In Greek tradition, the swallow arrives each year to announce spring and transform the world around it. Long before modern meteorology, the Mediterranean relied on this small bird as a natural herald of the season. The Ancient Greeks even...
Traditionally, the great feast of the Epiphany marks the end of the extended period of the Christmas holidays in Greece.
Each year on January 6, hundreds of thousands of Greeks and visitors participate in the rich traditions observed in each...
The story of the Greek Orthodox custom of the vasilopita with the lucky coin inside begins in Asia Minor, and more specifically in the city of Caesarea in Cappadocia, more than 1,600 years ago. Here's a recipe for Vasilopita...
On December 12, the Greek island of Corfu and thousands of Greeks are celebrating Saint Spyridon and the name days of Spyros and Spyridoula.
Saint Spyridon, who lived during the 4th century, is the patron saint of the Ionian island...
Halloween has never been a traditionally significant holiday in Greece. Nonetheless, it has been gaining significant traction and popularity in recent years. This shift can be attributed to several factors.
The role of social media in Greece's fascination with Halloween
Firstly,...
Saint Demetrios (or Dimitrios) of Thessaloniki is one of the most popular Christian saints not only in Greece but across the Orthodox Christian world, with millions of people bearing his name, in all of its many beautiful variations.
Saint Demetrios...
Behind today’s mythical Santa Claus from the North Pole, is a real saint – St. Nicholas. How he came to be today’s gift-giving jolly figure from the North Pole is a fascinating story all by itself.
By Lisa Bitel
Santa Claus...
