Every year in mid August, Catholics in and around Greece unite to celebrate the memory of Virgin Mary (Jesus Christ’s mother), in a feast based upon ancient Marian beliefs that Mary’s body ascended up to Heaven on a specific day. That specific day is known to be August the 15th, a day many Catholics claim to be the date of Mary’s body assumption that dates back to the 300’s A.D.

Other than our Greek friends of course, the commemorative day is known to be celebrated in other parts of Europe, North and South America like the US or , as a form of symbolism centred around Mary’s body entering heaven, instead of going through the usual process of decay, most humans go through.

Now of course dear readers, none of us were around in that time period to indicate this to be true. In fact, it’s heavily debated that Mary’s body was even buried, to the extent where her body relics or burial tomb are nowhere to be found.

This unorthodox theory extends to the lack of a mention for Virgin’s Mary whereabout in the Holy Scripture itself, which leads us to this very question.Why do Greek Catholics celebrate this particular tradition, even though there’s close to no mention of this momentous occasion in the Bible?…

Well, it was decreed in November 1950 by the Pope Pius XII that this very day was to be celebrated, as the exact day that Virgin’s Mary body and soul, was accepted into Heaven. From there on in, Catholics worldwide were given an a day to commemorate this Eastern Orthodox, in their own religious fashion that observes this Assumption dogma, as a significant day in the religious calendar.

As we all know in the scriptures of the Bible, death is the end point of life, a term used to signify the end point of one’s lifespan. In Virgin’s Mary case, her assumption was symbolised as a reward for her faith, co-operation, perseverance and obvious role in the upbringing of the Prodigal son: Jesus Christ… which leads many to celebrate the Feast of Mary as a public holiday on the 15th of August every year.

As quoted by St John’s Damascene in one of his sermons…

“Your sacred and happy soul, as nature will have it, was separated in death from your most blessed and immaculate body, and although the body was duly interred, it did not remain in the state of death, neither was it dissolved by decay; your most pure and sinless body was not left on earth, but you were transferred to your heavenly throne.”

Notable quote one may say, I mean who’s to dispute St John, let alone the Pope now?

The event itself is celebrated with symbolic mosaics, food offerings that last throughout the day, liturgical services usually conducted in religious settings (ideally the Church, one will have you), processions and thus forth, just to ensure that visitors, let alone Catholics can commemorate the orthodox tradition in the right manner. This is done to ensure that the memory and wonderful life of Virgin Mary is respected and honoured in the best way possible, whilst maintaining the solemnity of the occasion for those celebrating her life, be it in an Eastern or Western church context.

For example, we see an delicately illustrated image of how Catholics assume Mary’s body, was eventually accepted into heaven through this image below here.

Greek wise, the civilians in the country choose to celebrate the Day of Mary’s assumption by turning the day into one joyous festival, with the event being nicknamed as “the Easter of the Summer”. The event leads to most corners and areas, being full of people going to church processions to pay tribute to one of the favourite saints in the Holy Scripture annually, with Virgin’s Mary being paraded throughout the country on posters, walls, altars and more during the day.

With the celebrations of Mary’s Assumption in Greece and elsewhere, the Saint has gathered a selection of titles that commemorate her sacred place among the saints often lauded in the Holy Scripture, much of which stems from the symbolism often placed on the the Dormition of the Virgin, as some nickname the festival. Here are some of the titles listed to Virgin Mary…

• Virgin of Tinos
• Mary of Jerusalem in the Holy Land
• Kastrani
• Amorgos
• Axion Estif of Mount Athos

Local festivals, street vendors and street bands are easy to be found, in the city of Agaissos during Assumption Day, as tourists, civilians and any random scooter of a human can enjoy the festivities at hand, for their own pleasure. That’s what makes Assumption Day so popular and festive for people to commemorate Virgin Mary’s Day so willingly- it combines the holy communion and spirituality of celebrating the mother of the prodigal son, whilst indulging in one of the joyous days of the Greek calendar, yearly.

There’s food, music, scripture readings and a whole lot of culture to take in, once you step foot in the Assumption Festival…. If you ask me my dear readers, what more can you really ask for??

Mount Athos, which is also known as the holy mountain, is located on the Eastern Halkidiki Peninsula near Thessalonica, Greece. It is one of the most important centers for Orthodox Christians.

Mount Athos was regarded as one of the most important monastic sites during the Byzantine empire. During this period, there were 46 monasteries on the site which attracted monks from all over the world.

Currently, the holy mountain is a UNESCO world heritage site. It is also one of the historical sites you should visit when you are in Greece.

