Editing Corfu (section)

===Festivities===
====Easter====
On [[Good Friday]], from the early afternoon onward, the bands of the three Philharmonic Societies, separated into squads, accompany the [[Epitaphios (liturgical)|Epitaph processions]] of the city churches. Late in the afternoon, the squads come together to form one band in order to accompany the [[Epitaphios (liturgical)|Epitaph procession]] of the cathedral, while the funeral marches that the bands play differ depending on the band; the Old Philharmonic play [[Albinoni]]'s ''Adagio'', the Mantzaros play [[Giuseppe Verdi|Verdi]]'s ''Marcia Funebre'' from [[Don Carlo]], and the Capodistria play [[Frédéric Chopin|Chopin]]'s ''Funeral March'' and [[Angelo Mariani (conductor)|Mariani]]'s ''Sventura''.<ref name="Easter">{{cite web |url=http://www.corfu.gr/en/culture/easter.htm |title=Corfu city hall website on Easter festivities |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214202647/http://www.corfu.gr/en/culture/easter.htm |archive-date=14 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On Holy Saturday morning, the three city bands again take part in the [[Epitaphios (liturgical)|Epitaph processions]] of St. Spyridon Cathedral in procession with the Saint's relics.<ref name="Easter"/> At this point the bands play different funeral marches, with the Mantzaros playing [[Miccheli]]'s ''Calde Lacrime'', the Palia playing ''Marcia Funebre'' from [[Franco Faccio|Faccio]]'s ''[[Amleto]]'', and the Capodistria playing the ''Funeral March'' from [[Ludwig van Beethoven|Beethoven]]'s ''[[Symphony No. 3 (Beethoven)|Eroica]]''. This custom dates from the 19th century, when colonial administrators banned the participation of the British garrison band in the traditional Holy Friday funeral cortege. The defiant Corfiotes held the litany the following morning, and paraded the relics of St. Spyridon too, so that the administrators would not dare intervene.

The litany is followed , at exactly 11:00 AM, the celebration of the "Early Resurrection"; balconies in the old city are decked in bright red cloth, and Corfiotes throw down large clay pots (the ''bótides'', μπότηδες) full of water to smash on the street pavement, especially in wider areas of {{Interlanguage link|Liston (square){{!}}Liston|it|3=Liston}} and in an organised fashion.<ref name="Easter"/> This is enacted in anticipation of the Resurrection of Jesus, which is to be celebrated that same night,<ref name="Easter"/> and to commemorate [[King David]]'s phrase: "Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel" ([[Psalm 2]]:9).

Once the ''bótides'' commotion is over, the three bands parade the clay-strewn streets playing the famous "''Graikoí''" festive march.<ref name="Band rivalry">{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nE1yagErUbQ |title=As the Old Philharmonic concludes its marching in front of their building with a hearty rendition of the ''Graikoí'' March, the New Philharmonic appears and "salutes" their rivals with yet another rendition of the same march |website=[[YouTube]]|date=28 April 2008 }}</ref> The march, which functions as the anthem of the island, was composed during the period of Venetian rule, and its lyrics include: "Greeks, never fear, we are all enslaved: you to the Turks, we to the Venetians, but one day we shall all be free".{{citation needed|date=January 2021}}

====Ta Karnavalia====
Another venerable Corfu tradition is known as the [[Carnival]] or ''Ta Karnavalia''. Venetian in origin, festivities include a parade featuring the main attraction of ''Karnavalos'', a rather [[grotesque]] figure with a large head and smiling face, leading a diverse procession of colourful [[Float (parade)|float]]s.<ref name="Karnavalia">{{cite web |url=http://www.corfu.gr/en/culture/carnav.htm |title=Corfu city hall website on Karnavalia |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071214202625/http://www.corfu.gr/en/culture/carnav.htm |archive-date=14 December 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Corfiots, young and old, dress up in colourful costumes and follow the parade, spilling out into the area's narrow streets ({{Transliteration|grc|kantounia}}) and spreading the festivities across the city,<ref name="Karnavalia"/> dancing and socialising. At night, dance and costume parties are traditional.<ref name="Karnavalia"/>