Happy New Year!

Wishing you all a happy, healthy, loving, joyful and creative 2011!

2 days for Christmas

Hello dear friends,

I thought I wouldn't stop by before Christmas, but here you are, and here I am :-)
I am particularly happy that our dearest friend Denise is back on-line. Hi Denise! We've missed you, and were so worried about you!

We are two days away from Christmas eve, and I am looking forward to switching off must-do-contacts and concentrate on family and friends.

We are facing some challenges right now. Both C and myself have some exams to do that are not particularly pleasant, but we must do them. So please say a little prayer for us, that our exams come out nice and clean.
Prayers work miracles, especially on Christmastime!

The general gloom in this part of the world thanks to Greece's politicians and the world money lenders is suffocating at times. If you smile, people look at you as if you were a wierdo. We are all supposed to bend our knees and cut open our veins for the parasites to feed themselves on our blood. We won't do it, some of us won't at least. So we are holding on tight and try to avoid people who bring us down with their moods and pessimism.

In this spirit, last week we hosted a little party at the shop, for our customers' kids and everyone who wanted to come. People were so surprised we did not charge anything. They were expecting to pay, and many did not come because they thought they ought to. In the 14th year in this part of the world, and I still feel like an alien at times.

OK, stop wining, dear, it's Christmas!

See my new blog theme? You know I like changing it, like every other month? This time, Dani, a lovely person and a skilled blog designer made me a custom header and a new background. So I am all dressed up for Christmas, blogwise!

So, ladies, I am puting on some sparkly lights, blowing red lipsticked kisses your way, and wishing you a night of wonder and love in your hearts and souls.

From our family creche to you all out there,

Merry Christmas!

 

2010 Christmas Tour of Homes

Hello dear friends,

Welcome to my 2010 Christmas Tour of Homes post!

This year we started the festive season by decorating first our shop,

...and then our home...and garden...

We wish you all a very blessed, peaceful Christmas season, and a lovely 2011!

P.S. Snow with cherry syroup, anyone?

{With many thanks to The Nester for hosting}

Merry Christmas!

Snowtime!

Hello dear friends,

This morning we woke up to snow. Not too much, but enough to keep the kids and ourselves from going to school and work in the morning.

 

i love the blue light of the morning

...our garden...

...our doggy neighbour...

...hot chocolate time...

I hope you are all baking and decorating, 

and getting ready for a beautiful, blessed and merry Christmas!

Christmas ding-dong-ding!

Hello dear friends,

I hope you are all doing OK. I popped over to see you tonight, and most of you haven't posted for days-just like me! Are you busy decorating and baking? Or is blogging simply taking its toll on your lives and you want to do more living and less blogging?
I wasn't in the mood for blogging either. But since we decorated our home and our shop, I thought I'd stop by and add some festive cheer to my cyber-home. I have also been posting over at the Happy Turtle about Christmas crafts and finds, so when I'm not here, try over there and say "hi!".

God willing, I hope to stop by again for a couple more Christmas posts. 

See you soon,

A feeling of Christmas

 

The first touch of Christmas...

A TV ad I like

 

F decorating the shop for Christmas

Wishing you all a lovely December and a Merry Christmas

Epiphanies

Epiphany in two ways. First of all, the religious aspect of the days. C and I went to church this morning. A little while after we arrived the 1st chapter of Genesis was being read. A blessing of the water followed. Tomorrow takes place the blessing of the sea, rivers and lakes which is quite picturesque. I remember the ceremony my grandfather officiated in England. There were Scottish pipes, the Mayor, the Archbishop, little girls dressed in white, the chorus and the people and we all went to the sea near Dover to throw the cross into the sea. Then young men would jump into the sea to catch it. What a blessing.
The thing is, we don't know a good time when we have it, especially when we are young.

On another epiphany. Last night I found a copy of The Secret, in Greek. I am not into reading in Greek, apart from newspapers and magazine. English reads, blogging and the occasional speaking with the girls' English teacher is what keeps my English quite flexible after all these years. But yesterday J was playing with wii, and I was siting next to him, watching, when I grabbed The Secret and began reading quite mindlessly.

