The Kolossi Castle October 7, 2006
Posted by grhomeboy in Cyprus Limassol.comments closed
In the heart of the richest valley in the south of Cyprus, western the environs of the city of Limassol, comes up one of the most important forts of the Medieval Cyprus, that is the famous Kolossi Castle.
This fertile valley to the mouth of the river Kouris was often mentioned by the sightseers of the Middle Ages because of its immense sugar-cane, olive, cotton, locust-tree and cereal plantations as well as its vineyards; it constituted one of the most important feuds of the noble Franks during their dominating Cyprus.
In 1210 Hugues I, the sovereign of the de Lusignans’ dynasty, granted this rich feud to the friars of the Order of Saint John. The name of the area derives most probably from Gerinus de Colos, former feudal lord of the region.
It remains uncertain when the first fortress, of which the ruins round the later monument eastern and western, which escaped destruction, was exactly constructed. The only thing that can safely be mentioned is that it was constructed in the 13th century.
The Commanderie of Kolossi gave its name to the traditional sweet Cypriot wine, which is known until nowadays under the name of commanderie. Obviously, the Order promoted the mass production and marketing of this wine under its name.
Read more >
Letter from your Editor > October ’06 October 7, 2006
Posted by grhomeboy in Editorial.comments closed
Dear Reader,
Welcome to this month’s editorial!
Communicating our news let me take you back to our August 06 editorial. In that short letter, I have talked about re-vamping our HomeboyMediaNews blog and getting ready for our Fall’s (and of course the Christmas) new edition.
Well, it’s now the right timing to do those few changes and to go ahead with what I have planned in re-designing this blog. As it may be possible that during those changes you will be affected while browsing our different entry categories and pages, I apologise in advance for any inconvenience this may be causing to you.
HomeboyMediaNews is building for the future and as such I rely on your kind understanding and appreciation.
Have you noticed our “Latest Top Posts” widget?
This new feature, thanks to the wonderful wordpress.com’s people, finds our posts with the most visits in the last two days and links to them in our sidebar. It’s a pretty usefull widget since you can always read those most-read posts from our blog and keep yourself updated with important articles.
Our stats are always imroving!
If you check our updated entries (posted under this Editorial category) where we talk about our stats, you will notice that HMN is always improving its ranking with Technorati. Our Google’s ranking with PageRank remains same (at 6th out of 10). Improving are also our ClusterMaps’ statistics as well as our unique visitors and page views, compiled by our SiteMeter’s stats.
With that in mind, HMN is striving to provide you with the latest news, happenings and events from Greece and Cyprus.
Stay tuned with us as more developments are to be unvailed soon! In the meantime, do have a great time!
grhomeboy
editor
HomeboyMediaNews | Athens
UPDATE > October 7th, 2006
Have you noticed our two NEW pages? HMN in the News and HMN Magazine! More to come soon!
Events this weekend celebrate 100 years of St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church October 7, 2006
Posted by grhomeboy in Greek Diaspora.comments closed
St. Spyridon Greek Orthodox Church in Sheboygan is celebrating its centennial year Oct. 7-8 with a series of events open to the public.
There will be a meet and greet Saturday, Oct. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center. Young adults are encouraged to meet with His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios of America and His Eminence Metropolitan Iakovos of Chicago. Parents are welcome to attend with their children.
The Great Vespers will be held at St. Spyridon at 5 p.m. Saturday Oct. 7. Archbishop Demetrios and Iakovos will preside over the Vespers Service, assisted by the Rev. Father Peter Pappademetriou and visiting clergy.
Following the Great Vespers, the Centennial Grand Banquet will be at Blue Harbor Resort and Conference Center. Reservations are required.
Sunday, Oct. 8 will begin with the Divine Liturgy. Archbishop Demetrios and Iacovos will preside over this elaborate and traditional service. The service begins at 10 a.m. and is open to the public.
The events will conclude with the 100th anniversary luncheon to be held at Blue Harbor at 2 p.m. Reservations are required.
For additional information and reservations call (920) 452-2296.
The story of St. Spyridon is, on a small scale, the story of the Greek-American experience over the last 100 years, seeing as St. Spyridon is the oldest Greek Orthodox Church in Wisconsin.
In the late 1800s, the church’s founders came from Greece to take advantage of the work opportunities on the Midwestern frontier.
They were single men and men who had left their families behind, with the intention of returning to their homeland with the money they made. As the community grew, its members found they needed institutions to order their common life.
A community council was established to provide governance to the Greek enclave in Sheboygan, and this council became the first governing board of the parish, organized in 1902.
