The streets of Thessaloniki fall into solemn silence as thousands of faithful follow the Epitaphios procession on Good Friday. Beginning at the Church of Agios Minas, the procession moves slowly toward Aristotelous Square, illuminated by candles and accompanied by hymns of mourning.
At the head of the procession, Metropolitan Philotheos of Thessaloniki walks alongside clergy, leading prayers that commemorate the burial of Christ. The Epitaphios, richly decorated with flowers, is carried through the city as a symbol of devotion, loss and hope.
This ritual, central to Good Friday in the Orthodox tradition, transforms the urban landscape into a space of collective reflection. As the procession reaches the city’s central square, the crowd gathers in a shared moment of reverence — a bridge between grief and the promise of resurrection.