This composition will provide all the necessary information you should know before planning to visit mount Athos.

History and background of mount Athos

Mount Athos is a holy site that starts inhabiting monks during the 19th century. It is located on one of the Greek peninsulas.

The holy mountain is about 50 km long and 10 km wide. It covers an area of 330 Square kilometers.

The origin of the name mount Athos varies. A source says during the battle between the gods and the giants, the giant Athos threw a huge rock at the god of the sea (poseidon). The rock fell into the sea and became the holy mount Athos.
Another source says the history of mount Athos began when Mary was traveling on the island of Cyprus to visit her friend. Her ship was blown off and guided by divine signs to a protected side and docked there. Looking upward at the mountain and its beauty, she declares “this mountain is holy ground. This area is also known as the garden of the virgin mary.

During the 6th and 7th centuries, monks found mount Athos as a deserted place to worship in peace. During the 9th century, these monks began to gather in small communities all over Athos.

The era of organized monastic life begins in 963 AD with the establishment of the first monastery, the Great Lavra. The founder of this monastery was Athanasios of the Athonite.
In the 11th and 12th centuries, more monasteries were constructed but mount athos remains an important monastic site in the Byzantine empire.

In 1822, the greatest tragedy occurred. Thousands of women and children seek refuge in the area, and Turkish armies kill the women and the children including the monks, steal all the treasures, and burn valuable manuscripts.

During the end of Ottoman domination in 1912, mount Athos had around 10,000 monks. Currently, mount Athos is a self-governing area of the Greek state. It is governed by the holy community which consists of representatives from 20 holy monasteries.

The monasteries of mount Athos

Mount Athos consists of 20 monasteries. 17 of these monasteries are Greek while one is Russian, one is Serbian and one is Bulgarian. These 20 monasteries are under the supervision of the archimandrite of mount Athos. Each monastery has a representative called Protos, this representative attends a joint governing council.

The Greek monastery includes :

• Monastery Stavronikita

  This is one of the smallest monasteries of mount Athos. It was established by the Patriarch Jeremiah I in 1540. It was founded to replace an older monastery that was already in existence in the 11th century.
  Numerous active monks still dwell in the monastery as they provide restoration of the building and hospitality to the pilgrims.

• Monastery Xenofondos

  This monastery is built by the sea and dedicated to St George. It was built in the early 18th century. The monastery has 14 chapels, and 8 of the chapels are inside the monastery.

• Monastery Megistis Lavras

  This is the first and the most renowned monastery. It was established in 963 AD by Athanasius the Athonite.
  Since the existence of the monastery, it has always held first place among others because of its wealth. The monastery is always open from sunrise to sunset.

• Monastery Osiou Grigoriou

  This monastery was built by the sea during the 14th century. It is located Southwest of the peninsula and is dedicated to St Nicholas. This monastery inhabits about 100 monks today which makes it one of the most inhabited monasteries. The library has about 297 manuscripts and 4000 books.

• Monastery Dionisiou

  This monastery was built by the monk Dionysius of Koryssos in the middle 14th century. It was built on a rock, high above the sea. There is a defensive tower inside the monastery, used for the safekeeping of the monastery library.

• Monastery Koutloumousiou

  This monastery ranks sixth in the hierarchy of the Athonite monastery. It was founded by the monk Kallistos from the garden of Koutloumous. The monastery has more than 600 manuscripts and 6500 printed books.

• Monastery Iviron

  This monastery was built at the end of the 10th century by a Georgian monk, St John. It is the third in the hierarchy of monasteries. This monastery was dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos.
  Pilgrims visit this monastery for the legendary miracles of the Panagia Portaitissa.

• Monastery Filotheou

  This monastery was founded by the St Filotheous in 972. It was called Fteris monastery in the beginning. The new name was given in honor of Christ’s annunciation. The monastery library possesses about 250 manuscripts and 2500 printed books.

• Monastery karakalou

  This monastery was built around the 11th century by Karakalas. It was dedicated to St Peter and Paul.
  The library has about 279 manuscripts and 2500 printed books.

• Monastery Pantokratoros

  This monastery was established by two Byzantine officials, Alexios and Ioannis. It is dedicated to the transfiguration of the savior. The monastery has 15 chapels while the library possesses 350 manuscripts and above 3500 printed books.

• Monastery Vatopediou

  This monastery was founded by three monks, Athanasius, Nicholas, and Antonius. It is dedicated to the Annunciation of the blessed virgin.
  The monastery library contains around 2000 manuscripts and 35000 printed books.