The Greek Consulate in Chicago arranged for a priest to travel from Chicago by train to conduct services. When land was purchased to build a church, the Consulate handled the transaction and was listed owner of the deed.
In 1906 the community celebrated the completion of the church building (except for the bell tower, added 10 years later) on the feast day of St. Spyridon.
Twenty-one icons, ordered from Athens, arrived at the church in 1911. The parish served a vast area that included all of northern Wisconsin and some of Minnesota, since the only other Greek Orthodox communities in this part of the country were in Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis.
The St. Spyridon community grew to its largest in the years before World War I. After the war, some of the immigrants returned to Greece with the money they had earned in the United States, and others moved to other parts of the country in search of work as opportunities dwindled in northern Wisconsin. The church lost more parishioners in 1921 when the priest preached a sermon supporting King Constantine in his struggle for power, and continued to lose members and income through the Great Depression of the 1930s.
When Greece was invaded by the fascists in 1940, however, the community came together in a spirit of patriotism, supporting their adopted country as it entered the war against fascism. The end of the war began a period of new growth and energy in the community as Greek-American servicemen returned home and started families. During this period of growth, the church’s facilities were remodeled and expanded. A rectory was added in 1959 and parking lot in 1961. In 1981 the church was named a Sheboygan County Landmark because of its significance as the oldest Greek Orthodox structure in Wisconsin.
Your Big Fat Greek Festivals October 7, 2006
Posted by grhomeboy in Greek Diaspora Festivals.comments closed
Greek festival dances on to isle next weekend
A prominent figure of the Island’s annual Greek Festival died recently, leaving behind a legacy of character that the event will miss this year.
Diamond Anthanasiou was well known for his magnetic personality. He also had a knack for selling tickets to the festival.
“Diamond would sell about 200 to 300 tickets to the festival all by himself. My restaurant generally sells about 50,” said Larry Kriticos, owner of the Olympia Grill on Seawall Boulevard. “His abilities were amazing.”
Kriticos said that he hopes Anthanasiou’s former clients know that tickets are available for purchase at his restaurant, 4908 Seawall Blvd., and at the Assumption of the Virgin Mary Greek Orthodox Church, 19th and Ball streets.
The area Greek community, consisting of about 100 families of Greek heritage, presents the festival each year.
Throughout the event, costumed hosts greet guests and serve varieties of Greek food, pastries and refreshments.
This year, The Olympia Dancers will perform each day featuring dances from different areas of Greece. Art, jewelry, crafts and food wares will be available, and tours of the Greek Orthodox Church will take place throughout the fest.
For information, call 409-256-0463.
WHAT: 24th annual Greek Festival
WHEN: Oct. 13-15
WHERE: Greek Community Center, 19th and Ball streets in Galveston
COST: $10 in advance, $13 at the door for admission and dinner. $3 for admission only
Greek Oktoberfest begins Thursday
The St. George Greek Oktoberfest will kick off at 4 p.m. Thursday at St. George Cultural Center at 364 First St. SE.
The event will feature food, pastries, drinks, vendors, live music, dancing and children’s activities.
Event hours are 4 to 10 p.m. Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 13 and Oct. 14 and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 15.
Lunch and dinner service will be provided from 4 to 9 p.m. Thursday. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and dinner from 4 to 9 p.m. Oct. 13 and Oct. 14. Hours will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 15.
Greek festival gets under way in South Jersey
The Greek Festival Agora 2006 kicked off Thursday.
The festival is held rain or shine at the Greek Orthodox Church of Saint Thomas on Mercer Street.
Festivities begin at 11 a.m. daily through Sunday. They continue until 1 a.m.
The festival, now in its 33rd year, mixes entertainment, food, music, comedy, faith and culture.
There also will be an attempt Sunday night to break a world record. The goal is to have 3,000 people execute the Zorba dance.
Greek Mythology hits your manly chest October 7, 2006
Posted by grhomeboy in Culture History Mythology, Fashion & Style.comments closed
Spreading its artistic, mysterious, cottony fingers across your chest to spread its message, EDOC Laundry’s coded T-shirts are taking a starring role on CBS’s CSI:NY on Wednesday, October 11.
EDOC Laundry captured the attention of co-creator and executive producer, Anthony E. Zuiker, who found the concept of clues to a murder mystery captured in the everyday clothing item of a t-shirt a compelling idea. He worked to script an episode of CSI:NY, “Hung Out to Dry” using the EDOC Laundry theme, collaborating with the fashion line’s designers to create 4 new t-shirts to incorporate into the mythological murder mystery.
