (14.00 GMT) around the country and especially in the greater Athens-Piraeus area, although some department stores and chain retailers will remain open until 8 p.m.

Orthodox Holy Week begins on Monday, April 29, and ends on Sunday, Easter Sunday or Great and Holy Pascha (May 5), according to the religious calendar in the predominately Orthodox Christian nation of 10 million. Opening hours throughout the week, up until Holy Thursday will be 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

On Easter Friday (Good Friday), most neighborhood and shops and smaller retailers are expected to open at 1 p.m. Schedules will vary on Holy Saturday, with unions representing wage-earners in the retail sector proposing the closing of stores at 3 p.m., while association representing retailers (SELPE) proposing a 9 p.m. closing time. Usually, most stores and shops remain open until the early evening.

Practically all businesses – sans a portion of the F&B sectors and open hotels – will be closed on Easter Sunday and Renewal Monday, the day after Easter.

Finally, some businesses may be closed on Tuesday, along with the wider public sector, due to the transfer of the May 1 Labor Day, which falls during the Orthodox Holy Week (Holy Wednesday) this year.

Source: tovima.com