100th Anniversary of Thessaloniki’s Liberation

Written by Chris L.

Painting of the Greek painter Polykleitos Reggos

  
  One hundred years ago, on the 26^th of October 1912, our beloved city, Thessaloniki, was finally freed after more than 400 years of Ottoman occupation.

  Back then, the Greek army, under the leadership of King-General Constantinos, conquered the city, after tough battles against the Ottoman Powers during the then ongoing  Balkan Wars I. On that day, Thessaloniki recaptured its Greek identity, returning to its role as one of the country’s cultural and economic centers.

Painting of the Turkish painter Kenan Messare

  A folklore legacy, however, has also been created around this date, as it is also the feast day of Thessaloniki’s patron-Saint, Saint Demetrius, with many of its inhabitants considering the liberation a miracle performed by the Saint.

The 26^th of October remains a symbolic day for the modern History of Greece as well, as it marked the return of the so called northern co-capital back where it belongs.

  The Liberation of Thessaloniki is celebrated annually as a double-celebration, along with Saint-Demetrius feast, and is a panegyric moment for its people. 2012 was the 100^th Anniversary of what is considered one of the most special and determining  moments in Greek History, and that’s why it is so important to us, and is celebrated with such honor. 

  A lot of festivities took place to celebrate this event.

  In the following video you can watch a few moments of the redo of the festal Greek Army’s entrance in the city and the ceremonial flag raising on the White Tower.

Segments of events for the 100^th Anniversary of Thessaloniki’s Liberation

  Our school visited an exhibition of paintings related to Thessaloniki’s Liberation, which was held to honor the event.

Easter in the liturgical rites and traditions in Abruzzo

During Holy Week in Abruzzo witness ancient rituals that have the power to transform the tears in prayer and pain in confident hope.

Very impressive blessing of olive branches  takes place on Palm Sunday in the villages of Abruzzo: in Caldari, fraction of Ortona people, after mass, leads the olive branch in their homes and in their own land, as a pledge of peace and prosperity.

click to see photos

As the Church celebrates its Lenten liturgical rites, the people passed on their traditions. So, for example, in different districts of Abruzzo in the Holy Thursday, the singers of the Passion, the  "passionire", go around to the houses of the villages and the countryside, singing "Lu ggiuveddì sante" . The song, alternating between two or more singers, is accompanied mostly by a barrel organ, "lu ddu botte", but often also by the accordion or other instruments.

click here
to see the singers of Francavilla al Mare (Chieti)
at the Hospice where yesterday I made this short film

Very common is the Procession of the Dead Christ, which takes place on the evening of Good Friday in major cities and in many other villages. The choir of Good Friday in Ortona is very impressive .

listen to them in a video from you tube
( I am sorry ... we could't make it)

click here

One of the most unique representations is known as "The Madonna running" or "Our Lady running in the streets", which takes place on Easter Sunday in Sulmona.

On Easter Monday take place the parade so called of  Talami in Orsogna. Farm wagons pulled by tractors, bring Talami representing  scenes from the Bible, interpreted by the inhabitants of the country  dressed in ancient costume. 

The arrival of one of them in the square

brief video

Many customs and legends are still current but many others, unfortunately, are now  almost forgotten by the changes occurring in society because of  "progress"!!

Easter is ... an Italian poetry and more

 Easter is … a poetry of Gianni Rodari

The Easter egg

Easter egg is a chicken came out with an  orange beak .

He said: "I'm going I'm going on the road and I'm going to bring to all  a great message!"

And flitting here and there, through towns and cities, he  has written on the walls, in the sky and on the ground:

Live the peace …  Down with the war!

Italian Team

click here for Easter gift from second F

happy Easter from 3 f

 

 

Wedding customs in Greece

For this article worked Chris N. and  Despoina.

The bridal bed

   Two days before the wedding day the single girls strew the bridal bed and they throw over it rice and coufeta (sugar almonds).Everyone puts money on the bed.

In Greek islands the girls sing traditional songs related to the custom.

Click on the following link to watch the video:

 The Greek custom of strewing the bridal bed

The bride writes the names of her unmarried girl friends under her shoe.

On the wedding day the preparations start early in the morning. On this day the bride won’t be alone at home; her family, friends and relatives will come with their presents. Her girlfriends will help her to put on the wedding dress and she will write their names on the sole of one of her shoes. Later, if a name gets erased that means that girl will be married soon. The bride’s father will help his daughter put on her right shoe.

A decorated weddeing car

Every bride must be on time at church, but she is usually late as it is nowadays a custom. The bride reaches the church inside a car, which is decorated with flowers. In some places the bride goes to the church on foot, while traditional instruments play traditional wedding songs.

The bride goes to the church on foot under the sounds of traditional instruments

The groom expects the bride

The groom expects her with a bouquet of flowers. Her father and her older brother, if she has one, will accompany her to the groom.






 

Throwing of rise

During the webbing the quests throw rice and rose petals to the couple. 

Offering of "bomboniera" to the guests

At the end of the ceremony all the guests will congratulate the couple, their parents and the best man and they will take a “bonboniera”, a small parcel filled with coufeta as a gift from the couple.

The bride throws her wedding bouquet

 After the wedding ceremony a party follows. Parents and guests get there before the couple. They wait for them with music and wine. Their wedding cake is also there and they will cut it and eat first.
   After that the orchestra will play a romantic song only for them the bride will throw her wedding bouquet to her friends who are singles.

When the couple goes back home they enter their home together; they step together on something made of iron so that their relation will be strong during the rest of their lives.

Then  the groom takes the bride up in his arms, one of the couple’s mothers give them  both a spoonful of honey to eat - so that their common life be “sweat”  like the honey- and then they enter their home.