The Art of Christos Bokoros

 Christos Bokoros is one of my favorite living Greek artists.  When I see his work I am reminded that the mundane can be sacred and that the "everyday" has mysterious depth.  When you look at these paintings you can almost smell the bread and feel the wood... please take the time to explore his remarkable website which you can visit through the link at the bottom of the page.

Christos Bokoros' Website 

A Literary trip to Greece

We are not sure if we will be able to visit Greece this year.  This reminds me that most people will not be able to visit Greece this year.   

If you are part of the “most” who never have, never will (though you should), or just cannot go this year, perhaps you might consider taking a literary trip to Greece.  The following recommendations will take you to Greece without a boat or an airplane…

1.  Mother Thessaloniki

https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Thessaloniki/dp/9600414254/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494520626&sr=8-1&keywords=mother+thessaloniki

2.  Aegean Notebooks

https://www.amazon.com/Aegean-Notebooks-Reflections-Archipelago-Romiosyni/dp/9607120310/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494520685&sr=1-1&keywords=aegean+notebooks

3.  Patmos: A Place of Healing for the Soul

https://www.amazon.com/Place-Healing-Soul-Patmos/dp/0802140602/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494520732&sr=1-1&keywords=Patmos+a+place+of+healing

4.  The Axion Esti

https://www.amazon.com/Axion-Esti-Odysseus-Elytis-2007-12-20/dp/B01MZ56QSB/ref=sr_1_14?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494520711&sr=1-14

5.  Tales from a Greek Island

https://www.amazon.com/Tales-Greek-Island-Alexandros-Papadiamantis/dp/0801848466/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494520841&sr=1-1&keywords=tales+from+a+greek+island

N.G. Pentzikis: Come inside the Church

The Church asks you: "Are you a sinner.''  You reply: "Yes, I am." — "Then, come inside the Church and find the road through which you may obtain even a hint of God's grace. And this is comfort for whatever may happen to you in your life."

St. George by Peris Ieremiadis (Updated)

Η ημέρα της Λαμπρής, ∆ιονυσιος Σολωμος (Greek & English)

The last cool star of dawn was
foretelling the brightest sunshine;
no cloud, no drift of mist was travelling
across any part of the sky.
Coming from there, the breeze
blew so sweetly across the face,
so gently, that it seemed
to whisper to the depths of the heart:
‘Life is sweet and death is darkness.’

‘Christ is Risen!’ Young and old, maidens,
everyone, little and great, prepare!
Inside the laurel-covered churches,
gather in the light of joy!
Open your arms and with them offer peace,
that the icons of the saints may see.
Embrace and kiss other sweetly, lip on lip,
let friend and foe proclaim, ‘Christ is Risen!’

Laurels are placed on every tomb,
beautiful babes are held in mothers’ arms,
the choristers sing sweetly
as they come before the icons.
Bright is the silver, bright is the gold,
under the light of the Easter candles.
Each face alights before the holy candles,
that Christians bear in hand.

Καθαρότατον ήλιο επρομηνούσε
της αυγής το δροσάτο ύστερο αστέρι,
σύγνεφο, καταχνιά, δεν απερνούσε
τ’ ουρανού σε κανένα από τα μέρη,
και από εκεί κινημένο αργοφυσούσε
τόσο γλυκό στο πρόσωπο τ’ αέρι,
που λες και λέει μες της καρδιάς τα φύλλα
«γλυκειά η ζωή κι ο θάνατος μαυρίλα».

Χριστός ανέστη! Νέοι, γέροι και κόραις
όλοι, μικροί, μεγάλοι ετοιμασθήτε,
μέσα στις εκκλησιές τες δαφνοφόραις
με το φως της χαράς συμμαζωχθήτε,
ανοίξατε αγκαλιές ειρηνοφόραις
ομπροστά στους Αγίους, και φιληθείτε,
φιληθείτε γλυκά χείλη με χείλη,
πέστε Χριστός ανέστη, εχθροί και φίλοι.

Δάφναις εις κάθε πλάκα έχουν οι τάφοι,
και βρέφη ωραία στην αγκαλιά οι μαννάδες,
γλυκόφωνα, κοιτώντας ταις ζωγραφι-
σμέναις εικόνες, ψάλλουνε οι ψαλτάδες,
λάμπει το ασήμι, λάμπει το χρυσάφι
από το φως που χύνουνε οι λαμπάδες,
κάθε πρόσωπο λάμπει απ’ τ’ αγιοκέρι,
οπού κρατούνε οι Χριστιανοί στο χέρι.

Χρυσόστομος Σταμούλης, Ο ύμνος της αγάπης: A Hymn of Love

Yannis Tsarouchis

Yannis Tsarouchis (Γιάννης Τσαρούχης) 13 January 1910 – 20 July 1989

Born in Piraeus, he studied at the Athens School of Fine Arts (1929–1935). He was also a student of Photios Kontoglou, who introduced him to Byzantine iconography, while he also studied popular architecture and dressing customs. Together with Dimitris Pikionis, Kontoglou and Angeliki Hatzimichali he led the movement for the introduction of Greek tradition in painting.