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kcixcy

Active member
I am of Dominican descent and my husband and I had an Orthodox wedding, but I didn't convert. I want to learn about the religion more to better connect with him and his side of the family ... what types of things should I look at? I found this link online and found it informative. How should I learn about Greek Orthodox?

 

k_tsoukalas

Moderator
In addition to reading up on it, I would go to church with your family and experience it for yourself. You can start talking with other Orthodox Christians, and maybe even talk to the pries.t If you are thinking of converting, you'll definitely want to start a dialog with the priest. He can recommend some books, answer your questions, etc.
 
A good introductory book on Orthodoxy has been written by Petros Botsis. The title is "What is Orthodoxy?". Check out also the Catechism of St Philaret Metropolitan of Moscow.
 

amygdalE

Active member
I am of Dominican descent and my husband and I had an Orthodox wedding, but I didn't convert. I want to learn about the religion more to better connect with him and his side of the family ... what types of things should I look at? I found this link online and found it informative. How should I learn about Greek Orthodox?

R
 

amygdalE

Active member
In addition to reading up on it, I would go to church with your family and experience it for yourself. You can start talking with other Orthodox Christians, and maybe even talk to the pries.t If you are thinking of converting, you'll definitely want to start a dialog with the priest. He can recommend some books, answer your questions, etc.
There are many articles online about Orthodox religion. As I love philosophical and theological disputations, I've loved ' is God essence or energies?' It states indirectly many tenets of the faith, such as the indwelling of the Spirit at baptism.
 

What are your favorite Greek Christmas traditions?

I plan to incorporate some Greek Christmas traditions into our celebrations this year. I live in the United States.

What are some of your favorite traditions?

So far I am learning about - the tradition of decorating boats, to kalanda, pomegranates, and traditions associated with the Orthodox Church.

Greek Pomegranates Tradition for Christmas

Pomegranates are associated with Greece during Christmas, and I never quite understood why. So I looked it up! Here is some information from my notes - feel free to chime in and add anything Im ay have missed:

In Greece, one of the most prominent traditions is the use of pomegranates. The pomegranate is not only a symbol of Greek culture but is also associated with the story of Persephone, who was allowed to return to her mother, Demeter, after eating six pomegranate seeds.

They are used to decorate homes, tables, and even churches. Greeks believe that the pomegranate symbolizes prosperity, good luck, and fertility. It is also believed to bring good health and protect against evil spirits.

During Christmas Eve, Greeks use pomegranates to decorate the traditional Christopsomo, which is a type of sweet bread that is baked in a round shape. The pomegranate is placed in the center of the bread, which is then sprinkled with sesame seeds and decorated with a cross to signify the birth of Jesus Christ.

Another tradition involving pomegranates is the game of breaking them open. Greeks enjoy playing the game where they throw a pomegranate to the ground, and whoever is the first to break open the fruit will have good luck for the entire year. Greeks believe that the more seeds they find inside, the more luck and prosperity they will have in the new year.

Pomegranates are also used in the Greek Orthodox Church during the blessing of the waters ceremony. This ceremony takes place on January 6th, which is the day of Epiphany, commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. The priest throws a cross into the waters, and young men dive into the water to retrieve it. After the cross is retrieved, the priest blesses the water with holy oil and a pomegranate. The pomegranate is then thrown into the water to bring prosperity and good luck to the community.

Celebrating People

I have learned that Greeks, especially those in Greece, celebrate their name day. I want to be better at celebrating people's name days!

While birthdays are celebrated annually on a specific date, Greek Name Days (also known as Onomastiki Eorti) are celebrated on the feast day of the saint with whom the name is associated. For example, if your name is Sophia, your Name Day would be celebrated on September 17th, the day of the Saint Sophia. These Name Days are celebrated with family and friends, who offer their best wishes and gifts to the honored individual. Celebrations can range from simple gatherings to elaborate parties, and many families take these traditions quite seriously.

Celebrating People's Name Days?

I have learned that Greeks, especially those in Greece, celebrate their name day. I want to be better at celebrating people's name days, even though I am not in Greece. I am looking for suggestions on how to help people celebrate. Some of my ideas:

  • Send a card
  • Give a gift, such as an icon of the saint
  • Take them out for dinner or have them over
  • Call them to wish them a happy name day
Does anyone know of a good name day calendar I can use to find out about when people's name days are?

Decorating Greek Paper Boats at Home

I love the Greek tradition of decorating paper boats, and I thought it would be a fun project to do at home for the holidays. Called karavakia, the boats were used as a gift to sailors and as a token of good luck for the new year. It's a popular tradition!

How can I do this at home, any advice? Here is what I think I will do:
  • Make boats out of paper - start by folding a square piece of paper in half diagonally. Then, fold the bottom corners up to the center and glue them down to create a diamond-shaped base. Fold the top corner down about an inch, and glue it down. Fold the two side corners inward towards the center and glue them down. The result should be a paper boat with a triangular sail.
  • Decorate it however I want - I like glitter, ribbons, stickers, etc.... I love glitter!
  • Some traditional ways to decorate - Cut out small triangles from colored paper to create a festive sail, then glue it onto the triangular sail of the boat.
  • Be sure to tie a string to the boat, and your karavákia is ready to be hung up or placed on a windowsill

I found this video with visual instructions for making the paper boats. It's hard to describe with words!

Share and discuss Greek traditions related to Greek weddings, christenings, dance & holidays!

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