I have done my fair share of new age reading, and since Christ showed me the way to Him, I avoid reading the stuff. There was some sense into the idea, though. I have had a lot of negative thoughts recently. C is in his own world for the past few weeks. I am bored with all the paperwork at work and resent the burden. The arrival of the moody in laws didn't do much to cheer me up. You know that kind of unease you feel when you want to do better but you feel like hybernating.

Since last night I have been practicing. Whenever a dull/negative/bad thought comes into my mind I chase it away. When I can speak about the in laws, I don't . I just did, but that was to give you the idea. I pretend, I make do. I believe it works.

Happy Epiphany, then. In many parta of the world, today it's Christmas, as of the old calendar. So the festive time continues.

First snow

We left for an afternoon drive with 9C. On the way temperatures dropped to 0C and it began snowing. The first snow of 2010!...Happy New Year!

Happy New Year

So, here I am in front of the empty white space. I know of a few things I want to tell you. Some I feel I ought to tell you. Like,what we did for New Year's. Post some photos, perhaps. Relate the folklore. List the films we've seen and those we did not.

Instead, I'm going to wish you all a blessed 2010. May Christ bless the new year's wreath with all that is good and happy.

For the rest, you may read here about St.Basil and the Vassilopita. With love.

Lucky foods for the new year

:Noodles:

In many Asian countries, long noodles are eaten on New Year's Day in order to bring a long life. One catch: You can't break the noodle before it is all in your mouth.

:Pork:

Due to pigs' dining habits, many countries, including Austria, Cuba, and Spain, view pork as a good-luck food. As pigs root for food, they keep their feet planted and push their snouts forward, signifying progress and future properity.

:Lentils:

Thought to resemble coins, lentils are eaten throughout Italy for good fortune in the new year. Plus, the legumes plump (with water) as they cook, symbolizing growing wealth.

:Fish:

In North America, Asia, and Europe, people eat fish to celebrate the new year. In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the new year since fish swim forward. Other people think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools.

:Greens:

It's no coincidence that this good-luck food is the color of money.[or perhaps the other way around: the dollar is the colour of fresh, abundant greens!] Greens, such as kale, collards, and cabbage, are traditionally eaten on New Year's Day because of their association with wealth and economic prosperity.

:Black Eyed Peas:

A common good luck food in the southern United States, black-eyed peas are thought to bring prosperity, their shape and abundance representing coins. Hoppin' John is the classic Southern New Year's dish.

:Pomegranate:

Long associated with abundance and fertility, pomegranates are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries for luck in the new year. [In Greece custom has it to throw a pomegranate on your doorstep, filling your way with its plentiful seeds]

:Citrus:

When the Chinese celebrate New Year's Day, they often set out bowls of oranges and tangerines to promote prosperity. This tradition developed from a play on words: "tangerine" and "orange" sound much like "luck" and "wealth," respectively, in the Chinese language.

:Grapes:

At midnight on New Year's Eve, revelers in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries eat 12 grapes — one for every strike of the clock and month in the year. This custom grew from a grape surplus in the Alicante region of Spain in 1909, and celebrates the coming of a sweet year.

:Round Cakes and Breads:

Eating round or ring-shaped cakes, pastries, and breads is a popular New Year's tradition in various countries. In Greece, families bake vassilopita, a cake containing a hidden good-luck coin. Italians eat sweet panetonne, Mexicans enjoy the ring-shaped rosca de reyes cake, and the Dutch indulge in puffed, doughnut-like ollie bollen.