• Monastery Esphigmenou

  This monastery was founded in the 10th century. It is built by the sea and surrounded by a rectangular wall. The monastery library has about 372 manuscripts and 3000 printed books.

• Monastery Dochiariou

  This monastery is one of the most beautiful. It was built during the 10th century and dedicated to the archangels Micheal and Gabriel. This monastery has the most respected and valuable icon which is the icon virgin. Its library has about 900 manuscripts and 3000 printed books

• Monastery Xiropotamou

  This monastery was built at the end of the 10th century by Paul xiropotaminous. It was dedicated to the forty martyrs. The monastery library has around 400 manuscripts and 4000 printed books. It is inhabited by 38 monks today.

• Monastery Simonos Petras

  This monastery is the bold construction of the peninsula. It was founded by Hosios Simon and dedicated to the birth of Christ.It was burnt down by fire in 1891 and lost nearly all its treasures, this made the library have only 1500 printed books and few manuscripts.A brotherhood of 60 monks lives inside this monastery today.

• Monastery Saint Paul

  This monastery was founded by Paul xiropataninous, the same founder of the monastery Xiropotamou. The monastery was destroyed and rebuilt many times, which makes it building belong to a different period. Its library contains about 12500 printed books and 490 manuscripts.

• Monastery Konstamonitou

  This monastery was built in a forest, 200m above the sea. It was established by the great Constantine and later integrated by his son Konstas. The monastery library contains around 110 manuscripts.

  The remaining three monasteries are:

• Monastery Hilandariou (Serbian)

  This monastery was founded by Stefan Nemanja in the 12th century. The church is dedicated to the presentation of the blessed virgin mary. The monastery library contains 181 Greek manuscripts, 809 Slavic manuscripts, and 20000 printed books.

• Monastery Zografou (Bulgarian)

  This monastery was founded by three brothers in the 10th century. The brothers are Aaron, John, and Moses from Achris. It is dedicated to Saint George.
  The monastery library contains 126 greek manuscripts, 388 Slavic manuscripts, and 10000 printed books.

• Monastery saint panteleimonos (Russian)

  This monastery is also known as the monastery of the Russians. The church is dedicated to saint Panteleimon. This monastery had the second biggest bell on earth after that in st Petersburg. The monastery Library contains about a combined 1920 Greek and Russian manuscripts and 20000 printed books.

Visiting mount Athos

Mount Athos is a restricted area which makes visiting a difficult procedure. The holy mountain is not a vacation venue nor a place for catching fun. It is strictly a destination for pilgrimage.

Entrance into the Holy Mountain is strictly for men only, women have not been allowed inside the environment for more than thousands of years.

You must obtain a permit called Diamonitirion to enter the mountain. This permit is usually issued daily for 10 foreigners and orthodox visitors, and 100 for Orthodox Greeks visitors.
A permit lasts for 4 visiting days. It can be extended at the registration office in karyes, the capital of mount Athos. You must make your reservation up to six months in advance, the earlier the better. Reservation can be done via phone, fax, or email. The reservation cost 3 euros.

Contact for making a reservation :

Location: The mount Athos Pilgrim bureau, 109 Egnatia St. 546 22 Thessalonikiki, Greece. Fax: +3- 2310-222424
Email: [email protected]

Mobile: +30-2310-252578

The permit will be given to you at the pilgrim office branch at Ouranoupolis. From Thessaloniki, twice-daily buses are going to Ouranoupolis. You can purchase the ticket in advance online.

Upon arrival at ouranoupolis, you pick up your permit (Diamonitirion) at the Pilgrim’s branch. From Ouranoupolis, boats leave for the holy Mountai8 at 8 am, 9:45 am, and 11:45 am. You can get the ticket on the waterfront near the jetty. Upon getting to mount Athos, everyone must register in the office at Karyes.

Mount Athos is a holy and pilgrimage site. Some ground rules must be strictly followed by the visitors. Visitor permits can be withdrawn if any visitors violate the rules. Here are some of the rules:

• Dress moderately
• Pictures of monks should be taken only with permission
• You can take pictures of buildings, and scenes but not of services.
• Video recording is prohibited
• You should refrain from talking loudly or playing music loudly via a speaker.

The Holy Mountain is a pilgrimage site that has 20 monasteries. 17 Greek monasteries, 1 Russian monastery, 1 Bulgarian monastery, and 1 Serbian monastery. All these monasteries have their different histories, values, uniqueness, and significance to the history of Greece.

You should start your plan as early as six months in advance. The entry permit is only issued to 10 foreign visitors daily, and 100 Greek visitors daily. The permit lasts for 4 visiting days (3 nights).

