Last night we had an awesome group discussion on what this trip meant to all of us.  Everyone agreed that is will be one of the best times of their lives.  I know for me personally it has been amazing.  The kids are great and so fun to be around.  I have never seen a group of kids, who just met, become such good friends!!!!  We ended the night dancing under the stars, overlooking the ocean, in the courtyard of the Orphanage.  It was a beautiful evening.

This morning we toured Athens, the Acropolis and the new Acropolis Museum.  I always enjoy seeing the reaction to the Parthenon of people who have never experienced it before!  It is overwhelming.  The museum was unbelievable, a true modern day marvel.  It has only been open a week so we feel very fortunate to be one of the first groups to tour it!

Don't let the smiles fool you, that was one tough climb, but well worth it.

The afternoon was spent back swimming and relaxing.  The weather here has been perfect!   Not too hot and not too cold.  The Aegean breeze feels wonderful! 

Dancing  while overlooking the lights of Athens is something the kids will always remember.

Tonight we were guest at Maria Sharp's home in a very upscale suburb of Athens.  She was the true Greek host.......absolutely wonderful!   There was so much delicious food on the table.  We met her sister, brother-in-law and neighbor with whom we spent a wonderful evening talking about our experience in Greece.  They were quite impressed with the kefi of our kids, especially when they started dancing!  As they dances on the terrace, we could see the lights of Athens and the 2005 Olympic Stadium!    It was too good to be true!!!!  We appreciate Mrs.Sharp for the great food and enjoyable parea.

Food & friends, an unbeatable combination.

Kali Nichta sas!

Peggy Dunkerly

Think climbing the Acropolis in Summer is a feat? Try taking a group of young adults to another country!  If you pulled both of you'd be smiling too!

Early this morning, we said goodbye to the "good" waters of Kala Nera (above), as we departed for Athens.

It is with great reluctance that I give my last blog, as I have accepted the fact that our Odyssey will end in several days. However, I did finally enjoy a day of relaxation and rest. We left Volos  and the area of Kala Nera (Good Water) around eight in the morning in order to arrive back in Voula. I can't even tell you how long our bus ride was today considering I slept the entire time.

Our one stop today was in the city of Chalkida, smack dab in the middle of Greece ( Interesting fact: The famous philosopher Aristotle spent the last year of his life here). Getting off of the bus, we thought nothing of the body of water in front of us. Yet as we approached the inlet, our leader Gerry explained that we must look closer at the water. Streaming from both the north and south, the water met in the center of the body and revolved, forming a whirlpool. It was a neat sight to see and I have to admit, I had a real urge to jump in the water. 

We met for lunch in one of the nicest psistarias (fish restaurants) in the town, Delphinia. We were all rather tired of meat, so some seafood was greatly received. Grilled octopus and calamari put us in very happy moods. I had to wash my hands several times in order to rid myself of the smell of lemon that I drizzled on my food. 

Delphinia is famous for it's Octopi!

Instead of choosing the shop, we stopped at a nearby cafe, Abotis, for a quick frappe and ice cream. The boys were certainly satisfied in that we finally got to watch a match of soccer, and probably the only complaint during the trip was that we wanted to continue watching!  However, it was time for more driving. We passed a local fire when we approached Athens; the dark smoke, reaching the heavens, could be seen for miles. Does anyone know if this was something major?

Travel really does wear a person down. That's why I think so many of us welcomed the orphanage in Voula with open arms; we were incredibly happy to be back 'home'. On the other hand, nobody welcomed the second hike up the hill with all of our luggage. Some of us did play a quick match of soccer on the facility while others walked down to the beach. 

For the first time, some of us experienced real laundry. Now I'm not talking about washing your dirty clothes in a washer and dryer without your parents; I mean a complete assembly line of rinsers, washers and dryers. This will definitely be a valuable factor in my upcoming college years. 

We closed the evening with a casual gathering in the center of facility here in Voula. Gerry asked us to write one to three words that described our experience. There was a mutual consensus that this was the 'trip of a lifetime', 'perfect opportunity' and simply 'amazing'. As we spoke on our experiences with Fr. Chris for the radio portion of the blog, several people broke down crying. This was not in a bad way. The trip has been so life changing that they were lost for words. A sense of humility struck me once again. I really have been blessed to go on the trip and to meet these people. Therefore, I'm going to log off and join everyone for dessert at a local cafe. That's all for now!  