:And what not to eat:

Steering clear of "unlucky" foods is just as important as serving the good stuff. You wouldn’t want to ruin someone’s entire year by serving them something as unlucky as chicken, would you? According to many cultures, eating anything with wings is a no-no for New Year’s because it could fly away, taking all your luck. Chicken is especially bad because the bird scratches backwards (unlike the forward-thinking pig), possibly leading to setbacks. Backwards-swimming lobsters are also a bad omen for the same reason. The color white is a symbol of death in the Chinese culture, so avoid eggs, tofu, or white cheese. And above all, don’t clean your plate too thoroughly — many cultures believe that leaving a little leftover food on your plate will usher in a year of plenty.{ Source }and { Source}

 Every ethnic group has its own traditions, its own unique luggage. That is what makes us all so different, so special, so rich and so alike in our desire to bring beauty and meaning to our human experience.

From me to you, a Happy New Year 2010.

Winter

Following the eternal Sun of Justice. glory toy You, oh God.

Hiting the slopes and the 4-0

We spent Friday in the snow. Literally. We had had some snow a couple of weeks ago, in our own backyard, which is quite rare in our city.I absolutely loved it! Neighbors must have thought we were nuts as we played in the snow in our perfectly visible from everywhere backyard, but hey, we must do our best with what we've got!

On Friday though, we traveled north with a family of friends to find snow in larger quantities. We, as a family, hadn't envisioned a skiing trip as winter sports are not part of our family curriculum. Neither were they in our friends', as it turned out, although they had all the air and gear of the slopes enthusiast (the things I do to have some friendly company on hand for my kids...).

Anyway, after a long, meandering drive, we reached the ski center. Fortunately it was raining and it was foggy, so we weren't allowed to rent snowmobiles. That didn't stop us from getting our feet wet, and quite happily so. I was rather edgy, as the lady friend chose to stay safe and dry in her car while I was steering on the slopes both my kids and a couple of hers, but the air was refreshing and lifted my spirits. By lunch time, C and I had made up our minds about where we were going to have lunch.

The old teleferique station, was welcoming and the food was OK. But occasionally I get tired of the folksy theme that one finds in most mountain resorts. Inevitable and unimaginative.
Today we stayed at home, instead of venturing out. After shopping for the Sunday papers, carrying images of slaughtered Palestinian children, and a copy of the winter issue of Cote-Est, my favorite winter magazine, I settled myself on the couch. This is something I rarely do, as both my dear husband and son occupy it most of the time. Today I stayed long enough to read the editorial and take the picture below. The Outlaws arrive tomorrow and I had tons of work to do, from cooking to hiding away stuff that may be deemed unusual/interesting and bringing forward clumsy/ludicrous gifts. Quite blurry picture, but, take my word for it, 10 minutes of self-care work wonders.
To finish this post on a particularly joyful note, I gladly present you my birthday cake. Not my making, but my choice. I am officially heading toward the big 4-0, gals. Here, have a piece of cake, and let's have a toast!

Happy 2009

Happy New Year cyberfriends.

I hope you had a smooth transition to the new year. We followed the X Factor TV show during count down. I did my best to make everyone join in and it worked. J was asleep though, and he woke up at 1 am, asking me to let him know when we get to midnight.
Food wise we had a simple yet nice meal, now that we didn't have visitors and I didn't have to do the full elaborate meal. We had ham and fresh pineapple, baked mushrooms with a little olive oil and lemon, and a Trappist beer.
The most memorable do of the evening was that we all had a proper bath with fizzy salts from Fresh Line that C had bought while I was at home baking. It felt so nice to have all the people in my family smelling great, clothed in brand new nightgowns, gathered around, kissing and wishing.
This was the first year my girls realized that we buy the presents. I didn't ask who told them, we just said we'd keep the magic for J. So we sneaked the presents in once we put him to bed.
He woke up just after me while I was dressing for church. He went to the tree and came up all thrilled because Santa had brought us presents and could he wake everyone up?
Let's say I am thankful for all the lovely gifts Santa got us to get for our kids and our home. F's first i-pod. Palymobils for J and D. A little scanner and printer for our home office, a book and a pipe for C, a Lilly Pulitzer Monopoly for me, and, hold your breath, a mini notebook for me, to use on the go.
We let the kids enjoy their presents in their pyjamas and we left for church. Only the car's battery had died. C stayed with the car while I walked to church. I really enjoyed it. The air was fresh and crisp, as it must be in the morning of a new beginning.
It was a nice service and I listened to St. Basil's prayer calling for the blessing of the new year's crown:

"Grant us seasonable and healthful weather. Send gentle showers upon the earth so that it may bear fruit. Bless the crown of the year with your Loving-kindness. Stop schisms among the churches, pacify the ragings of the pagans and quickly destroy the uprisings of heresy by the power of your Holy Spirit. Receive us all into your Kingdom, showing us to be children of the light and children of the day. Grant us your peace and love, a Lord our God, for You have given all things to us.