You should always follow the rules and principles of the mountain. Your entry permit can be revoked if you violate any of the regulations.

You can read further and make more research on mount Athos before the start of your process. Enjoy your trip to the holy mountain.

Written by :  Lawal Usman

The Athens Metro network, which spans more than 135 kilometers and has 61 stations and 4 interchanges, provides service to the Athens agglomeration and certain areas of East Attica. Its 1992 construction, which was greatly required, led to the discovery of at least 30,000 antiquities that were buried in the ground.

Following the 2004 Olympic Games, the Greek capital was primarily dependent on individual automobiles, buses, trolleys, and the former railway line (constructed in 1869) connecting the port of Piraeus to the city center to meet the demands of its inhabitants.

Nonetheless, this made Athens one of the most highly polluted and congested cities on the continent. Since it opened, the Athens Metro has reduced travel times for users, removed more than 375,000 cars daily from the city’s crowded streets, and reduced pollution. We hope you’ll spend a few minutes reading this blog post just to find out more about the Athens Metro network, its ticket fee information, tips, and all you need to know about the Athens Metro network.

There are a few of the terms used to characterize the three-line metro system in Athens: sleek, contemporary, spotless, bright, timely, and practical and many others. Those who visited Athens a few decades ago might still have memories of an antiquated, pretty run-down metro line.

Definitely, it was! The 1869-established green line has lately received extensive renovations, but for the majority of Athenians, the red and blue metro lines, which were introduced in 2000, have changed their lives. On January 29, 2000, Athens welcomed the great history project, which transformed how residents and visitors traveled around the city and welcomed thousands of people when it opened its doors. The number of passengers transported is expected to have been close to 1,000,000 on just the first day of operation, January 29.

The names and colors of the three Athens metro lines in service today include:.

1. The green Line 1 travels all the way from Piraeus to the Kifissia neighborhood in the north. It travels by the stations at Monastiraki, Thissio, and Omonia in the heart of Athens. Graffiti is on the majority of the carriages.
2. Line 2 (the red line) connects Elliniko and Anthoupoli. Acropolis, Syntagma, Panepistimio, and Omonia are a few of the most well-known stops in central Athens.
3. If you take the Airport metro, you will go on Line 3 (the blue line). It stops at Piraeus port, goes via Syntagma Square and Monastiraki in the heart of Athens, and ends at the Dimotiko Theatro station there.

In 2000, Line 2 (red) and Line 3 (blue), two of the metro’s main lines, were opened. In 2004, Line 3 was extended to the airport; in 2013, it was extended to Agia Marina; and in 2013, Line 2 was extended to Anthoupoli. A fourth line is being planned, with a 2025 start date anticipated.

The proposed line, which would be 33 kilometers long, would increase the network’s station count by 30.

The Athens subway may be your first experience as a visitor when you arrive at the airport. To start, the airport’s metro station lies outside the terminal. You have to exit the airport building, then cross the street and ascend the steps to the metro station by following the signs for “Trains”. It takes 5 to 10 minutes to walk here.

Please note that the suburban train and another service both leave from the airport metro station. You must take the metro, not the suburban railway, if you’re going to central Athens. If you’re going to Piraeus, on the other hand, you can use either service because they both travel there immediately. Every hour, there are two metro trains and one suburban train.

At 6:32 and 23:32, respectively, the airport’s first and last metro trains depart. Piraeus is only about 40 minutes’ drive from the airport, and central Athens can be reached in roughly the same amount of time. The Athens metro operates for a sizable portion of the day. The blue and red lines run from 5:30 to roughly 0:30, whereas the green line runs from 5:00 to 1:00. (1:30 on Fridays and Saturdays). There is a metro every three to five minutes during rush hour, but in the late evening you can have to wait for up to ten minutes. Metro trains run less often on the weekends, during holidays, and in August.

You can also use this link stasy.gr to check the timetables for the metro at the Athens airport.

Athens metro Map 2023

In the metro map, you’ll find different stations and lines with three different colors .The green Line 1 travels all the way from Piraeus to the Kifissia neighborhood in the north. It travels by the stations at Monastiraki, Thissio, and Omonia in the heart of Athens. Graffiti is on the majority of the carriages. Line 2 (the red line) connects Elliniko and Anthoupoli. Acropolis, Syntagma, Panepistimio, and Omonia are a few of the most well-known stops in central Athens. If you take the Airport metro, you will go on Line 3 (the blue line). It stops at Piraeus port, goes via Syntagma Square and Monastiraki in the heart of Athens, and ends at the Dimotiko Theatro station there.