The team takes time to reflect on their Odyssey...

James Carras

Ms. Peggy never disappoints. At seven twenty-nine, one minute before my alarm was supposed to go off, she is banging on our door waking us up. After stumbling out of bed the girls and I got ready for the day. Breakfast was fresh baked bread a nice change from the regular bread we had been having and at nine we all loaded the bus for Milies.

Milies, Greece

On the way to Milies, we passed a street lined with olive trees and heard stories of the old railways. Once in Milies, Father Alexios one of our hosts, kindly gave us a tour.  We walked around the town and we even visited a library. The oldest book was dated to around the fourteen hundreds. After we all went to the library, we visited the church of Archangels Michael and Gabriel. On the outside the church looked like a plain old house but the inside was beautiful. The church was designed to look like a house to protect it from the Turks when they invaded the time of the persecution leading up to the Greek War of Independence in 1821.  The church was exquisite. It had twelve total domes each corner of which had a jar to keep it from collapsing in on itself and also used to enhance the acoustics of the nave of the Church. The iconography was beautiful. In the Narthex there were many icons but one which was particularly striking was the one of the Last Judgment.  Fr. Alexios explained to us in Greek and Fr. Chris translated the images to us in words.  The pictures taken will clearly explain this vivid icon of our faith.

The church of the archangels was our last stop in Milies and we eventually pilled onto the bus for our ride back to Volos. When we arrived we were allowed to get lunch and chill at the beach. I had lunch with some of my great friends and we then had a great time at the beach. Many of us tried to play paddleball and many of us like myself failed at that attempt. The beach was fun and hanging out with the others on this trip was nice. At about 3:30 many of us went back to the hotel to get ready for our performance. The performance was in Melissatikia set up by the woman who taught us our workshop yesterday. After we danced we all had dinner at the Cathedral Church in Volos of the Annunciation. The dinner was great and since it was a fasting week we had fish and potatoes.

Fr Alexios talks about the exterior of the church.

Fr Alexios talks about the icon screen

Father Chris Interviews Constantina

Getting ready to dance.

A beautiful setting, for an amazing performance!

All the dancers enjoyed the evening.

After the local kids performed, everyone joined in the fun!

Our fearless leader takes a rare break.

            Tonight we are going to an Internet cafe for dessert. I cant wait to write again it has been so much fun thus far. Talk to you later.  Brittany 

Executive Director of the Music School

Music School Presentation

Driving uphill forever brought us to a beautiful monastery overlooking the entire coastline. It was a memorable and moving evening for all. 

The team does a dance workshop. The instructors were so impressed they asked them to perform later in the week.

This beautiful facility is used for the Metropolis of Volos, as well as many seminars and conferences.

Audio of Father Alexios speaking to the group about the Metropolis building.

Father Alexios explains the hierarchy of the Orthodox Church.

After a beautiful night of strolling down the starlit beach in Kala Nera and enjoying each other's parea at the local waterfront cafe we were ready for the adventure of a new day.  This morning, we were off to the beautiful area near Volos, known as the Pilio.  The drive up Mt. Pelion was breathtaking.  We were able to see the entire city and bay of Volos.   Fr. Alexios was an excellent tour guide offering interesting details about the Pilio region.  He mentioned that the houses were architecturally unique to the area because they have the style of homes in the Epiros region of Greece because people of that region originally constructed them.  The roofs had stone roofs versus tile windows were made of dark wood and the walls above the windows were ornately decorated.   I truly felt I was in a whole new Greece.  Everywhere I go in Greece there is always something uniquely different about each place

Fr. Alexios also mentioned how blessed the Pilio was with the beauty of nature.  The mountain was very green, filled with natural springs, walking trails, and truly amazing views of the bay and land below!  It is no wonder that the Olympus God’s chose Pilio for their summer holidays, as mythology states!

Once we reached the village of Makrinitsas, we found a storybook setting of cobblestone streets, lush greenery, unique homes and friendly villagers.  I felt like I was in a dream!  This place was just too perfect to be true!!!!
We walked to the square where we had the chance to step inside a platano tree! The trunk is open and gigantic enough to fit several people!  Amazing! 