And grant that with one voice and one heart we may glorify and praise your most honorable and sublime Name, of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and forever.

Amen".

Outside the church there were gypsies begging, as always , only today there were lots and lots of them. I made the mistake of giving one a five euro note, some five dollars, and I found myself followed by them, until I had given every penny out of my purse. C who was meanwhile waiting for me outside the church with the engine on, had seen the whole scene and I could tell he was cross as he drove while the gypsies were following us. He was silent all the way and well into the evening. I was pretty scared myself. I couldn't get out of my mind the possibility of the gypsies pestering us at the shop or even at home. I can get pretty sentimental and silly sometimes...I pray that Christ will protect us.

At home we had St. Basil's pie. The coin was at the center of the pie, so we are all considered winners, though J got to take the coin as his was the last slice C named. Contrary to what happened in previous years, this year my pie was a great success. Everyone got to eat their slice and ask for more, as we didn't have the in laws to tell us how much to eat and how much calories each slice has.
After breakfast we spent some time looking at the gifts and picking up stuff here and there. C went to sleep and I followed him. I wanted to read from a new book he bought for me, but fell asleep. We woke up at 6p.m. The kids were busy playing all along. We made a lovely dinner of sausages and cheeses, plus some more mushrooms and my Christ bread that I was supposed to make for Christmas, but I hadn't. It was great, with the characteristic flavor of aniseed. We also opened a tiny campaign. So, it wasn't turkey and stuffing, but oh how lovely! It was home and a new year our way.

Then I got to sit down and write and surf. I didn't do either, as we spent most of the time trying to build an internet connection for my notebook, but didn't manage to. So I'm now typing on my laptop which is going to be our family computer, because as C said our 10 year old computer isn't fast enough and it's too expensive to upgrade.

Meanwhile we watched 'Scent of a Woman'. Al Pacino -and Jack Nicholson- are C's favorite actors. And that is a good film, I am never quite bored with it. By the end, everyone was asleep, apart from me and J who were pulling a couple of crackers, having a Pepsi and some truffles, while I was trying to put a few words together. I try not to think of the phone bill, right now.

Tomorrow we are going to the slopes with a family of friends. I am not really into snowboarding, but I'll try to keep up with the more enthusiastic lot. I hope to post some photos, too.

Here is to a lovely, healthy, blessed new year.

A bright new last day of the year

Can you believe it? It's the last day of the year 2008. It's just before 8 a.m. here and the house is quiet. C is delivering a bed and he left early. He'll be back to hear the children sing the New Year's carols. Then they will go around the neighborhood and sing. Many children do so in groups of three or more, thus earning some pocket money. My children got 60 euros between them on Christmas eve. Today it's rather chilly at -6C, so if they don't want to go around a lot, they'll stay at home an help me make New Year's pie, or St. Basil's pie as it is called.

On New Year's Day every family bakes a Vasilopita to bless the house and bring good luck for the new year. A coin is hidden in the bread by slipping it into the dough before baking. A piece of cake is sliced for each member of the family. The first goes to Christ, second to Virgin Mary, third to St. Basil, fourth to the house, next to the dead, and then to the living starting from the male leader of the house. You may read more about the origins of this tradition in this short article.

Santa will visit our home on New Year's eve. He is not actually St. Niclaus, but St. Basil whose feast is celebrated on January 1st. He is the one bringing the gifts under the Christmas tree and New Year's treat pie takes its name from him.

