Sikinos, a small island in the Cyclades, has every reason to be proud of its two priests. Father Spyridon Vourlakos, served at the age of 16 at the Hellenic Navy and worked as a cook on ships to help his large family financially. When he was 20 years old, he became a frogman and then [...]
Archive | Religion RSS feed for this section
Corfu Packed Again at Easter
No doubt the cosmopolitan island of Corfu is the most popular Easter destination in Greece. Once again this year, Corfu had the chance to prove that its traditions are still alive and strong. The numerous visitors that went to the island to spend their Easter vacation certainly enjoyed the revival of the local customs in [...]
Visitors Flock to Mount Athos
Devout atmosphere, problems due to the financial crisis, as well as free of charge accommodation and nutrition, have led thousands of citizens to spend their Easter holidays on Mount Athos. In Karyes, the administrative center for the monastic republic of Mount Athos, the phones keep on ringing even on Holy Saturday and the monks answer [...]
Original Easter Traditions in Greece
Spending Easter time in Greece is probably as well advertised as summer holidays on a Aegean island. The colors and warm spring weather are already sweeping across the country, while people have begun preparing for the Holy Week and Easter Sunday. However, there is more to the Greek Easter than the much praised and impressive [...]
Greece Still Awaits First Crematorium
The refusal of the Greek Orthodox Church to allow cremation has sparked a debate in the country. With urban cemeteries filling so fast that bodies are dug up after three years and put in ossuaries so plots can be reused, Greece gave approval for cremation in 2006. Although Athens gave licensing authority to local governments, [...]
Epitaphios: Traditions of Holy Friday
Easter is one of the biggest religious celebrations of Christianity commemorating the death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ and the passage from death to life. But as with other religious celebrations, the Christian celebration was predated by other events that were of importance to people, and since ancient times people have tended to combine the advent [...]
Archbishop Ieronymos’ Easter Message
Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens and All Greece prompted Greeks not to lose their hope and courage in these difficult days for the country. In his Easter message Archbishop Ieronymos said that, “A big part of our population is enduring patiently the difficulties, putting into practice Christian love and solidarity for the suffering of our [...]
Traditions Related to Red Easter Eggs
One of the oldest Easter traditions is dyed eggs. These eggs are usually painted on Holy Thursday in commemoration of the Last Supper, the final meal that according to Christian belief Jesus shared with his Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. Many times we have wondered why Easter eggs are dyed red. There are three [...]
Eirinaios Passes Away
Former Metropolitan of Kissamos – Selinos, Eirinaios Galanakis, passed away at 102 on the morning of April 30. He was born in Nerohori of Apokoronos on 10 November 1911. He studied at the Seminary of Crete and at the Theological Faculty of the University of Athens, from which he graduated in 1937. He pursued his [...]
Greek Clerics Fight Organ Donor Law
Senior clerics and church organizations are leading a campaign in opposition to a law, due to come into force on June 1, that will ease restrictions on organ donations. The chief focus of objections has been a legal provision regarding so-called “presumed consent” that would allow the donation of organs without the consent of a [...]
The Actor’s House Opens its Doors
The Actor’s House, Anna Fonsou’s life dream, was inaugurated on April 15 with a beautiful and warm event. Fonsou is a well-known Greek actress born in 1939. In the picture are Archbishop Ieronymos II of Athens, Anna Fonsou, and Despoina Stylianopoulou on the right, at the Actor’s House. Fonsou, who was overwhelmed by emotion, is [...]
Mt. Athos Leaders Talk Taxes With Samaras
The administration of the Holy Mount met Prime Minister Antonis Samaras in the Maximos Mansion on April 17 to go over financial matters and taxes concerning the famed Mt. Athos. According to the statement of the Deputy Foreign Minister Constantine Tsiaras who attended the meeting, the dominant theme was the 100-years celebration of the Holy [...]
Sponsors
Calendar – Exhibits, Concerts, Fun
- Greek-By-Choice Pedro Olalla Honored May 20, 2013
- AHEPA Day Celebration Hosted In Athens May 20, 2013
- Greek Gastronomy Days At Benaki Museum May 20, 2013
- Open Call for Greek Designers May 19, 2013