A few of the metro stations in the city of Athens are listed below along with their locations:

1. Syntagma is a station on the Athens Metro, located at Syntagma Square in the center of Athens, Greece. The stratigraphy of Athens is displayed at the Syntagma station in sections from the beginning of the 5th century BC to the Ottoman era. In addition, pipes from the water supply and sewage systems of ancient Athens, lamps, tombstones, and a portion of the mosaic floor of a house discovered nearby are on display in showcases.

   Eleonas is a station on Athens Metro Line 3. It opened on 26 May 2007 as part of the Egaleo extension. This is the only remaining portion of the earliest bridge ever discovered in Greece. These three pedestals, which date to approximately the fifth and sixth centuries BC, were part of the bridge of Ancient Kifissos.

2. Egaleo is a station of Athens Metro Line 3. It was opened on 26 May 2007 as part of an extension from Monastiraki. There are displays of clay jugs, lamps, figures, cloth weights, and souvenirs around the station. A horse’s skeleton model is also displayed, and its posture indicates that it was trying to escape the floodwaters of Kifissos.
3. Akropoli is a station on Athens Metro Line 2. The station opened on 15 November 2000, as part of the extension from Syntagma to Dafni, and is the nearest station to the Acropolis Museum and the eastern entrance to the Acropolis of Athens. Passengers are impressed by the replicas of the Parthenon frieze along each platform. Upon exiting, visitors can view replicas of the Parthenon’s east pediment’s statues depicting the birth of Athena from Zeus’ head, which are a modest display of everyday items from ancient Athens’ daily lives.
4. Monastiraki is an interchange station on the Athens Metro, between Lines 1 and 3. The original surface station on Line 1 opened on 17 May 1895. It became an interchange point of the network when the underground station of Line 3 opened on 22 April 2003. Monastiraki station is dominated by a sizable image from the metro’s underground galleries, where numerous pottery containers were discovered.

   There are many ancient artifacts on display inside the station that were found while it was being built, including homes from the eighth century BC to the nineteenth century AD, as well as structures, labs, and tombs.

You should also note that some of the most important stations for each line include:
Line 1 include: Piraeus, Neo Faliro, Thissio, Monastiraki, Omonia, Irini, Neratziotissa and Kifissia

Line 2 include: Stathmos Larisis, Metaxourghio, Omonia, Panepistimio, Syntagma, Acropoli, Sygrou-Fix, Neos Kosmos and Aghios Dimitrios

Line 3 include: Dimotiko Theatro, Piraeus, Eleonas, Kerameikos, Thissio, Syntagma, Monastiraki, Doukissis Plakentias and Airport

For the Athens metro, there are two ticket options and they include:

1. Single tickets:

• A 90-minute ticket, which costs 1.20 euro
• The popular two-trip package, which costs 2.30 euros
• A bundle of 5 trips and cost 5.70 euros.
• A bundle of 10 trips plus one is priced at 12 euros.

2. Passes for unlimited travel:

• The price of a 24-hour pass is 4.10 euros. From the first validation time forward, this is valid for 24 hours.
• A 5.20 euro ticket valid for 5 days.

Your Athens metro pass or ticket can be purchased from a till in most metro stations or from one of the vending machines in any metro station. The tickets are the size of a credit card and are composed of reinforced paper. Instead of purchasing a new ticket, you can simply recharge your current paper ticket.

These tickets are accepted on all forms of public transit in Athens’ central district, including buses, trolleys, the tram, and several segments of the city’s suburban railway.

With this, we can now say that navigating the city of Athens with the Athens metro map can be done with ease. We discussed briefly about the overview of the Athens metro and its characteristics, we talked about the Athens metro Map 2023 and gave tips and advice for using the Athens metro, such as how to purchase tickets and how to use the metro during rush hour. You must ensure that you follow these tips so that you can navigate the city of Athens with ease.

This post on the Athens Metro map 2023 was fun and we hope you enjoyed it! Additional resources for readers interested in learning more about the Athens Metro map include: realgreekexperiences.com
www.choicegreece.com

Written by : Olamide Olajoseph

According to mythology, Ethiopia is where coffee was first found in the ninth century. After eating the fruit of an unidentified shrub, a goat herder named Kaldi discovered that his goats become unusually energized. In a nearby monastery, Kaldi brought the fruit to a monk who prepared a drink out of it and found that it kept him awake. This is regarded as the origin of coffee discovery. Everyone likes their coffee one way or the other, some drink coffee to stay sharp and active and others drink it because it has become their daily ritual or they can’t just do without it.