The pies above were photographed at a city patisserie. Mine will probably be simpler looking, but I love its taste. Here is a recipe for you to try at home.

In other news, I had an impromptu tooth canal job on Monday evening. It began as a routine check, but I now have an aching tooth and gum. As I am not for antibiotics I am taking echinacea and Hepar Sulphur that my homeopath prescribed. I tell you, it's not very jolly having to bake one of the most important cakes of the year, vacuum and tidy up with an aching tooth.

The end of the year saw a very dear friend joining her husband in heaven. Our dear friend Margarita was one of the first people I met when I came to live with my husband's family in Athens. She always spoke the best of me to everyone, including C's mother. She knew I appreciated it and prayed for me and later for our kids every day. She was a mother and grandma in her 70s, but she wasn't ill. As her daughter told us, she just took a breath and passed away. May God rest her close to Him with her dear husband.

Finally, we didn't manage to get a bride for our Taki the cat, and as he was getting restless and even managed to escape once to F's great grief, we had to send him to the doctor. He had an operation yesterday and is now recovering at the vet's. He is expected home later in the afternoon.

It's 11.30 now. I have been on and off the computer, opening the door to kids and listening to new year's carols, refuelling my kids with candy and apples, then a moment ago sent them to sing the carols to the shop and C. I don't know if I shall have the time to blog tonight. Oh, did I mention? No, I did not. I subconsciously kept a festive announcement for the end of my post: We have a phone line at home! And as we are not working on January 1st, C said he will install our old computer and a new scanner/printer in the office nook. I am quite happy with my laptop, right now,though. I am getting to know it. My kids know how to use it better than me and its my present from last year!

Happy New Year everyone. May 2009 have for us in store good health, loving family and friends, enough prosperity to run our houses and help those in need, and Christ's ample blessings for our heart's, bodies and minds.

See you next year!

Baking, cooking, baking...Christmas

Gosh! I hadn't done that in years, I think. Non-stop cooking and baking till 3.30 a.m.
This is my first day (or rather evening) out, post Friday. During which I played nurse to my 7 year old (thank God he is fever-free today). Made a festive lunch for my 12 year old's birthday. Cooked a vegetarian meal of beans and courgettes, and broccoli a la soy cream and pastitsio (that's layers of thick macaroni with a ground meat and tomato sauce and a creamy sauce on top; note to self: remember to post recipe!) with soy ground 'meat'. And baked melomakarona and kourambiedes, that's the season's typical Greek sweets.
And you know what? Despite of the continuous cleaning and washing that followed every step of the projects, the only reason I said I'd come to the shop tonight, was to write to you and wish you a very blessed CHRISTMAS.
Can you imagine? I have been working non-stop from 17 to 25, stayed at home for three years, then non-stop for another eleven. I am supposed to miss going to work and dealing with orders and filing reports and the like. But right now, dress me like the Waltons and you've made my day, no, make it a year!

This is D's birthday cake. I didn't make it myself , like last year,but we bought it from a nice local patisserie who prides itself of having the recipe from a French employee who first made it some time at the beginning of the last century, hence the french name 'gateau'.

These are my daughters at work, making kourambiedes and having fun around one of the most treasured parts of our new home, the white-marble-topped island. It's so helpful and fun! I love it.

And this is the final result of my melomakarona. Can you see they're all wrapped like baby Jesus?

In my news feeder: "Speaking on Monday, Pope Benedict said that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was as important as protecting the environment". Yes, sir. I agree. (Read more on the BBC page).

May the miracle of Christmas fill our hearts with joy. His Joy.

Merry Christmas, dear friends.

On a nicer note...

Following the previous post, I think I need one of those. I love chestnuts. I have actually boiled some in the morning, and may have them for dinner. Come share with me (and let me know how it is, if you make one!) The recipe is here.