Next we were invited for a tour of the Kentro Parivalontkis Ekpethevis, a school of Ecology under the Greek Ministry of Education.  These "nature centers" throughout Greece offer workshops for school children that teach preserving our environment.  This also includes the preservation of man-made structures, such as old homes.

Personally I think the Greeks are “greener” than Americans.  They already drive more fuel-efficient cars, use less toilet water, and hardly ever use air conditioning!   When we returned from the mountains, the group had one of the best “Greek Tarvena Lunches” ever.  I truly felt that we experienced the real Greece…..slowly savoring a great meal with the best parea (company)!   Then some of the kids made time for the beach!

Next, we took a trip to the Monastery of the Archangels Michael and Gabriel.  As we ascended the mountain I felt as if I was on my way to heaven.  We saw the Church up in the distance on the very top of the mountain.  Once we arrived it was a very uplifting experience.  The view was spectacular, but that was not the best part.  It was being in the presence of such humble nuns in their little piece of paradise.  Such a holy feeling surrounded all of us.

The highlight was a grand dinner that ended with the nuns chanting.  During the chanting one of the nuns smiled and handed me the words to the song below.  It was in Greek, which I hardly can read.  Somehow I was able to read it at their pace and sing along.  I was quite emotional because I truly felt I was singing with my mother who just passed away last year. I felt her presence and by listening to the chanting I knew somehow what she must be hearing every day.  This is the refrain of one of the songs they sang.

A Dove

“May you have peace within you and give peace to others.

Anger and hatred in your soul may you never accept.

The words of our Christ may you have as protection.

Peace I give you in this world of ours. “             

As I looked up, everyone seemed to have his or her own special experience.  Gerry shared his with us about his love for the Church and his love of working for the Church.  He feels deeply about his efforts and I know I speak for all when I say that we love Gerry and the work that he does.  He truly has a special effect on us all!

When we returned home we congratulated Zaharoula on her new career at the monastery.  Won’t she make a great nun!!!

Finlakia,

Peggy Dunkerly

The Abbess of the Monastary speaks with Father Chris Metropulos and describes the Monastary and its location.

The team visited an underground church in Volos, dating back to the New Testament era. 

The team poses at Delphi, center of the Ancient world.

Welcome back to the Hellenic Dance Festival 2009 Odyssey Trip. It was another long day for the group, yet one mostly spent inside of the bus. After leaving Agrinion an hour late, we hit the road for Delphi. Most of our travelers spent the three and a half hour bus ride sleeping. We dismissed the bus drive upon our arrival to Delphi’s Archaeological Site and Museum. Our tour guide Georgia led us throughout the grounds and explained the importance of each monument. The centerpiece of the ancient ruins is the Sanctuary of Delphi, dedicated to Apollo, circa 8th century BC. This archaic temple was surrounded by multiple treasuries, which held the funds of the temple. On a lighter note, the boys from the group wanted to consult the oracle; unfortunately, she was nowhere to be found. Thank you Lord!  Those of us who had the strength, and desire, to keep trekking though the mountains visited the Roman theatre and stadium. Our visit to the self-proclaimed ‘center of the world’ provided for perfect photo opportunity.

Right around the corner, we were treated to lunch at Omfalos restaurant in Arachova.  With our stomachs full, we loaded back onto the bus for another long journey, a four-hour drive to Volos. As if we hadn’t visited some of the most pristine churches in Orthodoxy already, we paid a visit as our first stop to the Church of the Birth of the Panagia in Volos. The church is in a cave underground; every square inch is covered in Byzantine iconography. Founded by two cousins of St. Paul,  Zinaida and Philonila who provided health care for the poor, this church has a been a beacon for those less fortunate. Father Vasilios and Fr. Alexios explained the miraculous events that have taken place at the church. Furthermore, they were generous enough to give each of us an icon of the Theotokos with the Christ Child.

Most of us are familiar with the Metropolis of Atlanta’s Diakonia Center in Salem, SC. Even though we are halfway around the world, we were able to have dinner at the Greek Metropolis’ of Volos’s own Diakonia Center. The delicious feast from the center ended our day perfectly leaving us just enough time to relax at our hotel and a local cafe.

Our trip has been incredible thus far. From long bus rides and delectable meals to gargantuan cathedrals and quaint churches, I’m sure we will leave Greece with the most perfect memories. 

