E-virtual project 2012-2013Topic: “Music and the words that bring us together”Model Experimental School of University of ThessalonikiClass: A1 junior high schoolTeacher: Adamidou Katerina

The Ancient Greeks were the first people that made songs and were able to remember them without being able to read or sneak a peek at them. In fact, that was absolutely fascinating for the time they were living in, I mean without any writings nobody, besides them, was able to sing a song as long as Omiros’ <<Odyssey>>. Nowadays, we can’t make it without any notebooks or books that give us the chance to figure something out for example sometimes when we aren’t sure about our history lesson we open our books and look at the text we have to learn by heart.

Ancient Greek Musical Instruments and songs that are saved until

now

Ancient Greek Musical Instruments and songs that are saved until

now

Now here is some information about the ancient Greek culture and especially about their music: By the term <<Ancient Greek>> music we call the whole musical culture that came with the ancient Greek history and is studied mainly from the 8th century BC onwards as before this season there are few and limited songs. In Cycladic culture (late 3rd millennium B. C.) are found musical performances that used harp and channel. In Minoan civilization (middle 2nd millennium BC) are found musical performances that depict musicians with lyre and channel. In Mycenaean culture (2nd millennium BC) musical performances are found that depict musicians with lyre and channel as well as other instruments from cultures of Mesopotamia and Asia. They also constructed theatres with excellent acoustic.

To sum up, we can all figure out that without the ancient Greeks we wouldn’t have songs, music or even instruments or, if we would, they would have been invented much later and they wouldn’t be as developed as they are now. So we all understand that we owe many things of our daily life and culture to the Ancient Greeks. Musical instruments: As for their musical instruments, these were strings, percussion and wind instruments. The strings were commonly type of lyre, as Chelys, barbitos, guitar, formigx, Psalter, in the late seventh century BC at least dates the harp (Triangulum), while by the end of the 4th century BC the ancient testified pandoyrides (stringed lute type), which are considered to be ancestors of the modern tamboura and bouzouki, both construction and etymologically.

Τhe instruments were usually single or double, lances, with dual glwssidatypically, like the current zournas and syringes, monokalames or polykalames. Classic Greek literature had become a combination of the lyre (or guitar) with the flute. Another instrument of the era is the hydraulis, which, due to the large volume of sound, often used on festive and sporting events (e.g. racing). Percussion was the krembala or rattles, drums, cymbals, as well as various Syrinx and bells (bells). Using percussion was not so widespread in the ancient Greek musical scene, as in Dionysian rites orgiastikoy character, where was using mainly drums, bells and kymbalα. <<Thank you for all the advances you offered and your contribution to modern Greek culture!>> The modern Greeks

Ancient Greek Music: Pindar's Olympian Ode

Http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iPMbSutCCzw

●IntroductionGreek music has not only influenced the music of the world, Greek culture has offered and accepted influences by other countries and until now it shares linguistic, traditional and cultural elements with them. One of these countries is Turkey.

Our research includes aspects of the culture and traditions of the two neighboring countries that bring to surface impressive similarities which have influenced the two nations in many ways during the centuries. They appear in the language with common words, in musical instruments, in traditional dances and costumes, in modern dances, in eating habits and food specialties. Regarding these aspects of every day life, we realize that what is known to us is familiar to them. Our collaboration with Kecioren Anatolian High School has offered us the opportunity to open paths of communication through the English language and made us realize that music and common words can bring us together, to look ahead, to bridge gaps and promote friendship and solidarity between the two nations.

Greek music: its origin

● Greek music separates into two parts: Greek traditional music and Byzantine music, with more eastern sounds. These compositions have existed for millennia. They originated in the Byzantine period and Greek antiquity, where there is a continuous development which appears in the language, the rhythm, the structure and the melody. Greek music has many similarities with the music of Cyprus. Their modern popular music scenes remaining well-integrated with one another. Music is a significant aspect of Greek culture, both within Greece and among the Greeks living abroad.

Traditional Greek musical instrumentsBouzouki is a stringed lute popular

musical instrument, with pear-shaped resonator (ship) of elongated wooden strips, the NTOUGIA and long arm, arm or neck with keys aside for restringing. Three or four doubles, and sometimes odd, strings which hits the musician with a small button on pena. The origin bouzouki is Greek, while considered like all the lutes, as a kind of transformation of ancient Pandoura.