A fever, a play and a birthday

Hello, my dear friends,

Writing from the shop. Listening to music from Denise's blog (Thank you, Denise!).
I've spent the morning at home. I wasn't baking fun Christmas cookies or melomakarona and kourambiedes.. I was sleeping, dosing next to my 'baking' 7-year old. He came yesterday from school complaining that his head hurt. Then last night the girls called us saying he had a real bad headache, so we rushed home. Thermometer verdict:38.2. Daddy verdict: No school today. So, I squeezed oranges and handed out vitamin C supplements and covered bread with honey for my little honey.
Later I made some spaghetti with basil and tomato sauce but he didn' t want any, so when the girls came back from school, we had lunch with little J reclining on the recliner and watching TV.
C left at 6 am today to deliver some goods to a ferry (you know by now: 11/2 hour drive!). But the weather was not good enough for the ferry to reach its final destination, and so now the goods are stranded in the ship on their way to another island, when the weather gets better. You'd think we live in the Caribbean! (Think Nim's Island).
Anyway, I am now drinking a hot mandarin orange green tea (after tasting, I am thoroughly for plain green). It's getting darker outside. So many colours and shades in nature!..


Yesterday evening I put up the decorations at the shop. I was fed up waiting for the new ones. When we unpacked the week's track load, we found the new ones packed inside, so C screwed together the new one.
I had taken some nice pictures with my camera last night, but for now, we'll have to make do with my mobile. this is the standard decoration we've had for years, but I hung the socks from the new one and didn't use any of the previous ones. There. We're Christmasy at the shop, too!

Tomorrow afternoon it's J's Christmas shool play. He is in the chorus, singing and dancing around Uncle Scrooge. I haven't bought him his outfit yet. I was supposed to do so this morning. We'll have to make do with what we've got, I think. A white polo neck and jeans...Hmmm! I hope he'll be OK by tomorrow, OK enough to play his part at least.

Then on Sunday it's D's 12th birthday. We haven't ordered her a cake, nor did I have the time to make one, but I think we'll let her pick a ready made one. (Great selection of songs , Denise. By What Child Is This a weight was lifted off my chest. Thank you). I have bought her a pair of trousers that she had her eyes on all fall, and a cardigan to match. And if everything gets better with J, we've promised to take them watch Madagascar II in the afternoon. D is my pink girly girl, yet she is 'still' a child and I am so very thankful for that little angel God sent me. I love and appreciate her more and more as she grows up.


Sweet kisses to all of you, my dear friends. Love each other and enjoy the weekend.

*Update:
Did I tell you the computer went blue in the morning and when it recovered it got all the 2007 stuff installed, but none of 2008? links, e-mails, the works? Oh I would have been infuriated if that had happened then. I am quite stoic , right now. I'll let the professionals blub on , the computer guy and the accountant guy and all...

Also, J has a 39 now and I can't reach the doctor on her mobile, so we might take him to the hospital if it persists. No question of school play or Madagascar, C said. Oh well! There will be another play and another movie...

A glimpse of everyday

I am at work, and it's getting dark. C bought some wood and is currently stashing it outside the den. During the holidays shops stay open all day, so in the past few days we have stayed at the shop all day. Reminded me of the old days, before we moved house, when we did that every day. Gosh, how did I manage all those years?

I have put up last year's decorations, as the new ones weren't getting anywhere near. At last the company sent them and they'll be here tomorrow, so I shall be decorating and changing sheets and the like. I was hoping to do some baking tonight. May be not. I already feel sleepy and there is tons of laundry to do.

Today C and I drove to the old city. I like walking in that part of the town, the smell of freshly ground coffee, the old craftsmen bent over their handicrafts. C said we could take the children and visit on Saturday. There aren't many left, as they're being pushed out by more "modern" materials and the ready made.

In other news, we are looking for a bride for Taki the cat. We are against medical procedures in this household , if we can help it, so now we are waiting for the right one to show up. I wonder what I'll do when time comes for my children to marry!

We stopped eating dairy today, as part of the feasting for Christmas. It can become challenging, especially when it is winter, and you/I/we need something warm to eat particularly in the evening. But we'll manage I think. I'm glad the children don't make a fuss about it as long as there is some sort of potato dish in the menu!

