Episkepsi: Dance of the Old Men and Lazarus Songs

Village character and local identity

Episkepsi is built in an amphitheatrical layout and surrounded by olive groves. Stately mansions typical of the Corfiot countryside are another feature of the village. Its settlement pattern, landscape, and architecture offer different ways to understand the character of the place. Its cultural profile is particularly distinctive: two local customs reflect different forms of communal tradition—the Dance of the Old Men and the Lazarus songs, in which people from every quarter of the village take part.

Village traditions with different rhythms

The Dance of the Old Men is performed without musical instruments and without the participation of women. It is led by the oldest priest, followed by younger clergy. The laypeople then join in according to age, with the youngest bringing up the rear. A 2023 account describes the dance as an annual tradition, held at around 5 p.m. after the Vespers of Forgiveness in the courtyard of the Church of Saint Basil. Locals call the dance “Δόξα να..”, after its opening line, which praises God for giving the world each new day.

A 2019 account describes the annual custom of the Lazarus songs: they are sung in a special way in Epískepsi on the eve of Lazarus Saturday. After nightfall, the Epískepsi choir and many people sing throughout the village’s quarters. The songs tell of the miracle of Lazarus being raised from the dead. The differences are clear: the dance is shaped by its prescribed order, while the Lazarus story and singing in the village quarters are at the heart of the songs.

Corfu as a destination in its own right

The wider destination of Corfu offers a distinct cultural focus shaped by the city. Corfu Old Town has preserved almost all of its historic urban fabric; its buildings date from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The Old Town and its two fortresses are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The Museum of Asian Art in the Old Town houses more than 11,000 objects from China, Japan, India, the Himalayas, and Central Asia.

A digital guide to the Old Town provides residents and visitors with information and high-quality audiovisual material on more than 80 places of interest within the city. The Museum of Asian Art can be reached from Corfu Port on bus route 2, which runs between Mantouki and Kanoni. Check the guide’s availability and the bus timetable before travelling.

When looking for a holiday rental, you can first decide whether Episkepsi’s village character and local customs or the urban culture of the wider destination of Corfu should shape your stay. This lets you begin your choice of location with the kind of trip that matters to you.

Discover more destinations: Róda, Aghios Georgios, Velianitatika, Aronatika, Lakones, Mpenitses, Kato Pavliana, Potamos

Go to the wider travel overview: Corfu.