Lute

● The lute , a stringed instrument, in Greek traditional music is mainly used as accompaniment of violin, the Lyra or other organs.

Cretan lyra

The Cretan lyra (Greek: Κρητική λύρα) is a Greek pear-shaped, three-stringed bowed musical instrument, central to the traditional music of Crete and other islands in the Dodecanese and the Aegean Archipelago, in Greece. The Cretan lyra is considered as the most popular surviving form of the medieval Byzantine lyra, an ancestor of most European bowed instruments.

Clarinet

The clarinet is a wind instrument. In its present form emerged in the 19th century. The clarinet currently holds a key position in the symphony orchestra, and belongs to the woodwind. Very common are the clarinet as a member of jazz orchestras. In Greece, where the name prevailed clarinet, but also in many Balkan countries, is one of the key instruments of traditional music.

Turkish traditional musical instruments

Bağlama: a Turkish folk instrument which is also a Greek traditional instrument

Oud

The oud is a stringed plucked musical instrument, originally from Persia and is quite popular in music of the Middle East and the Greek traditional music. It is related to the lute.

Dulcimer (in Greek

σαντούρι) ● The dulcimer is a stringed

percussion musical instrument. It is an ancient musical instrument invented in Persia and spread to India and China.

Klemence

Kemençe is a popular folk music instrument on Turkey's Black Sea coast

Many Greek singers and songwriters have worked together with many

Turkish singers and songwriters. Some of them are :

MARIA FARANTOURI with OMER ZULFU LIVANELI

GEORGE DALARAS with OMER ZULFU LIVANELI

HARIS ALEXIOU with SEZEN AKSU

●Turkish and Greek music

MARIA FARANTOURI - OMER ZULFU LIVANELI

Maria Farantouri has sung some songs which lyrics wrote Omer Zulfu Livaneli .

Some of these songs are :

Λέι λιμ λέι

Karli kayin ormani

Με φυτέψανε σε καμένη γη

Merhaba

Bulut mu olsam

HARIS ALEXIOU - SEZEN AKSU http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1UpzeUNtSA

Sezen Aksu, the Turkish Queen of artistic pop , singer and songwriter , for many years she has been holding an affinity with the Greek song through ….

many exchanges and transactions, overt and hidden, with Greek singers and musicians. With Haris Alexiou they have made some joint appearances abroad but have not yet completed anything in discography. She has sung several Greek songs in Turkish, and other times she wrote lyrics to famous songs which were sung by other voices. Many of her own songs have

been sung in Greek , but not always related to their original source, and sometimes discovered imports and

musical themes from her songs to songs of famous singers.

Here are some photos of them !!

GEORGE DALARAS - OMER ZULFU LIVANELI

George Dalaras has sung songs with Omer Zulfu Livaneli .

Together they sung on ‘’ Special Olympics ‘’

●THRAKI

● Ο Κωνσταντίνος ο μικρόςκι ο Αλέξης ο αντρειωμένοςκαι το μικρό βλαχόπουλο ο καστροπολεμίτηςαντάμα τρων και πίνουνεκι αντάμα τραγουδάνεμαζί έχουν και τους μαύρους τουςστον πλάτανο δεμένους

Κει πο’ τρουγαν κει πο’ πινανκαι κει π’ χαροκοπιούντανπουλάκι πήγε κι έκατσε επάνω στο τραπέζικαι δε λαλούσε σαν πουλίμήτε σαν χελιδόνιμόνο μιλούσε κι έλεγεμε ανθρώπινη λαλίτσα

Εσείς τρώτε και πίνετεκι εσείς εδώ γλεντάτεμα οι Τούρκοι κατεβήκανεστην Πόλη και ρημάζουν

Konstantinos, the little one,and Alexis, the gallant one,and the little vlachopoulosthe besieger of castles,together, they are eating and drinkingand together, they are singingtogether, too, they have tied their horsesto the plane tree

There where they were eating and drinkingand there where they making merry,a little bird came and sat down on top the tableand it didn't sing like a bird,not even like a swallow,it only spoke, and it saidin human speech:

You, you are eating and drinkingand you, here, you are partying,but the Turks have landed in Poli *and are laying it in ruins.

● Μωρη κοντού μωρη κοντούλα λεμονιά, Με τα πολλά λεμό λεμόνια, Βησσανιώτισσα, σε φίλησα κι αρρώστησσακαι το γιατρό δε φώναξα.

