Culture
Culture
When Is Greek Orthodox Easter and Dates Leading Up to It
The period leading up to the Greek Orthodox Easter, or Pascha, the most important religious feast of the year, is called Sarakosti, signifying 40 days of Great Lent.
It started on Monday 18 March when Greek Orthodox celebrate “Kathara Deftera,”...
Culture
Clean Monday in Greece: Everything You Need to Know
“Kathara Deftera,” Greek for Clean Monday, commences the 40-day period of the Great Lent for the Greek Orthodox Church, called “Sarakosti.”
Culture
Why Greeks Fly Kites on Clean Monday
Clean Monday — the beginning of Lent among Orthodox Christians — is the day Greeks fly kites (which are symbolic of the Resurrection).
Culture
Apokries: Greek Carnival Season Reaches Peak this Weekend
Carnival celebrations in Greece, or "Apokries," are some of the most beloved traditions in the country, and are reaching their climax this weekend.
Celebrated before the period of Great Lent, or "Sarakosti," begins, Apokries allow revelers to partake in all...
Culture
Greece Gears Up for Revamped Olympic Flame-Lighting Ceremony
The Olympic flame-lighting ceremony at Ancient Olympia next month, starting the Olympic Torch Relay that will usher in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, is to feature several changes, including a new High Priestess, redesigned costumes and a new composer.
The...
Ancient Greece
‘Romeyka’ The Ancient Greek Dialect Spoken in Northern Turkey
Romeyka is a dialect of Greek spoken in the region of Trabzon (Trapezounta) and Pontus, around Turkey's Black Sea coast. Researchers say it bears striking resemblances to ancient Greek dialects.
Its speakers are Muslims but many also trace their lineage...
Culture
The Fascinating Story of the Greeks of Corsica
Maniots fled to Corsica where they set up their own little Mani, preserving their language, faith and traditions while building a new home.
Archaeology
Ancient Greek Lion From Piraeus Now Adorns Venice’s Arsenal
The story of the Ancient Greek Piraeus Lion, which is now in Venice, is one of several which are part of Greece's long history of ancient sculpted masterpieces and their subsequent looting. This has meant that many of them...
Ancient Greece
Did the Ancient Greeks Celebrate Carnival?
As the vibrant parades of Carnival sweep across Greece, one question comes to many people's minds: Did the ancient Greeks celebrate Carnival?
From the samba-infused streets of Patras to the mask-adorned revelers in Rethymno, Naoussa, and Xanthi, one can't help...
Culture
Anafiotika, the Hidden Island of Athens
The tiny, scenic neighborhood of Anafiotika tucked above the Plaka, just below the Acropolis, is often overlooked by visitors to Athens
Ancient Greece
Int. Council of Monuments Slams Greece for “Poor Workmanship” on Aigai Palace
The International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) has called out the Greek Ministry of Culture and the Honorary Antiquities Commissioner for what it calls "bad workmanship" and overuse of new materials on the Vergina (Aigai) restoration project. The...
Culture
Bill on Greek Music Quotas in Hotels, Radio, Films Causes Uproar
The Greek Ministry of Culture wants to impose quotas of Greek music in the common areas of hotels, malls, casinos, airports, and ports, according to a bill that will be voted upon in Parliament.
"The bill of the Ministry of...
Culture
The Ancient Greek Origins of Zeibekiko and Other Contemporary Dances
Greece is home to countless traditional Greek dances, many of which have direct connections to ancient Greek forms of rhythmic movement.
In ancient Greece, dance was an integral part of many aspects of cultural and religious events as well as...
Culture
Leap Year 2024: Greek Superstitions About Weddings
Many Greek couples will wait until 2025 to marry because this year is a leap year. If you believe in ancient superstitions, people should avoid getting married in 2024 because it is considered bad luck to tie the knot...
Culture
Happiness Higher Among Indigenous Communities, Study Finds
A new study has shed light on the connection between happiness and wealth with high life satisfaction being reported among small-scale societies, mostly Indigenous peoples, with low incomes. This dispels the myth that material wealth alone makes people happy...