Holidays In Greece : Current Greek Culture
In this installment of our guide to holidays in Greece we look at Greece’s culture…
Greece lies at the crossroads where East meets West. It has also been ruled by the Romans and the Turks, and in turn Greece’s own Byzantine Empire governed much of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. This history has left a rich cultural legacy and the Greek people take a passionate pride in their culture and their country.
Greek, which has its own alphabet, is the sole official national language and is the native tongue of the great majority of the population. However, English-speaking visitors will rarely encounter any significant language problems as English is the most widely studied and understood foreign languages. (French, Italian, and German are also relatively widely studied).
About 10% of the country’s population, or roughly a million people, were born elsewhere. Eastern and Central Europe are the most common sources of immigrants, with others coming from the Middle East, South and Southeast Asia, and Africa. This has made the country linguistically and culturally diverse.
A very religious country, 97% of the population class themselves as Christian Orthodox. Officially, and like in all European countries, the Greek State and the Orthodox Church are separated, but this separation is not written or regulated by the Constitution and the Greek Orthodox Church has a great power in Greek society.
Greeks, particularly in rural areas, tend to be more superstitious than other Europeans. Many still spit to ward off misfortune or keep away the devil and older people will often bless a fresh loaf of bread by making the sign of the cross with a knife before cutting into it. However, less common traditions and superstitions will vary from region to region, and even from village to village.
In Orthodox tradition, Easter is the most important holiday. It involves religious processions and costumed parties, and Easter Sunday is marked with a feast. But Christmas tends to be more private, a family holiday, even though public places across Greece are adorned with lights and decorations. Many towns and districts also have regional festivals at various times of the year that mark local patron saints, wine harvests or historical events.