Πότε μικρή, πότε μικρή μεγάλωσες;Κι έγινες για στεφά στεφάνι, Βησσανιώτισσα, σε φίλησα κι αρρώστησσακαι το γιατρό δε φώναξα.

Χαμήλωσε, χαμήλωσε τους κλώνους σου, να κόψω ένα λεμό λεμόνι, Βησσανιώτισσα, Σε φίλησα κι αρρώστησσακαι το γιατρό δε φώναξα.

Για να το στύ για να το στύψω να το πιω, να μου διαβούν οι πό οι πόνοι, Βησσανιώτισσα, σε φίλησα κι αρρώστησσακαι το γιατρό δε φώναξα.

Mωρή κοντού μωρή κοντούλα λεμονιάμε τα πολλά λεμό λεμόνια, Bησσανιώτισσαδε σ’ είδα ψες κι αρρώστησακι ούτε γιατρό δε φώναξα.

Πότε μικρή μεγάλωσες κι απόλυκες κλωνάρια συ μ’ έκαμες κι αρρώστησακαι το γιατρό δε φώναξα.

Xαμήλωσε τους κλώνους σου να κόψω ένα λεμόνιμικρή Δελβινακιώτισααπ’ τον καημό σ’ αρρώστησα.

Για να ντο ζήψω να ντο πιω να μου διαβούν οι πόνοισε φίλησα κι αρρώστησακι ούτε γιατρό δε φώναξα.

You little short, you little short lemon treewith all these le- lemons, Vissanian lady,I kissed you and got illbut I didn't call the doctor.

When did you grow up, you little one?and you got into the marriage age, Vissanian lady,I kissed you and got illbut I didn't call the doctor.

Let, let your branches down,so that I can cut a lem- a lemon, Vissanian ladyI kissed you and got illbut I didn't call the doctor.

So that I can squeeze it and drink it,to let my pains away, Vissanian lady,I kissed you and got illbut I didn't call the doctor.

● Αγρίμια κι αγριμάκια μου, λάφια μου μερωμένα, πέστε μου πού `ναι οι τόποι σας, πού `ναι τα χειμαδιά σας;

Γκρεμνά `ναι εμάς οι τόποι μας, λέσκες τα χειμαδιά μας, τα σπηλιαράκια του βουνούείναι τα γονικά μας.

- My wildings and little wildings,my tamed deer,tell me, where are your landsand where your winter quarters?

- Cliffs are our lands,leskes* are our winter quarters,the little caves of the mountainare our parents.

Traditional dances

●DANCES OF PONTOS

● PONTIAN DANCES ARE DANCED BY MEN AND WOMEN IN TURKEY AND GREECE TODAY .THEY USUALLY FORM A CIRCLE AND ARE GRABBED BY THE WRISTS, DANCING WITH THE BODY ERECT, THEIR FEET SLIGHTLY APART AND THEIR HANDS WITH BENT ELBOWS. THE BODY FOLLOWS, WITH FAITHFULLY RHYTHMIC AND SYNCHRONIZED MOVEMENTS, SMALL STEPS. PONTIAC DANCES ARE PERFORMED WITH MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CizjNoG_Vws

GREECE

THE FAMILIAR TO ALL OF US TSIFTETELI, COULD BE CONSIDERED A MILD FORM OF BELLY DANCING. CHARACTERIZED BY FREE FORM MOVEMENT WITH THE RHYTHM, WITHOUT SPECIFIC RULES. THE BYZANTINE MUSIC AT THE SCALE OF DANCE, IS OBVIOUS. IT IS DANCED ALSO BY COUPLES. WHEN IT IS DANCED BY A WOMAN "SOLO", SHE IS ON A TABLE FULL OF DISHES WHILE HER FRIENDS COME WITH RHYTHMIC CLAPPING. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIPa632agEc