From local dignitaries, to the the dancers themselves, everyone anticipates a wonderful evening.  Fr. Christopher is welcomed by K.Oupania who hosts her own one hour local television show each week on theological issues with phone in requests. The OCN hopes to be able in the near future to offer this insightful program to our listeners with English subtitles. Also welcoming the guests is the proud and rightly so, Director of the Musical School, Dr. Maria Mamsoula. Father Christopher spoke to Dr. Maria about how the school can also begin to broadcast its message to young people around the world on the OCN. Watch for future developments from Agrinion. As you scroll through this blog you will be able to hear and see some the performance done by our students. They were incredible ambassador's of our Church and faith in America.

Learning the local dances of Agrinion.

In Agrinion, students received expert instruction on the local daces.

For over  30 years, iconographers have worked on beautifying the Cathedral of Saint Andrew's with Icons. With work nearly complete, it was a gift to witness this art of visual worship in progress. 

Audio From St. Andrews

A Talk With An Iconographer

Some of the oldest wine barrels in Europe age wine in the hills around Patras. 

The team was treated by His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios to lunch, in his hometown of Patras. 

HDF team members venerate the relics of Saint Andrew. 

The team follows our guide through ancient Corinth. The audio from our day at Corinth is below:

Clonaris Inroduction - Corinth

Achaia Claus Tour

Argonaut Fountain

Corinth Guide

Corinth Agora

Corinth Museum Tour

Corinth - About the Apostle Paul

Corinth - Paul's Trial

Corinth Vases

Corinth Guide 2

Temple of Apollo and Aphrodite

Diolkos Canal

Duet - Holy Friday

In the town of Agrinion, the stage was set for a night of dancing. HDF was the main act, impressing the locals with their dancing skills. 

Day three was fully loaded with great events and incredible challenges that traveling in a foreign country present.  Sorry for the delay in posting this but our schedule has been non stop.

Forty-six stairs and a long hill later the bus was loaded and we left the orphanage headed for Corinth. After three to four hours of sleep and a wake up call of six o’clock all the girls stumbled out of bed took showers and had breakfast.  Finally we lugged everything down to the bus stop and pilled on. After Gerry’s head count we finally got on the road.  So much for asking everyone to pack lightly.

We arrived in Corinth at about nine forty five. We met up with our tour guide and she showed us around ancient Corinth. The history was amazing and the ruins were beautiful. I couldn’t believe so many were still intact. We learned about apostle Paul and his letters to the Corinthians about the lifestyle of the people back then. After Corinth the group went to meet Metropolitan Alexios in Patra for some tiropita and a drink.  It was a welcome stop and we had a wonderful conversation with our spiritual father.  His Eminence then made a change to our schedule and we headed for the oldest winery in Greece Achaia Claus. At the winery we were given a tour and learned about the winery which has wine which dates back to the early 19th Century and got to taste the famous Mavrodaphni. 

After the winery we headed to the Cathedral of Saint Andrew where we venerated the skull of the First Called Apostle Andrew and also venerated the Large X Cross on which he as martyred.  Many of us were moved to tears.  It was a breathtaking Church filled with magnificent icons.  It is also one of the largest Churches in the world.

After all of that we headed to Agrinion where we had a dance workshop and learned several new dances. After the workshop we began to head for the hotel when a problem arose.  Can you guess what is was?  Our bus could not fit through the narrow roads of the village due to some construction. Our bus driver called the police to see if they could escort us through the village and they arrived with lights blinking on two motor cycles but that did work.   The hotel then proceeded to send 12 cabs to pick us all up along with our luggage. What confusion!  After about 1 hour we all arrived safe and sound at the hotel.  Remember when you travel in a foreign country to be patient and expect changes...this is what our leaders keep telling us!

The hold up gave us little time and we were forced to get dressed as soon as we were at the hotel. We then proceed in 12 more taxis to the place where we would perform that night. The entire program was delayed by a strong rain storm and then the electric power for the stage went out.   After three attempts to reestablish the electrical current the show went on.  The Music Private School with over 400 students gave an outstanding presentation of hymns, dances and music.  Waiting to dance we watched the other local groups and made some new friends. When we danced up on the stage it felt great. The kefi just sort of came and we felt like a real group.  When we were done we preformed a dance with those who had taught us at the workshop. The local people who had come to view the presentation were truly impressed and their leader even commented that the guests had probably preformed the ethnic dances better than those who lived in Greece.   For a small stage it sure held a lot of people. At eleven it was finally time for dinner. Dinner was good and we headed back.

