XpatAthens
Monday, 29 April 2024 19:00
Greek May Day Customs And Traditions
May Day, celebrated on the first day of May, holds its roots deep in ancient Greek culture, marking the arrival of spring and paying homage to the Roman goddess Maia, associated with motherhood and fertility. In Greek mythology, Maia was a nymph, the mother of Hermes and a significant figure embodying the roles of midwife, nurse, and mother. Moreover, ancient Greeks dedicated the fifth month of the year to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, and her daughter Persephone, symbolizing the return of spring as Persephone reunited with her mother after spending the winter in the underworld with Hades.
The ancient celebration of May Day continued throughout the centuries with solemnity through various customs and traditions. One of the oldest celebrations was the Anthesteria, the first ancient Greek flower festival.
Anthesteria included various processions were ancient Greeks would carry flowers to the sanctuaries and temples. The flower festival was first established in Athens and later in other ancient Greek cities. When the Romans arrived and conquered Greece, the May Day celebration continued to exist in some form but it was slightly changed, since both Romans and ancient Greeks believed that flowers represent the beauty of the gods and bring power, glory, happiness and health.
While the original meaning of May Day has evolved over the centuries, ancient Greek customs endure as cherished folk traditions. Today, May Day stands as a secular holiday celebrated across Europe, including Greece. One of the enduring customs in modern Greece involves crafting May Day wreaths from freshly picked flowers, adorning doorways until they naturally wither. This act of wreath-making serves as a reminder to reconnect with nature amidst the hustle and bustle of urban life.
In the Aegean islands, young girls used to get up at dawn and walk to the wells, carrying the flowers they had picked the previous day. They would fill vases with the “water of silence” and return to their homes without uttering a word. Later, they washed using the same water.
In villages of Corfu, another unique custom takes place on May Day. Residents parade through the streets carrying a cypress trunk adorned with yellow daisies and circled by a wreath of green branches. This trunk, known as the "May Log," is carried by young workers dressed in pristine white trousers and shirts, with red scarves around their necks, as they sing songs of May.
In Epirus, on the eve of May Day, children venture into the gardens, banging on cooking utensils and reciting magical incantations to ward off snakes.
Another highly theatrical custom is the "Resurrection of the May Child," found in various regions. A teenager portrays the deceased Dionysus in the fields while the village girls sing a lamenting song aimed at resurrecting him and, along with him, reviving the entire nature.
Greek May Day customs and traditions offer a glimpse into the rich tapestry of ancient beliefs and practices, weaving together elements of mythology, nature worship, and community celebration. As the world evolves, these timeless rituals continue to resonate, serving as a bridge between the past and the present, fostering a appreciation for the cyclical rhythms of life and the beauty of the natural world.
In Epirus, on the eve of May Day, children venture into the gardens, banging on cooking utensils and reciting magical incantations to ward off snakes.
Another highly theatrical custom is the "Resurrection of the May Child," found in various regions. A teenager portrays the deceased Dionysus in the fields while the village girls sing a lamenting song aimed at resurrecting him and, along with him, reviving the entire nature.
Greek May Day customs and traditions offer a glimpse into the rich tapestry of ancient beliefs and practices, weaving together elements of mythology, nature worship, and community celebration. As the world evolves, these timeless rituals continue to resonate, serving as a bridge between the past and the present, fostering a appreciation for the cyclical rhythms of life and the beauty of the natural world.
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Greek Traditions
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Monday, 12 September 2016 07:00
Innovative Platform Helps Bring International Students To Greece
A project that was started in 2011 called 'Study In Greece' was launched by a group of faculty members from the Department of Informatics and Telematics, of Harokopio University, with the help of students (international and Greek) who worked on a volunteer basis, in order to bring the project to life. Their aim is to provide information, support and advice to incoming international students who wish to study in Greece for a higher education degree, as well as to existing international students. The project addresses the most important issues faced by international students while applying, registering, and settling in Greece.
The main focus of the 'Study In Greece' group was to gather all necessary information that would allow prospective students to not only navigate their way through existing academic programmes on offer, but to also understand the conditions for foreign students living in a friendly and safe destination such as Greece. Students who are interested in pursuing post-graduate studies in Greece can search the catalogue of specialized study programmes taught in English or directly contact the international relations offices of the Higher Education Institutes listed in the relevant section.
'Study In Greece' offers a comprehensive list of the main characteristics of the country, interesting destinations, archaeological sites, monuments and museums to visit, as well as data about Greek gastronomy, the cost of living, facts concerning international students living in Greece , health and safety issues, contacts for embassies and visa details. The platform also offers a section called ‘Education Institutes’ where visitors on the site can type a word related to their area of study and a full list in English of programmes, universities, departments, and cities corresponding to the search word will appear.
