BOSTON – The Greek Letters celebration in Boston which took place with enthusiasm, poems, dances, speeches, and greetings from the pupils of the Greek Schools that was held on Sunday afternoon, January 27 at the Maliotis Cultural Center in Brookline attracted a throng of parents, grandparents, siblings, and friends.
The program began with hymns by the Ecclesiastical Choir of Holy Cross Greek Orthodox School of Theology, followed by a welcome by Kiki Kolokithas, president of the Greek Teachers Association, and an introduction by Lena Triantos, principal of the Greek afternoon school of St. George parish in Lynn Massachusetts.
Stratos Efthymiou, Consul General of Greece in Boston, during his greeting spoke about the value of education and emphasized that “it requires an everyday effort.” He urged parents to have their children speak to their grandparents in Greece via skype and also to visit Greece often. He also made reference to his efforts to establish a direct flight from Boston to Athens starting in the year 2020.
Maria Bouras, long-time teacher of the Greek language at the Greek school of the Holy Trinity Parish of Lowell Massachusetts was the keynote speaker. In her speech, titled The significance of the celebration of the Greek Letters for a dedicated teacher, she said among other things that “we the teachers of the Diaspora, are trying to teach history, language, civilization, and love for Greece despite the fact that we face difficulties.” She also said that “the schools of the Greek-American Community depend on the god will of the educators who are doing a tremendous job,” and she added that “the Greek teachers are the invisible heroes who, many times with personal sacrifices, promote the perpetuation of the Greek language and our spiritual heritage.”
The speeches of pupils followed. Iakovos Lourotos from the school of Sts. Constantine and Helen in Cambridge spoke about St. Basil the Great, Valentinus Dardas from St. Spyridon’s school in Worchester spoke about St. John Chrysostom, and Ioanna Hatzisisis from the school of the Annunciation Cathedral of Boston spoke about St. Gregory the Theologian.
Pupils from the day school of Holy Trinity parish of Lowell performed the song The Prescription of the True Life.
Greek dances were performed by the dance group of the Metropolis of Boston and the students of the Greek school of the Dormition of the Theotokos parish of Somerville performed the theatrical sketch, “The Letters for a Better Human Being.”
The celebration was organized by the Greek Teachers Association and a reception followed.
(Photo by TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos)
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