 | Greek Independence Day is a national holiday in Greece celebrated annually on the 25th of March alongside the Greek Orthodox Church’s Feast of the Annunciation to the Theotokos. The celebration commemorates the beginning in 1821 of the Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution - η Ελληνική Επανάσταση του 1821. To honour the Greek Independence Day, villages, smaller towns and cities throughout Greece hold a school flag parade, during which schoolchildren march in traditional Greek costume and carry Greek flags. In certain cities, there is also an armed forces parade. Educational resources here, here and here. Απολυτίκιο Ευαγγελισµού της Θεοτόκου: here. Software in English here. Photo on the left: The sortie of Missolonghi, oil on canvas by Theodoros Vryzakis, 1855 |
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 The dates for Apokries vary from year to year, but generally the festive Carnival season occurs between February and early March. “Apokria” or “Apokries’ in Greek refers to the ten week period before Greek Orthodox Easter. It lasts for three weeks and culminates on the weekend before “Clean Monday” (Ash Monday, Καθαρή Δευτέρα), which marks the beginning of Great Lent (Μεγάλη Τεσσαρακοστή) and is on the 11th March this year.
Apokries literally means "saying goodbye to meat" as preparation for the fasting period during Lent. The focus of celebration mostly includes masquerading with the use of costumes and masks, float parades, playing jokes or dancing around big fires on the streets. Educational resources in relation to the theme of Apokries for stages 1, 2 and 3 can be found here.  February 9 has recently been declared as “International Greek Language Day” in honour of Greece’s national poet, Dionysios Solomos, who died on that day in 1857.
On the occasion of the second celebration of the “International Greek Language Day,” which also coincides with the “Dionysios Solomos Commemoration Day,” teachers and high school students alike can benefit from a reading of the inspiring work of another of Greece’s greatest poets: “Axion Esti” (“Worthy It Is”) by Odysseus Elytis. The extract in Greek that follows is a ‘hymn’ to the cultural value of the Greek Language and its endurance through time. Οδυσσέας Ελύτης Από το Άξιον Εστί: Τη γλώσσα μου έδωσαν ελληνική Τη γλώσσα μου έδωσαν ελληνική. το σπίτι φτωχικό στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου στις αμμουδιές του Ομήρου... Εκεί σπάροι και πέρκες ανεμόδαρτα ρήματα ρεύματα πράσινα μες στα γαλάζια όσα είδα στα σπλάχνα μου ν' ανάβουνε σφουγγάρια, μέδουσες με τα πρώτα λόγια των Σειρήνων όστρακα ρόδινα με τα πρώτα μαύρα ρίγη... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου, με τα πρώτα μαύρα ρίγη... Εκεί ρόδια, κυδώνια θεοί μελαχροινοί, θείοι κ' εξάδελφοι το λάδι αδειάζοντας μες στα πελώρια κιούπια. Και πνοές από τη ρεμματιά ευωδιάζοντας λυγαριά και σχίνο σπάρτο και πιπερόριζα με τα πρώτα πιπίσματα των σπίνων ψαλμωδίες γλυκές με τα πρώτα-πρώτα Δόξα Σοι... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου, με τα πρώτα-πρώτα Δόξα Σοι!.. Εκεί δάφνες και βάγια θυμιατό και λιβάνισμα τις πάλες ευλογώντας και τα καριοφίλια στο χώμα το στρωμένο με τ' αμπελομάντιλα , κνίσες, τσουγκρίσματα και Χριστος Ανέστη με τα πρώτα σμπάρα των Ελλήνων! Αγάπες μυστικές με τα πρώτα λόγια του Ύμνου... Μονάχη έγνοια η γλώσσα μου, με τα πρώτα λόγια του "Υμνου !.. |
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