TURKEY

● SOME MISTAKENLY BELIEVE THAT TURKISH ORIENTAL DANCING IS CALLED ÇIFTETELLI BECAUSE THIS STYLE OF MUSIC HAS BEEN INCORPORATED INTO ORIENTAL DANCING BY ARABS. HOWEVER, TURKISH ÇIFTETELLI IS ACTUALLY A FORM OF LIVELY WEDDING MUSIC AND IS NOT CONNECTED WITH ORIENTAL DANCING. TURKISH BELLY DANCE TODAY MAY HAVE BEEN INFLUENCED BY ARABS BEFORE THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AS MUCH AS BY THE EGYPTIAN AND SYRIAN/LEBANESE FORMS. TURKISH LAW DOES NOT IMPOSE RESTRICTIONS ON DANCERS AS THEY DO IN EGYPT, WHERE DANCERS MUST KEEP THEIR MIDRIFFS COVERED AND CANNOT PERFORM FLOOR WORK AND CERTAIN PELVIC MOVEMENTS. THIS HAS RESULTED IN A MARKED DIFFERENCE IN STYLE - EGYPTIAN BELLY DANCE IS NOTED FOR ITS RESTRAINT AND ELEGANCE, WHEREAS TURKISH BELLY DANCE IS PLAYFUL.

● http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOjsVtdPKDI

TURKISH TRADITIONAL COSTUMES

Information The traditional Turkish costumes have

changed with the passage of time. They are made of a wide variety of materials. Cotton, sheepskin, fur, wool, leather, silk etc. Their costumes were both fashionable and functional because they needed to be wearing a costume that would enable them to ride horses with comfort and ease. That is why there is similarity between women’s and men’s costumes! Leather boots and head covering were also part of the costume of the Turks. There is an influence between Greek and Turkish traditional costumes!

Traditional costumes of Turkish people

women’s costumes

men’s costumeshead covering

Traditional costumes of Greece:

women’scostumes

necklace

men’s costume

Modern dances

●In Greece but also in the other countries in the world and of course Turkey…

● There are many modern dances, many teenagers dance and enjoy at parties and clubs . There are schools where students can learn how to dance. Many dance teams take part in various competitions.

● Lets see some kinds of dance:

● Hip-Hop● Break dance● Modern dance● Latin● Tango● Classical ballet● Zoumba● Oriental dance

●http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5aHoVL18Sc

COMMON GREEK AND

TURKISH DISHES

●The two countries have also influenced each other in the section of food. Their common words are the words of food, of flavours and of tastes the two cultures have shared over the centuries.

Traditional dishes of Greece and Turkey

Sarma (Stuffed vine)

The word "dolma" in Turkish means "stuff." The Sarma is a fairly broad category comestible comprising the filled peppers, the stuffed eggplant etc. Most often, however, used for the stuffed vine leaf (or cabbage, in regions of North Laz Turkey).

The Turkish grape leaves are divided into two main categories: kiyma, the stuffing is made from the meat, onion, pine nuts, rice with spices and olive oil and served warm with yogurt and classic stuffed, which is the same recipe without meat, with some extra spices and seasonings, served at room temperature (our own vine gialantzi).

Zeytinyağlı yaprak sarması (Ντολμαδάκια γιαλαντζί)Dolma

The Donner kebab

The Donner kebab (Tour. döner kebab), which means "turning spit" [1] is the name of a Turkish food which uses lamb, beef or chicken. Variants include Donner "soutzouki Donner" i.e. döner from soutzouki and "Balik Donner" Donner prepared with fish fillet. Respectively and Mediterranean dishes are Levantine savarma (shawarma) and gyros. The Donner is currently a favorite prepared foods in the world.

Gyros

Translate

• Ντολμαδάκια γιαλαντζί (ελληνικά, Greek)

• Zeytinyağlı yaprak sarması (τούρκικα, Turkish)

• Dolma (αγγλικά, English)

• Γύρος (ελληνικά, Greek)• Döner (τούρκικα, Turkish)• Gyros (αγγλικά, English)

● Ingredients for the dough:

• 8 cups flour

• 5 eggs

• 1 teaspoon salt

• Some lukewarm water

To moisten the leaves need:

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 3 liters of hot water

• 3 liters of cold water

For the filling:

• Pound slice

• Parsley

• 10-12 tablespoons oil

Su böreği

●Τυρόπιταcheese pie

1 packet pastry

500 gr. shredded cheese

400 gr. grated gouda cheese

200 gr. regato grated

3-4 eggs

600-700 gr. fresh milk

80-100 g. butter, melted

1-2 tablespoons of flour

freshly ground pepper

Beat the eggs and add them to the flour, beating until dissolved.

Pour the milk, melted butter, cheese and pepper and mix well.

Grease well a shallow baking dish and poured about half the package leaves well oiled one by one.

Pour the filling (pie should be fine) and continue with the remaining cards again very well oiled.

Scratching the surface of the pie and bake for about 40 minutes in air at 180 degrees until you get a nice golden color.