Day three of our trip was interesting. It had many unexpected twists and turns but most of them weren’t that bad.  I cant wait to see what else the trip has in store for us so I can share it with you. Brittany. 

Touring Athens

Divine Liturgy - Cherubic Hymn

More Divine Liturgy

Memorial Service

Father Chris Introduces The Hellenic Dance Festival Travel Blog

Father Chris interviews Anastasia, who works producing radio programming for Orthodox youth in Greece.

Father Chris and the youth on the way to an orphanage in Athens

Metropolitan Alexios speaks about St. Phelothea

Father Chris gives listeners a welcome to Greece

We began the day with a miracle,… everyone woke up on time and we were ready to go at 8:30 a.m.!  Perhaps we all were excited to experience our first Divine Liturgy in Greece.  The bus or Pullman, as the Greeks call it, took us to the southern suburb of Athens, St. Demetrios, to a Church of the same name. 

Most of the churches that I have been to in Greece were centuries old but St. Demetrios was in the process of new construction.  The Liturgy was held in the basement of the church since the sanctuary was not completed.   It still was as beautiful as ever. 

As we walked in we were immersed with the sound of harmonious chanting and a house full of worshipers.  This was definitely not the come-just-before communion crowd.  They were mostly of middle age and older with the men sitting in chairs on the right side of the church and the women sitting on the left side.  This was the first of many differences between the way the Americani Ellines worship.

There were even signs indicating the proper section each gender should sit!I was surprised not to see many children and young adults. But they eventually turned up just before communion. There was no choir but Psaltes or Chanters on both sides of the Church. 

Even amongst the differences, the one thing I noticed the most was the common tie we had with the language.  I glanced over at our kids as they were reciting the Patrimony  (Lord’s Prayer) along side with the parishioners. It is amazing to think that you can go anywhere in the world and in every Greek Orthodox Church you will have the feeling of being home.  So many things attributed to this feeling…. The Icons, the smell of incense, the Holy traditions and the entire Divine Liturgy made us feel connected to St. Demetrios.

It was so special to have His Eminence, Metropolitan Alexios serve in the Altar, along with Fr. Chris. He said in his sermon that in God’s eyes we are all the same.  I looked around and noticed how true that statement was.  No matter what country, we are all Orthodox Christians.

After the Divine Liturgy we meet the priests of St. Demetrios.  They were Fr. Matthew, Fr. George, Fr. Evangelos and Fr. Lukas.  They gave us the privilege to venerate the Holy Relics of St. Demetrios.  That was such an uplifting experience.

Later we were treated to a wonderful breakfast and the community shared their philoxenia.  We were invited back next week for a performance in their Panagyri.  We are all very much looking forward it!

Then it was back on the bus to go for another dance rehearsal, relaxation and then off to the streets of Athens!

We visited the museum under the metro station at Syntagma Square and then experienced life in the Plaka with time spent in fellowship eating souvlaki sandwiches, which we were told, was at the best place in Athens called Thanasi! We also went to the Metropolis Cathedral of Athens to venerate the icons and light a candle.  We were honored to venerate the relics of two incredible Saints, Piloted and Gregory.  The Turks hanged St. Gregory in 1821 at the main gate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on Pascha Sunday.  We have much to share when we return with our family.  We also met the former Chancellor the Archdiocese of Athens Fr. Thomas who traveled with the late Archbishop Christodoulos when he came to America for a transplant prior to his death. He and Father Chris were able to catch up on old times and plan some time together in the future.  Fr. Thomas is now the Dean of the Cathedral.

Our time in Athens ended with a wonderful performance of the Dora Stratou Folkloric Dancers, under the stars in their amphitheater near the Acropolis.

Peggy Dunkerly 

While in Athens, Fr. Chris ran into a long time friend, Fr. Thomas, Dean of the Metropolis Cathedral. 

While in Athens, students were again able to venerate the relics of Saint Philothea.

As a special treat, they brought out the relics of Saint Demetrios for the team to venerate. Afterwards we all posed with His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios along with the local clergy.