The 'Study In Greece' initiative contributes to the international spread of Greek culture, promotes Greece as a destination for higher studies among international students, and it includes support for refugees and people seeking international protection. It also offers suggestions regarding ongoing educational programmes, updates on plans by the Greek State to provide support to the educational needs of refugees, including special courses, e-learning platforms, and summer schools.
For more information about 'Study In Greece,' please click HERE to visit their website.
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Local News
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Friday, 11 November 2016 20:47
Anastatica Project Revives Old Greek Music & Spreads It All Over The World
‘People often think old Greek music is dead. It is not, it only needs a little bit of humidity in order to blossom again,’ says Greek vocalist Katerina Papadopoulou explaining why she initiated project Anastatica.
Anastatica project is a collaboration between musicians and a vocalist that remaster old traditional tunes and songs and turns them into ethnic music. Vocals and dance are equally incorporated into their music. They value music that is transferred from place to place and from one era to another, without losing its originality and drive.
To read this article in full, please visit: Greek TV
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People
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Friday, 10 November 2017 10:42
September 19 - News, Food, & More!
Updates on the oil spill that affected the Athens riviera, Google funds Greek research on digital journalism, learn how to make Spetzofai, and information on free playgrounds for kids!
Please click HERE to view this issue of our newsletter!
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletter, Facebook, and Twitter!
Remember to stay connected with us through our weekly newsletter, Facebook, and Twitter!
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Newsletters
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Monday, 19 February 2018 07:00
Qatar Airways To Launch Flights To Mykonos, Greece May 2018
Qatar Airways has recently announced it will begin flight service from Doha to Mykonos, starting May 30th, 2018. Because Mykonos is centrally located in the Cyclades and a very popular holiday destination for many travelers, Qatar has been seeking to add Mykonos to their repertoire of flights for quite some time.
Four weekly seasonal flights to Mykonos will be operated by an Airbus A320, featuring 12 seats in business class and 132 seats in economy class.
Qatar is also launching weekly non-stop flights to Thessaloniki in March 2018. They already offer three daily flights to Athens.
Source: Greek Reporter
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International Travel
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Thursday, 17 January 2019 07:00
Athens Among The Greatest Cities For Eating Out
Athens has been included on a list of "Europe's 20 Most Amazing Cities for Eating Out in 2019" that was published of the online edition of The Telegraph in December.
According to the newspaper, a European city break can be defined by those all important restaurant choices! Most cities in Europe offer a wide range of dining options; you'll be able to choose among buzzing trendy eateries, high-end Michelin-starred restaurants, and tiny joints where you'll eat just like a local.
Here is what The Telegraph says about eating in Athens:
"Athens has a fine range of places to eat, ranging from down-to-earth traditional tavernas to upmarket restaurants serving fusion cuisine. The area of Plaka is undeniably pretty, though some of its restaurants are aimed at tourists and can be a little disappointing. The city centre is where you will find some excellent so-called modern tavernas, serving classic Greek dishes with a contemporary twist."
Paris, London, Reykjavik, Seville, and Dubrovnik are also among the best cities in Europe for eating out.
To read the list in full, please visit: The Telegraph
Published in
Greece In The News
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Sunday, 31 March 2019 14:38
Open House Athens 2019
The 6th OPEN HOUSE Athens is back on 6 & 7 April 2019.
A two-day event of free architectural guided tours addressed to the general public; an event based on volunteerism, which aims at promoting the architecture of our city; an opportunity to walk the city, look up while walking in the streets, see the buildings from a different angle… It is our established appointment in Spring, when everyone can continue their tour from where they left off last year!
With 40 new entries, this year’s renewed programme includes, as always, public and private buildings, contemporary and historical, monuments, museums, theatres, schools, residences, professional spaces, in the city centre and the suburbs. 550 volunteers will guide us at the 95 buildings which are included in the programme.
All guided tours are free of charge and no booking is required.
In order to attend a tour, visitors should arrive at the buildings of their interest during the opening hours of each, and wait in the queue. The tours are conducted on a first come, first served basis. Visitors are advised to arrive in time, as no tours are being held after the closing time.
Published in
City Discovery
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Monday, 23 December 2019 07:00
ACS Athens S.T.E.A.M. Team Returns To Space
ACS Athens High School students conducted their second S.T.E.A.M. experiment, investigating how ouzo and pure organic grape molasses (petimezi) behave at an altitude of 100 km. More specifically, the students of ACS Athens (‘’spACS 2’’ team) investigated how these Greek traditional products behave under microgravity conditions.
The students’ scientific experiments were carried by Blue Origin’s New Shepard groundbreaking reusable rocket into space beyond 100 km altitude, also known as the Karman Line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.
New Shepard was successfully launched on Wednesday, December 11, from Blue Origin's West Texas Facility and landed vertically 10 minutes later, with the entire space flight been broadcasted live. Earlier in 2019, ACS Athens students (“spACS 1’’ team) sent Greek honey into space with New Shepard again, becoming one of the few non-US K-12 schools to have participated in such a space mission.