Περέσκια MANTI Pereskia MANDI

 

ΝΤΟΛΜΑΔΕΣ ΠΑΠΟΥΤΣΑΚΙΑ DOLMADES PAPOYTSAKIA

MANTI-MANDI-Tatar böregi

Manti are Turkish dumpling popular in most Turkish cuisines and also in Caucasian , Central Asian and in Chinese cuisines, closely related to the east Asian In Turkey it is called Tatar böregi (Tatar bureks), which indicates its relation to nomadic people. Ottoman recipes have survived since the 15th century with the manti filled with pounded lamb and crushed chickpeas, steamed,which in Greece is served topped with yogurt mixed with crushed garlic and sprinkled with sumac. Mantis are popular throughout the former Soviet Union, where the dish was spread from the Central Asian republics.

MANTI-MANDI-Tatar böregi

In Turkish cuisine, manti is typically served topped with yogurt and garlic and spiced with red pepper powder and melted butter, and topped with ground sumac or dried mint by the consumer. Although there are many different variations of manti, in terms of shape and way of serving, the most praised type of manti is known as Kayseri Mantisi, a special kind of manti belong to Kayseri, an Anatolian city of Turkey. The characteristics of Kayseri Mantisi is that it is very tiny and it is served with yogurt, oil (caramelized with tomato paste), and seasonings.

MANTI-MANDI-Tatar böregi

Kayseri Mantisi is also served with the water it was boiled in, and often in Kayseri it is consumed as a soup prior to the main dish. Another interesting fact; in Kayseri when a couple is in arrangements to be married, the mother of the groom visits the bride's house and during this visit the bride should prepare manti for her prospective mother-in-law. The smaller the manti dumplings are, the more the bride is considered to be skillful in the kitchen. Traditionally the dumplings prepared for the prospective mother-in law are supposed to be so small that 40 of them can be scooped up with one spoon. Turkish manti resembles tortellini.

ΠΙΡΟΣΚΙ-PIROSKI-SOSISLI

BÖREK

A common variety of piroski are baked stuffed buns made from yeast dough and often glazed with egg to produce the common golden colour. They commonly contain meat or a vegetable filling . Piroski could also be stuffed with fish or with an oat meat filling mixed with meat or giblets. Sweet-based fillings could include stewed or fresh fruit , jam, or cottage cheese; The buns may be plain and stuffed with the filling, or else be made in a free-form style with strips of dough decoratively encasing the filling

Piroski are common as fast food on the streets of the Central Asia.

ΠΕΙΝΙΡΛΙ MΠOYΛΙΑΝΙ PEINERLI ΒΥLΙΑΝΙ

ΠΕΙΝΙΡΛΙ-PEINIRLI-PEINIRLI

The peinirli is a kind of open pies with cheese and pariza. It is a traditional appetizer of Greek and Turkish origin. The peinirli known in Greece, in Turkey, is just one of the many types of Pie. The famous boat-shaped dough has several variants: with cheese, cheese, meat, crabs, pastrami, chopped meat (kusbasili) mushrooms, chicken, peppers, mushrooms, etc.. You also and one can ask any combination (karisik) that you thing of. There is also the version, with egg, which is added to the end of baking.

●Common Turkish and Greek sweets

There are lots of common sweets in Turkey and in Greece. Baklava is one of them. It is a rich, sweet pastry made of layers of filo pastry filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with syrup or honey. It is characteristic of the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire and those of Central and Southwest Asia. Baklava is also cooked in Greece with the same way as the other countries. The history of baklava is not well documented. It has been claimed by many ethnic groups, but there is strong evidence that its current form was developed in the imperial kitchens of the Topkapı Palace based on a Central Asian Turkic tradition of layered breads.

●Baklava recipeIngredients

Original recipe makes 3 dozen

• 1 (16 ounce) package• phyllo dough

• 1 pound chopped nuts

• 1 cup butter

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F(175 degrees C). Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9x13 inch pan.2.Chop nuts and toss with cinnamon. Set aside. Unroll phyllo dough. Cut whole stack in half to fit pan. Cover phyllo with a dampened cloth to keep from drying out as you work. Place two sheets of dough in pan, butter thoroughly. Repeat until you have 8 sheets layered. Sprinkle 2 - 3 tablespoons of nut mixture on top. Top with two sheets of dough, butter, nuts, layering as you go. The top layer should be about 6 - 8 sheets deep.3.Using a sharp knife cut into diamond or square shapes all the way to the bottom of the pan. You may cut into 4 long rows the make diagonal cuts. Bake for about 50 minutes until baklava is golden and crisp.4.Make sauce while baklava is baking. Boil sugar and water until sugar is melted. Add vanilla and honey. Simmer for about 20 minutes.5.Remove baklava from oven and immediately spoon sauce over it. Let cool. Serve in cupcake papers. This freezes well. Leave it uncovered as it gets soggy if it is wrapped up.