To celebrate the collaboration, EDOC Laundry will be selling limited editions of the four shirts created for the episode. Each of the four, all men’s styles, shirts is a graphical representation of a character from Greek Mythology: Hydra, Hades, Hypnos, and Argus. Furthermore, a fifth shirt inspired by the episode will also be available on the website, depicting the beheaded Hydra. The shirts will be in stock on the EDOC Laundry website beginning on October 11th and should ship in 5 to 10 days.
Related Links > http://www.edoclaundry.com
Greek divers lift WWII German bomber wreckage caught in fishnets October 7, 2006
Posted by grhomeboy in Archaeology Greece, Culture History Mythology.comments closed
Greek military divers on Friday successfully raised the wreckage of a rare German World War II bomber from the sea off the eastern island of Rhodes, the air force said.
The Junkers-87 dive-bomber, better known as the Stuka, was shot down in 1943 and will be conserved and displayed at the air force museum at an airport near Athens, air force spokesman Col. Ioannis Papageorgiou said. Papageorgiou said there was no trace yet of the two airmen’s bodies.
“The plane was raised a couple of hours ago, and I don’t know yet whether there are any remains inside,” he said. “I don’t know exactly in what condition the plane is, part of the tail section appears to be missing.”
The two-seater’s wreckage was located two years ago by a trawler, which caught it in its nets 7 miles (11 kilometers) off shore at a depth of 150 meters (492 feet), and dragged it close to the island’s southern coast.
Air force experts believe the plane was part of a Luftwaffe squadron operating from Rhodes that lost several Stukas to allied ships and aircraft on Oct. 9, 1943.
“Once we locate the serial number we will be able to identify the plane, what squadron it belonged to and the crew,” Papageorgiou said.
Papageorgiou said the wreckage will be cleaned in order to be exhibited for Air Force Day on Nov. 8.
“We will have to remove all the seaweed and marine organizations quickly, because once they dry it is very hard to get them off,” he said.
Fitted with a screaming siren for maximum psychological effect on the enemy, the gull-winged, single-engine Stuka was probably the most feared symbol of Nazi military power.
Used in action in the Spanish Civil War, it played a major role in the German invasions of Poland and France, but was outdated and severely outgunned by allied fighters by 1943.
Out of some 6,000 aircraft produced between 1936 and 1944, only two survive intact in museums, while the wrecks of three more Stukas have been salvaged.
In 2003, air force experts raised the wreckage of a German WWII Junkers 52 transport that was shot down near the island of Leros in 1943. The aircraft was conserved and is on display at the air force museum, which also boasts a rare intact British Spitfire fighter.
Zagorakis to captain Greece October 7, 2006
Posted by grhomeboy in Football.comments closed
Greece captain and EURO 2004 MVP Theodoros Zagorakis has been called up again for the European championship qualifiers against Norway and Bosnia according to announcement on the official website of the Greek Football Federation (EPO)
The 34-year-old midfielder, who has a record 119 caps for his country, had repeatedly made clear that he was ready to put an end to his 12-year career with the national following the match against Norway.
However, a Greek official said on Monday that “he has been called up for both matches so he is at the disposal of the coach for both of them and not just one.”
Manchester City star Giorgos Samaras and VfL Bochum 1848 forward Fanis Gekas have also returned to the Greek squad to boost Otto Rehhagel’s attacking options after missing the 1-0 win over Moldova away last month.
Panathinaikos’ Giannis Goumas and Olympiacos’ Christos Patsatsoglou have been called up too to cover injured Traianos Dellas and Panagiotis Lagos.
Greece Squad:
Goalkeepers: Antonis Nikopolidis (Olympiacos ), Costas Chalkias (Aris)
Defenders: Sotiris Kyrgiakos (Eintracht Frankfurt), Panagiotis Fyssas (Hearts), Yourkas Seitaridis (Atletico Madrid), Loukas Vintra (Panathinaikos), Georgios Anatolakis (Olympiacos Piraeus), Giannis Goumas (Panathinaikos).
Midfielders: Angelos Basinas (Real Mallorca), Stelios Giannakopoulos (Bolton Wanderers), Georgios Karagounis (Benfica), Konstantinos Katsouranis (Benfica), Christos Patsatsoglou (Olympiacos), Theodoros Zagorakis (PAOK Salonika), Pantelis Kafes (Olympiacos Piraeus).
Forwards: Angelos Charisteas (Feyenoord), Ioannis Amanatidis (Eintracht Frankfurt), Dimitrios Salpigidis (Panathinaikos), Dimitrios Papadopoulos (Panathinaikos), Nikos Lyberopoulos (AEK Athens), Fanis Gekas (VfL Bochum), Giorgos Samaras (Manchester City).
Related Links > http://www.epo.gr/default_uk.asp
HomeboyMediaNews 