Spiders in Greece: Day 2

Through a partnership with the Office of the Chaplaincy, Spider student-athletes are exploring religious traditions, history, and culture in both the ancient world and the present during a Global Leadership Immersion to Greece this week. Follow the Spiders on their journey with daily recaps from the student-athletes.

Hi Spiders -

Let's kick off day two here in Greece! Our group started the day off with an extravagant breakfast spread in the hotel restaurant. There were lots of fresh, locally-made breads and pastries to accompany the classic Greek yogurt bar, bacon, and eggs. For those coffee lovers, the barista brewed delicious and beautifully-crafted lattes and cappuccinos. From our time spent in Greece so far, we've noticed just how much they LOVE their coffee. Around the city of Thessaloniki there is a locally-owned café bakery on every corner. Coffee has definitely been a necessity for overcoming the seven-hour time difference!

Following breakfast, our lovely tour guide Vivi took us to the biggest symbol of the city of Thessaloniki, which is now known as The White Tower. This circular tower was built in the fifteenth century after the fall of Thessaloniki to the Ottomans in 1430 and was one of the corners of the fort that protected the city from enemy warfare. Along our way around the city, Vivi walked us through the history behind the ancient ruins that decorate the city. Parts of the walls along the upper city still stand but aren't used as protection anymore. They contribute to the rich culture and history of the city and the country as a whole. This country is so old in comparison to the United States, and the walls in Thessaloniki are representative of its age. Constructed in the Middle Ages, the walls and nation's ancient history still contribute to the lives of today's people from all over the world. The vantage point, high above the entire city, allows visitors to see the many layers of development over the course of thousands of years.

While in the upper city, we could see multiple sporting arenas. Basketball and football are the two most popular sports in Greece. There are three club soccer teams in the city: Aris, Iraklis, and PAOK. We learned that fans of each three teams HATE each other with an unrivaled passion. Sports teams here are new and underfunded. Soccer is considered the main sport here in Thessaloniki, while basketball is becoming more and more popular. We learned that Thessaloniki isn't considered a very active city, and that it is rare for children to be playing any sport other than soccer or basketball. Let's just say many weird looks were shot at Harry and Jordan, our two baseball athletes, during throwing practice in the park this afternoon.

Next, we came across a few churches in the upper city. Vivi explained that at one point in time, after the population switch with Turkey, it was illegal to practice any faith other than Christianity. Although this law has been abandoned, it is the main reason for the large majority of the population today being Christian. Today is a major holiday for the Greek Orthodox Church. Epiphany comes 12 days after the birth of Christ and it celebrates two major things: the baptism of Christ and the coming of the three kings who brought gifts for Jesus at his birth. Vivi shared with us that many people come to the sea to watch the Bishop bless the cross, throw it in the sea, and then try to swim to catch the cross to receive many blessing in the new year. While on our tour, we could see the city's entourage preparing for this celebratory event. We learned about so many important figures and historical facts surrounding the Greek Orthodox Church. For example, Apostle Paul is highly regarded by the Orthodox Christians, while 1st and 2nd Thessalonians were letters written to the small (at the time) Christian Community. While visiting the patriarchal Vlatadon Monastery, the only Byzantine monastery in Thessaloniki operating until today, we noticed that paintings of people were hammered out. Vivi, our guide, explained that this is because at one time the Muslims converted the church into a mosque. In their religion, it was illegal to show human beings in a place of worship, so they hammered holes in the stone mosaics to cover them. A few members of our group were also fortunate to be able to converse with a monk, who shared further details regarding his scripture reading.

We also had the opportunity to visit The Church of Saint Demetrios, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This church is in the center of the city and is a major early Christian monument. The church is built in a place where the public baths operated during the Roman period and also where it is said that Saint Demetrios was imprisoned and killed with a spear. Saint Demetrios was a general who was believed to provide protection of the city. He was held most high in importance among the Greek Orthodox community. Mosaics hung in the church of him along with other important people of the city. Today, many people visit this church to pray to his tomb and ask for healing from various illnesses. Due to the holiday, the church was packed with parishioners, many of whom were filling bottles with holy water in the front courtyard.

Like we saw yesterday in the Jewish service, there is a separation of sexes in the seating here in the church. Men would sit on the first floor (in the seats) while the women would sit in the second floor's balcony. Vivi explained that this is customary to most religions. Similarly, to yesterday's service, women do not worship alongside men because they are thought of as a distraction for men and while in Church you are to worship in the purest manner (without outside distractions of any kind). This is so interesting to compare to the way in which we worship back in the states. Our FCA at University of Richmond incorporates both male and female athletes in our large group weekly meetings but then we will be separate for our small group bible studies. Personally, I attend services at a local church in Richmond called Hill City. The two places of worship are largely different from one another!! It was so cool to see how the traditional Greek Orthodox Church worships the same God as us but in such a different, more traditional way! This is just one example of how multi-faith perspectives are established and appreciated. Our visits in this amazingly diverse religious community have helped us to understand others in a way that would be difficult to replicate in the states.

For the remainder of the day, we ate our body weight in traditional Greek food. For lunch we enjoyed a variety of authentic appetizers and slow cooked pork and mashed potatoes. Later in the evening, we walked to the pier for a meal on the Thermaikos Gulf, a part of the Aegean Sea. Everything starts later in the day here in Greece. Most of the city doesn't wake up until noon, they'll slowly drink their coffee until 3 or 4 pm and then have lunch with dinner around 9 or 10 pm!! The Greeks would be so confused if they walked into a packed D-hall having dinner at 6 pm. On our walk back to the hotel, we enjoyed some delicious Greek gelato, crepes, and fruitful conversation among the members of our group. We are all looking forward to our next adventure.

Until tomorrow,

Hannah Lydic
Women's Golf

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Spiders in Greece: Day 2

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