The Greeks and Martin Luther King!

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” -- Martin Luther King, Jr.

Archbishop Iakovos made national headlines while marching alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for civil rights in the 1960s, an act which characterized his commitment to social justice. His march with King was immortalized on the cover of LIFE Magazine, where he stands photographed alongside King as part of the latter's march in Selma, Alabama. In doing so, Iakovos was one of the first national religious leaders to take a role in American civil rights.

Kyria Koulas pita

Thanks kyria Koula for bringing in the delicious pita. Everyone ate and enjoyed. Ευχαριστούμε πολι. All of the children moms and priest had a surprise lunch.

Little Angels tree project

Today we had a visit from Fathet Dimitri. He spoke about Saint John the Baptist. Then I read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. We discussed how the tree was like the boys mother and gave him everything she had. Then we made winter trees. I painted the children's hands brown and they printed it on the paper. Next we spread glue all over. Then we sprinkled Kosher salt on top. Winter tree.

Cutting the Vasilopita

In Little Angels and Ta Morakia class we cut a vasilopita. First I read the book by Anna Prokos called The Lucky Cake. It's a great story about a little boy Billy celebrating New Years Day with his family. It discusses the tradition of the vasilopita and the history. It even gives and easy recipe for a vasilopita in the back.

Vasilopita cutting with Little Angels

Who was Agios Vasilis (Saint Basil)

St. Basil, Feast of

January 1

New Year's Day and the feast day for Agios Vasilis (St. Basil) are one and the same in Greece and Cyprus, and for all Orthodox Christians. Celebrations begin on New Year's Eve when Agios Vasilis is believed to visit each house, blessing the people and their belongings and animals, and bringing presents to the children. Nowadays, the parish priest goes around and blesses the homes of his flock.
On New Year's Day, a cake called the Vassilopita, or "St. Basil's bread," is ceremoniously sliced, according to varying traditions going back to Byzantine times. Usually the first slice is cut for Jesus Christ, the next is for the house, and the following for absent family members. A coin has been baked in the cake, and the person finding the coin will be the luckiest member of the family that year.
St. Basil was a monk and church father who left many influential writings, including a defense of the study of pagan writings by Christians. He was born about the year 329 and was declared a saint soon after his death on Jan. 1 of the year 379 in Caesarea (in present-day Israel).

The Lyrics to Agios Vasilis

Traditionally in my family we sing Agios Vasilis on New Years Eve and New Years Day.  Here are the lyrcis.

Aγιoς Βασίλης έρχεται
και δεν μας καταδέχεται
από - από την Καισαρεία
είσαι αρχό - είσαι αρχόντισσα, κυρία.

Βαστάει εικόνα και χαρτί
με το Χριστό το λυτρωτή,
χαρτί - χαρτί και καλαμάρι,
δες και με - δες και με το παλικάρι.

Agios Vasilis erhetai
kai den mas katadehetai
apo - apo tin Kaisareia
eisai arho - eisai arhontissa, kiria.

Vastaei eikona kai harti
me to Hristo to litroti,
harti - harti kai kalamari,
des kai me - des kai me to palikari.