1 - 2 of 2 Posts

knicks_fan87

Active member
In Greece, the Eve of the Nativity, Christmas Eve, is celebrated on January 5. The liturgical services include three phases. The first is the portion of the service referred to as “The Hours”, which summarizes the themes of the great feast. There are special biblical readings, hymns, and psalms prescribed for every single hour.

The Hours is followed by Vespers. This step marks the inauguration of the actual feast. Vespers include a total of eight biblical readings. These readings, together, show that Lord Jesus Christ basically stands as the symbol of fulfillment of every prophecy.

The final part of the service involves the Liturgy of St. Basil. Earlier, it used to be called baptismal liturgy. It used to be the phase during which catechumens, or Christian converts, were baptized. Although this is still adhered to, it is optional if there are no converts that need to be baptized.

After the above three phases are complete, it is time to begin the portion of the service known as “The Vigil”, which starts with a ritual called the great Compline. This stage is marked by the happy proclamation called Isaiah, which means “God is with us”. Christians sing a beautiful Canon at this point. The celebrations of the Nativity are concluded with the Liturgy.

For more information, you can read the rest here https://www.greekboston.com/christmas/eve-church-service/
 
The Christmas Eve service is a beautiful one and I recommend those who have never been to give it a try once! I don't often get to go, but when I do I am always thankful. It is a great way to keep our minds focused on why we celebrate Christmas in the first place. Thank you for sharing all about the service!
 

Netflix Show about Alexander the Great

I just noticed there was a show about Alexander the Great on Netflix. How is it?

I have been noticing some buzz that it's fairly controversial, but those who are unhappy about it ... I can't tell if they actually know about him, or if they are just upset about how he was depicted.

I am trying to figure out if I want to watch it so your honest reviews are welcome.

I have studied Alexander the Great a little bit and no a bit about his life, so I am sincerely hoping it's worth my time. I am between shows at the moment.

Thinking about the Greek way of hospitality...

I thought I would ask your thoughts oh Philoxenia - or the Greek way, or art, of hospitality. I noticed this when I travel in Greece. People are so kind, they often go out of the way for us, when I feel that they don't have to! How can one describe this to someone?

From what I understand, Philoxenia is not merely a practice but a deeply ingrained value within Greek culture that extends far beyond the simple act of hosting. It reflects a genuine, heartfelt welcome to strangers, treating them with the same respect and generosity one would show to a dearly beloved friend. This beautiful tradition, passed down through generations, turns the act of hosting into an art form, embodying warmth, respect, and a profound sense of human compassion. There have been so many stories I can think of...

This thought process was triggered because we were watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 - someone in the village had taken on a Syrian refugee. Is this a Greek hospitality thing? Philoxenia?

Ideas for Celebrating the New Month - Kalo Mina

Growing up, I heard my family say this all the time when there was a new month. I finally started paying attention to the tradition and ritual of saying it.

Kalo Mina actually means "Good Month" but my family took it a step further. We developed the habit of doing something special as a family to celebrate.It depends which day it falls. Some things we've done:

- Brunch - We do this if it falls on a weekend.
- Dinner - Going out to dinner is great any time of the year!
- Journaling - We've done family journaling parties, sitting together reflecting on the month. Sometimes we read aloud what we write (depends how the month went LOL)
- Goals - No matter if we do anything, like go out to dinner or brunch, we always sit and review our goals for the month together.

List of Cretan Dances?

I will be attending a Cretan wedding and am curious about the traditional Cretan dances! I know the dances are slightly different and I want to learn some. I don't know the names of the dances so that I can look them up. I did some research, though. Are any of these dances common at these weddings?
  • Pentozali
  • Sousta
  • Siganos
  • Chaniotis
There's a dance the wedding party typically does in Crete. Which dance is that?

Greek Dance Instruction Video - Will Be Attending a Wedding

I will be attending a Greek wedding. They're friends of the family. Although I am Greek, many of our friends aren't. Since about 50% of the music at the reception will be Greek, I thought it would be fun to brush up on our Greek dancing together.

The problem is, I forget some of the dances, so I will also need to brush up. I can't teach people until I am a bit stronger.

I found this video. It's pretty good. Does anyone know of any more videos that can show me some Greek dancing?

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

WorldwideGreeks.com is a free online forum community where people can discuss Greek food, travel, traditions, history and mythology.
Join Worldwide Greeks here!

JOIN COMMUNITY FOR FREE

LOGIN TO YOUR ACCOUNT
Back
Top