Coffees vary based on their blends, how they look and most of all, how they taste. Coffee has a long history in many different cultures all over the world. Greece is no exception. Greek coffee is a potent, smaller cup of coffee that many people choose to consume over a longer period of time.

Today, we would be placing our attention on the Greek coffee and how it’s been made. Several nations, like Italy, have created distinctive coffee cultures that have influenced the global coffee market. Greece does not lay claim to such distinctions, but through the years, it has created its own coffee culture. The Greek coffee culture and its history dates back to the time when Greece was a part of the Ottoman Empire.

Greek coffee can also be called Glykos in Greece amongst many other names. It was first discovered at the time that it was a part of the Ottoman Empire. The ancient method of brewing coffee in briquettes—what we now refer to as “Greek coffee”—has been practiced in Greece since the 19th century, possibly even earlier.

This coffee has been the star in Greece, as well as the other Balkan nations, for many years—almost up until the conclusion of World War II. The ancient method of brewing coffee in briquette, which is what we now refer to as Greek coffee, has been practiced in Greece since the 19th century or possibly even earlier. Without a doubt, the “kafeneio” was Greece’s first type of coffee shop.

From the final years of Ottoman rule, Greece has been home to the earliest coffee shops, which have been serving Greek coffee, beverages, and pastries. Brikis, which are little pots with long handles, are used to make Greek coffee. In a similar manner to powdered sugar, coffee is ground finely. Greek coffee isn’t filtered, so you’ll need an extra-fine grind size.

Types of Greek Coffee

You may wonder if Greek coffee has just one type, well this blog post is here to inform you that there are several types of Greek coffees and they include:

1. Greek Frappé coffee: This is one of the most well-known coffee varieties in Greece.
2. Espresso freddo and Cappuccino freddo: The cold-brew coffee drinks espresso freddo

   and cappuccino freddo are relatively new to Greek coffee culture.

3. Espresso and Cappuccino: Greece consumes a lot of espresso and cappuccino, which

   were created in Italy at the beginning of the 20th century.

4. Filter coffee: Although filter coffee is offered at coffee shops in Greece, it is not the most widely consumed variety. It has a mild flavor and usually has less caffeine than espresso or conventional Greek coffee.
5. Cold Brew coffee: Some modern coffee shops in Greece provide cold brew coffee as a choice because making this requires several hours.

When selecting beans for Greek coffee, it’s crucial to choose premium, newly roasted beans that are fresh and of good quality. The Arabica beans are the type of coffee bean usually used to make Greek coffee and are well suited for the ancient Greek brewing procedure because of their robust, bold flavor and low acidity.

However there are other types of beans that can be used to make coffees and they include the likes of Robusta or a combination of Arabica and Robusta. The beans must be finely ground in order to completely dissolve in the boiling water, also it must be pounded to an extremely fine texture. This will ensure that the coffee has the correct texture and a robust flavor when it is brewed.

Also it is important to note that one of the most traditional and most popular Greek coffee varieties in Greek cafes is the Freddo coffee as it is an espresso double shot that has been beaten, blended, or mixed with ice cubes to resemble an espresso frappe.

Brewing Methods

Greek coffee, also known as “Ellenikos Kafes,” must be prepared in a specific pot known as a “briki,” a small conical pot with a long handle. It must be brewed differently since it is thick, black, and powerful. It is regarded as an art form and a sophisticated taste. In order to brew Greek coffee the traditional way, you’ll need 1–2 tsp Greek coffee (finely ground), 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 cup water(This depends on the amount of cups you plan to make). Also you’ll need to adhere to the procedure below:

Bring out your briki and put three ounces of water in it, put two teaspoons of finely ground coffee and two teaspoons of granulated sugar into the briki that has been filled with water. The Greek coffee pot should be heated slowly on the stove until it starts to foam. Once frothy bubbles have formed and have had time to settle, remove the coffee from the heat. Reheat the briki until more foam forms after all the bubbles have dissipated.

When the second layer of foam appears on top of the coffee, remove the briki from the heat and pour the coffee into a cup. You can now sip on your freshly prepared Greek coffee! Just make sure you also have a cup of water nearby because it’s usual to consume the two beverages together.

Note that, you always have to pay attention when the coffee is being brewed, if left for too long, the coffee will quickly boil over. Just raise the briki off the heat if the coffee begins to rise quickly. If you want your coffee to be sweet, add the sugar first. You don’t want to later agitate the situation.