●Baklava: the name in 3 different languages

Greek word English word Turkish word

BaklavaΜπακλαβάς Baklava

● MATERIALS● 500 gr. kantayfi● 250 gr. whipped

● cup. tea grated walnuts● 250 gr. cow butter

● For the syrup:● 5 cups. tea water● 5 cups. tea sugar

● 1 vanilla● the cream:

● 2 liters of milk● 1 cup. tea flour● 1 cup. tea sugar

● 1 cup. Caster tea powder

Ekmek kantayfi

● This variant is popular across Turkey, where it can be eaten for breakfast or even for dinner as a main meal, but it is primarily considered a dessert. Eaten as a layered treat or halvah, it may also be placed in a special bread and sprinkled with sesame seeds. It is traditionally served alongside, or drenched in, a thick, sugar-based, honey-based, or glucose-based syrup called Qatar or attar.

● Kadayıf and Kunene● The Turkish variant of the pastry knife

is called knife, and the bunch of wiry shreds that it is based on is called Kadayıf. A semi-soft cheese such as mozzarella is used in the filling. In making the knife, the kadayıf is not rolled around the cheese; instead, cheese is put in between two layers of wire Kadayıf. This is cooked in small copper plates, and then served very hot, in syrup, with clotted cream (kayak), and pistachios or walnuts. (Compare with kataifi.)

Karagiozis or Karaghiozis (Modern) Greek: Καραγκιόζης,Turkish; Karagöz) is a shadow puppet and fictional character of Greek and Turkish folklore. He is the main character of the tales narrated in the Turkish and Greek shadow-puppet theatre.

Karagiozis, is a trickster poor Greek man whose whole interest is sleep and eating. Socially, he is in closer relation to Hadji Ivat (Greek: Hadjiavatis) than any other characters, and often he is informed by him, sometimes they cooperate in business, but sometimes Hadjiavatis is a victim of Karagiozis' tricks. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyEc3Pfjwyc

The major secular celebrations and official holidays begin with New Year's Day on 1 January, an adoption from the West. Many people exchange greetings cards, and some celebrate in a Western fashion. National Sovereignty Day on 23 April commemorates the first meeting of the Grand National Assembly. Because 23 April is also National Children's Day, much of the day is devoted to children's activities such as dances and music recitals. Youth and Sport Day, commemorating Atatürk's birth, is celebrated on 19 May. Victory Day, celebrating victorious battles during Turkey's War of Independence, is observed on 30 August. Republic Day, 29 October, commemorates Atatürk's proclamation of the republic in 1923. Both Victory Day and Republic Day are celebrated with patriotic parades, music, and speeches.

Greece has many festivals (Panagiri) throughout the year and most of the Greek Festivals have a religious basis. The Festivals are usually celebrated in accordance with the Greek Orthodox calendar which is similar to the Catholic calendar, with the exception of Easter. There are also many cultural festivals with theatrical and musical celebrations during the summer as well as National Festivals celebrating Greek victories. There are far too many festivals to mention.Greeks also celebrate Christmas, a celebration about the birthday of Jeasus.

Easter is the most celebrated of all the festivals in Greece. All the radio and TV networks are taken over and filled with beautiful religious programs during this time. It is a wonderful time to be in Greece because every village celebrates Easter with joy and sumptuous meals. On Good Friday the villagers carry candles and follow in a procession of the Epitaph. On Saturday there is a ceremony to remember the resurrection of Christ and the streets throng with people carrying candles, making their way home for the traditional feast and the breaking of the fast. The feast consists of red Easter eggs and Mayervtsa soup. Easter Sunday is the biggest church holiday in Greece and enjoyed with the traditional lamb roasted on a spit, washed down with gallons of red wine.

A Celebration of the birth of Christ. The Greeks enjoy musical festivals as well as shopping festivals over Christmas. The children traditionally sing carols and go from door to door asking for money.