Athens Marks Easter with 1st Sacred Music Festival 

The “Voci Contra Tempo” female vocal ensemble

The 1st Sacred Music Festival will run from April 18 to April 20

Athens welcomes Holy Week and Easter with the launch of the 1st Sacred Music Festival featuring dozens of events at museums, archaeological sites, churches, and squares across the Greek capital, the Culture Ministry and the Greek National Opera have announced.

A total of 62 concerts and artistic events have been planned for Holy Week as part of the new cultural event that will take place at 17 historical landmarks in Plaka and in the center of Athens.

Curated by Giorgos Koumendakis, the events will focus on the relationship between worship and music. More than 400 Greek artists, musicians, choristers, singers, cantors, composers, actors, and conductors will be participating in the festival offering audiences an immersive experience. 

Intercultural Orchestra, Greek National Opera. Photo: Ioannis Kambanis

The 1st Sacred Music Festival will run from April 18 to April 20 and feature works from the international repertoire of traditional and contemporary music revolving around religious worship and concepts of repentance, solemnity, redemption, atonement and resurrection.

The three-day program includes among others, sacred songs and choral songs from the Mediterranean region, German lamentations, music of the Sufi Dervishes of Istanbul, dirges for Virgin Mary, encomia of the Epitaph liturgy and ecclesiastical hymns, sound installations, as well as new works by Greek composers.

Some of the venues include the Acropolis Museum, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens, the Fethiye Mosque, the Bath House of the Winds, and others.

Acropolis Museum, Athens. Photo: Ioannis Kambanis

The events are free on a first-come first-served basis. No advance booking is required. 

Due to the limited space, some of the concerts will be repeated up to three times a day.

The detailed program can be found here.

Agios Dionysios Areopagitis Catholic Cathedral, Athens. Photo: Ioannis Kambanis

It should be noted that Covid-19 measures apply at all venues and events.