As a foreigner in any part of the world where the common tongue (English) of the world isn’t used to communicate, it often becomes a problem as it breeds stress and constraints to the foreigners there. It therefore becomes a necessity to be able to understand the native language of that particular area so that such a person can be able to do a couple of things in the area.

This also goes for visitors in Greece, stressful travel can occur, especially if you’re traveling alone and don’t speak the language. Knowing the Greek alphabet’s letters can go a long way in making you feel at home if you’re considering a vacation to Greece this year. You necessarily don’t have to know the indepth of this language but understanding the basics would help you read and write Greek alphabets to an extent: therefore, this blog post would serve as a guide to help you read and write Greek so you can read their signs while in the country and not get lost.

Greek alphabet and its history

Greeks having firsthand knowledge of contemporary Phoenician writing created the Greek alphabet. It was quickly re-exported eastward to Phrygia, where a comparable writing was developed, almost as swiftly as it had been established on the Greek mainland. The Greek alphabet was also transported west with Euboean or West Greek traders, where the Etruscans modified it for their own language to finally give rise to the Latin alphabet. The adoption of Phoenician letter shapes, which were descended from the North Semitic alphabet, in the 8th–9th century BC marks the beginning of the history of the Greek alphabet. If you’d like to learn more about the Semitic languages that existed in early Ancient Greece and are still spoken today. After Linear B, the syllabic script used to write Mycenaean Greek until the fall of the Late Bronze Age and the beginning of the Greek Dark Period, was lost, the Greek alphabet was created throughout the Iron Age decades. The modern Greek alphabet hasn’t altered since the late 5th century BC, when it first took on its current form. The lettering on ancient Greek inscriptions can therefore genuinely be read by Greeks living now.

Even if you didn’t study Greek, being able to read the Greek alphabet’s letters will help you navigate the language more easily because certain Greek terms are comparable to English words. When you know the alphabet, the rest will be simple and easy. The Greek alphabet, which begins with the letter alpha and ends with the letter omega makes these two letters an excellent spot to start studying.

Greek Alphabets

The Greek alphabet has 24 letters, of which 17 are consonants and 7 are vowels, it is composed of 7 vowels (α, ε, η, ι, ο, υ, and ω) and 17 consonants (β, γ, δ, ζ, θ, κ, λ, μ, ν, ξ, π, ρ, σ, τ, φ, χ, and ψ). Several of the Greek characters will surely be familiar to you, but you might not know how to say them properly. It is important to note that in Greek, “beta” is pronounced “vayta,”

“Psi” is spoken with a “puh” sound rather than a silent “p,” and “Delta” has a “d” sound that is softer than “th.” Here is how to pronounce each Greek letter and how each letter appears when written:

• Αα = άλφα = AHL-fah pronounce “α” like ah, as in the word alone
• Ββ = βήτα = VEE-tah pronounce “β” like v (not b), as in the word very
• Γγ = γάμα = GHAH-mah pronounce “γ” like a softly gargled gh or y
• Δδ = δέλτα = THEL-tah pronounce “δ” like the hard th sound in the word them
• Εε = ‘εψιλον = EHP-see-lohn pronounce “ε” like eh in the word ever
• Ζζ = ζήτα = ZEE-tah pronounce “ζ” like z as in zoo
• Ηη = ήτα = EE-tah pronounce “η” like ee as in seen
• Θθ = θήτα = THEE-tah pronounce “θ” like the soft th sound in three
• Ιι = γιώτα = YO-tah pronounce “ι” like ee as in seen
• Κκ = κάππα = KAH-pa pronounce “κ” like the letter k
• Λλ = λάμδα = LAHM-thah pronounce “λ” like the letter l
• Μμ = μι = MEE pronounce “μ” like the letter m
• Νν = νι = NEE pronounce “ν” like the letter n
• Ξξ = ξι = KSEE pronounce “ξ” like the letter x as in the word expect
• Οο = όμικρον = OH-mee-kron pronounce “ο” like oh
• Ππ = πι = PEE pronounce “π” like the letter p
• Ρρ = ρο = ROH pronounce “ρ” like the letter r
• Σσ/ς = σίγμα = SEEGH-mah pronounce “σ” like the letter s
• Ττ = ταυ = TAHF pronounce “τ” like the letter t
• Υυ = ύψιλον = EEH-psi-lohn pronounce “υ” like ee in seen
• Φφ = φι = FEE pronounce “φ” like the letter f
• Χχ = χι = HEE pronounce “χ” like a throaty ch as in the word challah
• Ψψ = ψι = PSEE pronounce “ψ” like the ps in the word chips
• Ωω = ωμέγα = oh-MEH-ghah pronounce “ω” like oh

Greek Script

The Greek language is written using the Greek script. It shouldn’t be mistaken with the incorrectly utilized placeholder text for “Greek”. The 15th century saw the debut of the first Greek script typefaces. While the capital letters continued to have their inscriptional roots, the lowercase letters closely mirrored the major scribal hands of the time. Greek typefaces developed over time, keeping some of the cursive foundations of their lowercase forms but expanding the spectrum of typographically suitable forms. Greek uppercase forms served as the basis for the first Cyrillic writing system.