C will be delivering beds and a dining table and benches tomorrow. As we are in the heart of the mainland, most nearby towns are on an one to two hour drive radius.

OK, I'd better be getting ready to go home and make a soup of some kind. It's getting colder and as the weather men said, it's going to get rainy, too. Oh I love winter!

December 17th:St.Dionysios

*In loving memory of my late grandfather, Father Dionysios. May God rest your soul and pardon our sins. We shall always love and remember you*.

Saint Dionysius of Zakynthos, the Bishop of the island of Aegina, was born in 1547 on the island of Zakynthos (Zante). Though born into a noble family, he was determined to flee the world and set his mind upon heavenly things.

He entered the monastery of Strophades, and after the prescribed time, he was clothed in the angelic schema by the abbot. Though young in years, he surpassed many of his elders in virtue, and was found worthy of ordination to the holy priesthood. Although he protested his unworthiness, St Dionysius was consecrated Bishop of Aegina. In that office he never ceased to teach and admonish his flock, and many were drawn to him in order to profit from his wisdom. He feared the praise of men, lest he should fall into the sin of vainglory, so he resigned his See and returned to Zakynthos.In 1579 the diocese of Zakynthos was widowed (when a bishop dies, his diocese is described as "widowed"), and Dionysius agreed to care for it until a new bishop could be elected. Then he fled from the worldly life which gave him no peace, and went to the Monastery of the Most Holy Theotokos Anaphonitria, twenty miles from the main village.

A certain stranger murdered the saint's brother Constantine, an illustrious nobleman. Fearing his victim's relatives, the stranger, by chance or by God's will, sought refuge in the monastery where St Dionysius was the abbot. When the saint asked the fugitive why he was so frightened, he confessed his sin and revealed the name of the man he had murdered, asking to be protected from the family's vengeance. St Dionysius wept for his only brother, as was natural. Then he comforted the murderer and hid him, showing him great compassion and love. Soon the saint's relatives came to the monastery with a group of armed men and told him what had happened. He pretended to know nothing about it. After weeping with them and trying to console them, he sent them off in the wrong direction. Then he told the murderer that he was the brother of the man he had killed. He admonished him as a father, and brought him to repentance. After forgiving him, St Dionysius brought him down to the shore and helped him to escape to another place in order to save his life.

Because of the saint's Christ-like virtue, he was granted the gift of working miracles. Having passed his life in holiness, St Dionysius reached a great age, then departed to the Lord on December 17, 1624. Not only are the saint's relics incorrupt, but he is also one of Greece's "walking saints" (St Gerasimus and St Spyridon are the others). He is said to leave his reliquary and walk about performing miracles for those who seek his aid. In fact, the soles of his slippers wear out and must be replaced with a new pair from time to time. The old slippers are cut up, and the pieces are distributed to pilgims. On August 24, we celebrate the Transfer of his Holy Relics. Through the prayers of Saint Dionysius, may Christ our God have mercy upon us and save us.

Apolytikion

Let us, the faithful, in one accord honor Dionysios,
the offspring of Zakynthos, the Bishop of Aegina,
and the protector of the Monastery of the Strophades.
Let us entreat him in sincerity:
By your prayers save those
who celebrate your memory
and cry out to you:
Glory to Christ, who has glorified you;
glory to Him who has granted you to us
as our unsleeping intercessor.

December 6th-St. Nicholas

Apolytikion

The truth of things hath revealed thee to thy flock as a rule of faith,
an icon of meekness, and a teacher of temperance;
for this cause, thou hast achieved the heights by humility, riches by poverty.
O Father and Hierarch Nicholas,
intercede with Christ God that our souls be saved.

Kontakion

Saintly One, in Myra you proved yourself a priest;
for in fulfilling the Gospel of Christ, venerable One,
you laid down your life for your people
and saved the innocent from death.
For this you were sanctified as One learned in divine grace.


To read more on St. Nicholas' life, please click here.


On September 11, 2001, the Greek Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas was crushed by the collapsing World Trade Center. Please visit the link above and help us rebuild it. Thank you!