This is the king of the Holy Saturday evening meal and people after coming back from the evening service at church (the Resurrection service) gather together to enjoy their meal (which will include other delicacies as well) and in this way the Lent period is over. Now, Mageiritsa soup is not for everybody and I can appreciate that. There are those who are not familiar with the cooked inner parts of an animal (like lamb in this case) and I can understand them turning their heads around the other side.... Those, though, who like liver or kidneys or those who are familiar with dishes like the Scottish "haggis" for example, should not be put off by this delicious soup. On the other hand, for those who don't like meat anyway (inside out) there is also the vegetarian version of Mageiritsa which I will present to you in the next few days. Mageiritsa has its hassle that's for sure and that's why the households begin its preparation in the morning of Holy Saturday and its slow cooking starts sometime in the late afternoon so to be almost ready before they go to church (around 11 p.m.) and when they are back and before they gather around the table they only have to give the final touch to it. The recipe varies from region to region or even from house to house, but the main concept is the same. Here is my mother's version of mageiritsa with not too many greens and not too much rice in the soup
Monday, 29 March 2010
Sunday, 28 March 2010
Labropsomo - Traditional Easter bread
This is a delicious Easter bread with a flavour and texture something between the classic bread and the Tsoureki. Traditional recipe from the Argolida region where they prepare the bread on Holy Thursday but they present it at the table of the Holy Saturday feast, after the Resurrection church service
Greek Orthodox Easter
And this time of the year has arrived again... With all its preparations and of course the mourning period of the Holy Week which starts today with Palm Sunday and it is in its climax towards the end of the week. Easter for the Greeks is the most sacred and the most hearty and important period in the year regarding our faith. There are many different customs from region to region but there are some which remain the same all around the country.
Day by day there are different themes regarding the services people attend at church every evening. Until we get to Holy Thursday where things get quite dramatic and mournful for the faithful. But, at the same time, preparations for the big day of Easter Sunday start and every year the Greek households are busy with certain things which have to be done on certain days during the Holy Week.
On Palm Sunday, the morning service, includes offering of the "vayia", small branches of bay leaves commemorating Jesus's entrance into Jerusalem. And the evening service "officially" starts the period of the week of the Passion of Jesus. We are allowed to eat fish that day.
Usually, Holy Monday and Tuesday are dedicated to making the Easter cookies and the forthcoming Easter shopping begins... There are relative services at church in the evenings.
Holy Wednesday, the service of Holy Unction is performed while the faithful kneeling before the priests are anointed with the Holy Oil to receive forgiveness. In the evening at churches, the centre of the ceremonies and services is the "Washing of the Disciples' Feet" that takes place at many areas. For example, in Patmos island, a platform is set up in the square of the main town, which is always crowded for the occasion. During the ceremony, which lasts about an hour and a half, the Bishop, who "plays the part" of Christ, washes the feet of twelve monks -the Disciples- in imitation of the action of Christ before His Crucifixion
Holy Thursday is when the "tsourekia", a traditional Easter semi sweet bread, is to be baked.
Most important though is the preparation of the dyed red eggs. You can find households without any homemade Easter cookies or tsourekia but you will not find many households without having prepared their own Easter eggs. And Holy Thursday is the day to prepare them. Not before then and if, for any reason, you don't have the time to prepare them, then you have to wait until Holy Saturday.
Nowadays, you can find eggs dyed in various cheerful colours but in general the red ones are significant to the Easter feeling. Red because it is the colour of life and also represents the blood of Christ and because the egg always was a symbol of the renewal of life- it is also a message of victory over death...
Holy Thursday evening, church services last longer than the previous evenings because all the 12 Gospels are being read. Just before the 5th Gospel is about to finish the enactment of Christ's Crucifixion is taking place inside the church. The faithful offer wreaths to Him at the bottom of the Cross and the period of mourning begins. In many places - villages but even in big cities - women will stay in the church throughout the night in traditional mourning and when Holy Friday dawns they start preparing Christ's "Epitaphio" (the bier) with flowers.
Holy Friday, the most dramatic and mournful day in the Holy Week. The day of the culmination of the passion of Christ with his burial. It is a day of mourning, everything is closed (public services, schools, shops) and the housewives do not do any house chores. It is not that they are not allowed, it is just that they don't feel like doing it. Everybody feels numb that day, they really have that feeling of Loss in their hearts, as if somebody in the family has died. So, no housework that day and not even any cooking.