The writing system invented in Greece is known as the Greek alphabet, and it first occurs in the 8th century BCE archaeological record. Many centuries before the Greek alphabet was created, the Linear B script was employed to write Greek during the Mycenaean period, so this wasn’t the first writing system to be used for the language. In 1100 BCE, the Linear B script was lost, and until the Greek alphabet was created, there was no written language in Greece.

The 24 letters of the classical alphabet, 7 of which were vowels, were all capital letters and were perfect for inscriptions and monuments. Three scripts that were better suited for handwriting were derived from it: uncial, which was essentially the Classical capitals modified for writing with a pen on paper and similar to hand printing, and cursive and minuscule, which were running scripts with joined letters and significant letter shape modification. Around the ninth century CE, minuscule, which took its place, evolved into the contemporary Greek handwriting style.

Reading and Writing Greek

As you need to grasp the Greek language in order to understand what you are reading, it goes without saying that we need to study the Greek language in order to be able to read books and novels in that language. It has been established that reading is a very valuable and successful tool for learning languages. This would help because you learn a term more effectively by adopting standard methods of Greek language learning if you come across it multiple times in the same book or in various books. The methods listed below can be used to become fluent in the Greek language through reading:

1. Choose for books that are just right for you—not too simple or complex. Too-easy books won’t teach you new vocabulary in the language you read them in, nor will they introduce you to complex metaphors and sentence structure, so read books in Greek Read a book that you have already read in your native Language.
2. Reading will be easier for you if you are familiar with the plot. You will acquire more vocabulary and sentence structures in Greek language so be sure to read a book that you have already read in your native Language.
3. The greatest technique to become fluent in Greek language and develop your writing style is to memorize effective sections that you reproduce from the books you read. By doing so, you will gain a better understanding of the language you want to study, particularly its sentence structure, metaphors, and sophisticated vocabulary.
4. If all you want to be able to read when you go is a few road signs, learning how the Greeks pronounce the alphabet won’t necessarily be of much use to you. But sooner or later, most people will pick up some of it. This is it:

   The following are the different letters of the alphabet: alpha, veeta, gamma, delta, epsilon, zeeta, eeta, theeta, giota, kappa, lamda, mee, nee, xee, omikron, pee, roh, sigma, taf, ipsilon, fee, hee.

After this has been done, you also have to ensure that you continually follow through with the process and soon you’ll be a guru at speaking and writing Greek.

How to read Greek

Learning to read the Greek alphabet isn’t as tough as you might imagine because it was the forerunner of all European alphabets. There are certain Greek letters that are unique to the language. Some of these, nevertheless, you might remember from your Science courses. Consider the letters sigma, pi, tau, or delta as examples. This does not imply that letters that appear the same in both alphabets will always have the same pronunciation. As an illustration, the Greek letter B is pronounced similarly to the English letter V. Visitors who are attempting to learn a few words of modern Greek may find this confusing.

The same letter can be pronounced in English in a variety of ways. Consider how different the letter “a” sounds in words like “apple,” “ball,” “man,” and “flakes.” Nonetheless, while reading Greek, all of the letters have the same pronunciation. The letters and X, as well as letters included within a letter combination, are exceptions. For instance, the Greek letter “α” has the same pronunciation in the words – μαμά, αέρας, καλημέρα, παρακαλώ, αρχή. It always sounds like “a” in the word “apple”. Real simple right?

Go ahead and start learning these words now and see how you’ll become a pro sooner or later.

In summary, we now know about Greek Languages and its history. We also talked about the Greek alphabet, its letters and their shapes while talking about Greek scripts too. We moved on to give guides on how to read and write in Greek as a first timer. And we are sure that in no time, if you keep up with these steps you’ll become fluent in Greek language.

If this blog post was very insightful and you are interested in learning more, please let us know in the comment section. Also, additional resources for readers interested in learning more about Greek languages include:

www.expatden.com, en.wikipedia.org, and realgreekexperiences.com

Written by :  Olamide Olajoseph