Greece is the cradle of Western civilization, the origin of drama and history and philosophy, the birthplace of democracy. It is hard to imagine what civilized life would be like today without the influence of ancient Greece.
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It also is hard to imagine what the world would be like without the “Father of Medicine” Hippocrates, whose “Oath of Medical Ethics” is still taken today by physicians entering medicine, the geometry of Euclides or Pythagoras, the logic of Aristoteles, the unique architectural style which has influenced architects all over the world, or even the fables of Aesopos known to children around the globe. Let us not forget also the Olympic Games, with their spirit of world-peace and brotherhood, first conceived and organized by the Greeks; or the Greek language which has enriched other languages with so many words and concepts, like philanthropy, harmony, music, technology, sophistication, architecture, ecology and thousands of others.
The national identity generally is considered a matter of cultural continuity, with language, religion, democracy, an analytic approach to life, travel, entrepreneurship, cleverness, and personal honor and responsibility as core values that connect contemporary Greeks to the past. An intense relationship to the Mediterranean landscape also plays a role.
Several widely recognized images and celebrations invoke the identity of the republic. The country is seen as the restoration of an independent Greek civilization, and many symbols establish a strong link between past and present, between larger Greek history and the modern nation-state. National holidays stress the struggle to establish and maintain an independent country in the face of conquest and oppression. The national anthem, “Hymn to Liberty,” praises those who fought in the War of Independence. The flag displays a cross symbolizing the Greek Orthodox religion on a field of blue and white stripes that depict the sunlit waves of the seas that surround the nation. Statues of war heroes abound, as do the artistic motifs of antiquity and Orthodox Christianity.
Greek Festivals, Celebrations and Holidays
Greece is a deeply religious country, with a rich heritage of beliefs, traditions and customs. Most of the Greek holidays center on some significant religious event from Greek Orthodox Christianity, and local regional holidays center on an area’s patron saint. The most common Greek holidays are those that have a lasting tradition and are cherished by Greeks throughout the ages.
Eortologio: Greek Name Days
In Greece a person’s Name Day is considered more important than their birthday and is always celebrated. Great significance is attached to the naming of a child and the process of choosing a name follows fairly rigid conventions. Names are usually of religious origin. According to the Greek Orthodox tradition nearly every day of the year is dedicated to a Christian Saint or Martyr. When someone is named after one of these Saints, this day becomes their name day and is celebrated!
Greek Dance
Dance has always played an important role in the life of a Greek, as an expression of human feelings and everyday life. The Greeks danced at religious festivals, they danced to ensure fertility, they danced to prepare for war and to celebrate victories, they danced at weddings, they danced to overcome depression and to cure physical illness. Almost every dance has a story to tell!
Greek Gods and Goddesses
The Twelve Olympians, also known as the Dodekatheon, in Greek mythology were the principal gods of the Greek pantheon. The divine family of Greek gods and goddesses majestically and democratically dwelled on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece, built by the Cyclops. The first ancient reference of religious ceremonies for them is found in the Homeric Hymn to Hermes.
The Incomparable Bouzouki
Mention the word bouzouki, and people think either of Zorba the Greek or G.I. Joe’s favorite weapon. The cognoscenti might conjure images of smoky tavernas, free-flowing retsina, and crockery flung in abandon! Some Celtic music fans would associate the bouzouki with Irish jigs and reels, but few would link it with bluegrass and old-time hoe-downs, and virtually no one would make the leap to Swedish fiddle tunes, rock ’n’ roll, and jazz. But the bouzouki has found its place in all these musical styles, and it’s popping up more and more in the hands of guitarists
It’s All Greek To Me! – Greek Language
The Greek language has made significant contributions to humanity in general. Did you know . . . the Latin alphabet was based on the Greek alphabet and according to several researches it has been proven that more than 150,000 words of the English language are of Greek origin. In addition to this, most of the international scientific terminologies are Greek. It is also a fact that most of the names of our galaxy’s asterisms have Greek names, for example, Centaurs, Taurus etc.