ACS Athens students had to meet strict safety, size, and mass criteria in order for their experimental apparatus, containing ouzo, petimezi, electronics, and their 3D-printed container (designed and prototyped by one of the students) to be approved for a space flight, familiarizing themselves with real-world S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) investigations. Jaeho Nam, ACS Athens student and member of the spACS 2 team said: "I was fortunate to be a part of the spACS 2 team, and I personally think this experience not only provided me the opportunity to attain essential skills for a career in engineering but to learn the true meaning and value of teamwork."
The international team of ACS Athens, formed in 2018, consists of High School students, their educators - Dr. Antonios Karampelas, Dr. Ioannis Kerkines, Ms. Victoria Poulou, Mr. Spyros Arsenikos, and Dr. Liana Tsigaridi - and external collaborators (Mr. Panos Mazarakis, Mr. Ilias Botsios). As Dr. Karampelas, Principal Investigator, stated: "I am proud of my students who managed to complete such a challenging task and excited to have seen ouzo and petimezi flying into space for the first time in history."
The container of the experiment will be returned to ACS Athens a few days after its successful landing so that the students can process and analyze the collected data.
More information on the conclusions of the experiment will follow, as they become available.
The video of the launch is available by Blue Origin
The ACS Athens team first presented the spACS experiment during the 2019 Athens Science Festival
To learn more about the experiment click here
To learn more about Blue Origin click here
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Local News
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Monday, 31 May 2021 07:38
"Greek Freak" Among High-Budget Movies Lined Up In Greece
Attracting major film producers to Greece has always been a goal that, until recently, remained only a dream. Although many film studios showed a keen interest in shooting in the Greek capital, they stumbled upon bureaucratic obstacles.
As a result, Athens wasn't able to take advantage of its incomparable traits, such as global recognition of its monuments, its building stock, and even its climate and host big productions. Thus, the city lost significant revenues as well as the opportunity to be promoted all around the world.
Today, through perseverance, planning, and consistency, and thanks to the decisive contribution of the Athens Film Office, Athens has dynamically entered the film industry, and there has been a flurry of interest from high-budget international audiovisual productions to film in the country.
This is the case with Disney+’s biopic of the teenage years of Greek NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Sepolia, Antetokounmpo's neighborhood, will be featured in the film, and recently, the Mayor of Athens, Costas Bakogiannis, visited the Triton Stadium which has been turned into a film set.
"Greek Freak" commenced shooting in May and is one of the biggest productions that have been shot in Greece so far. The production employs 200 Greek crew members and hundreds of supporting actors with the total cost exceeding 20 million euros.
This is just the first of a series of high-budget productions that will be shot in Athens. Other productions include the second season of "Tehran", David Cronenberg's new film, and two episodes of the "Jack Ryan" television series.
About The Athens Film Office
The Athens Film Office was founded in March 2020 by the Municipality of Athens, under the "umbrella" of the Athens Development & Destination Management Agency (EATA) with the aim of transforming Athens into a “Film Friendly City”. During its first year of operation, it has assisted in the shooting of more than 40 international and Greek audiovisual productions in the Greek capital.
XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing news and inspiring stories about how Athens aspires to be a clean, friendly, and welcoming city to live in.
The Athens Film Office was founded in March 2020 by the Municipality of Athens, under the "umbrella" of the Athens Development & Destination Management Agency (EATA) with the aim of transforming Athens into a “Film Friendly City”. During its first year of operation, it has assisted in the shooting of more than 40 international and Greek audiovisual productions in the Greek capital.
XpatAthens extends a warm thank you to This Is Athens and the City Of Athens for sharing news and inspiring stories about how Athens aspires to be a clean, friendly, and welcoming city to live in.
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Local News
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Thursday, 21 October 2021 07:00
Dactylios System To Return On Monday
There will be no tolls in the center of Athens, government spokesman Yiannis Oikonomou clarified, adding that there will be no measures beyond the usual restrictions on vehicles entering the city center downtown Athens that will take effect as of this coming Monday, October 25, 2021.
The restrictions are enforced every year and are designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city center. According to the Daktylios system, vehicles with license plates ending in even numbers can only enter the downtown area on even days of the month, while those ending in odd numbers can only do so on odd days.
Vehicles excluded from the measures are electric, hybrid, gas, or LPG cars, as well as Euro 6 cars that emit pollutants below 120 gr CO2 and drivers who have special permits.
The restrictions are enforced every year and are designed to reduce traffic congestion in the city center. According to the Daktylios system, vehicles with license plates ending in even numbers can only enter the downtown area on even days of the month, while those ending in odd numbers can only do so on odd days.
Vehicles excluded from the measures are electric, hybrid, gas, or LPG cars, as well as Euro 6 cars that emit pollutants below 120 gr CO2 and drivers who have special permits.
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Local News
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