But if they do cook, the food of that day is something very simple. Maybe a bean or lentil soup, just boiled in water (since that day oil is not allowed, they are still in Lent phase) with some vinegar added to it (the vinegar has it's significance, vinegar was what they gave to Jesus when he was thirsty while on the cross...). Flags are hung at half-mast and church bells ring all day in a slow mournful tone.
In the church that morning they keep preparing Christ's bier and the morning service includes the deposition of Christ's body off the cross. The Epitaphios is lavishly decorated with spring flowers and they place a symbolic image of Jesus's body on it. Nowadays, mainly for practical reasons, the shops open only after the morning service is finished, around 12 p.m.
In the evening service the Lamentations are chanted, followed by the exit of Epitaphios which is carried on the shoulders of the faithful and a procession takes place going through the parish streets and back to the church. In small towns or villages this procession also passes by the local cemetary and then back to the church. In both cases members of the congregation follow, carrying honey coloured candles.
On Holy Saturday, everybody is anxious for the big night service at midnight. During the day time the households continue preparing the traditional food for that evening and also for the Easter Sunday. The mageiritsa soup is prepared, which will be eaten after the midnight service of Resurrection and the fast will finally break.
That day a morning prayerful church service is performed. The priests are dressed in white, scatter balm leaves and rose petals while church bells ring happily and chanters sing hymns in praise of Lord. At many areas the custom of 'the earthquake' is carried out. This is a re-enactment of the earthquake that took place after the Resurrection, as described in the Bible. The congregation beats the pews rhythmically, while outside chaos reigns, with gunfire, firecrackers and fireworks. This is a part of the 'First Resurrection' ceremony. Another custom is to close the doors of the church, and the priest, having made three circuits of the church while chanting, kicks open the central door and enters, singing the psalm "Arate pilas" which means "Open the Gates".
Another special tradition of the morning service is the 'Pot Throwing' custom that takes place at some Ionian islands, especially Corfu. Local people throw pots out of their windows, smashing them onto the streets below. Some times pots are filled with water to make a louder crash.
The midnight Service of the Resurrection is a big occasion attended by almost everyone while they are holding white candles. The white candles are only used for one Easter midnight service.
Shortly before midnight, all lights are switched off in the churches and you can see only the Holy Flame on the altar held by the main priest of the church. Every year this unique flame comes directly from the Holy Grave of Christ in Jerusalem and it lights miraculously without any human involvement. He passes it then to the congregation and one by one the faithful get their own Holy Flame (the light of the Resurrection) with the aim to bring it home safely for good luck and a blessed rest of the year.
When the clock hits midnight, the Priest calls out "Christos Anesti" (Christ is risen).
The night air is filled with the singing of the Byzantine Chant "Christos Anesti," and the "kiss of love" and wishes are exchanged between family members and friends and neighbours. Everybody exchanges the same wishes- "Christos Anesti" (Christ is risen) says the one and the other replies "Alithos Anesti" (Truly, he is risen) or "Alithinos o Kyrios" (True is the Lord). And these wishes and greetings go on for the next 50 days, until the Pentecost day, when Jesus appeared again to his people.
The tradition has it, as soon as "Christos Anesti" is called out, the church bells start ringing joyously non-stop, ships in ports all around Greece sound their horns, floodlights are lit on large buildings, canons in Lecabetus hill (in Athens) bang and great and small displays of fireworks and noisemakers are set off. It is a representation of the noise that sounded when Jesus rose out of his tomb...
People then return home to have their traditional midnight food and enjoy the happy feeling of the Resurrection. The message in their hearts is that of the victory of life against death.
Once home, family and friends gather around the table for the traditional meal to break the fast, which includes the mageiritsa soup, the tsoureki and of course the red eggs. But before the eggs are eaten, there's a traditional challenge: the "tsougrisma", the cracking of the eggs!!
Holding your egg, you tap the end against the end of your opponent's egg, trying to crack it. Eggs are often made in very large quantities since the game continues on the next day with more friends and family.
On Easter Sunday whether it is a city or a village people get up quite early. It is a big happy day and in the case of being in a village or small town, it means you might have the chance to enjoy some traditional lamb or goat on the spit and other delicious Easter food.
In the afternoon of that day the "Second Resurrection" takes place, at which the Gospel of the Resurrection is read at churches in seven languages. This is the "Service of Love" and expresses the fact that the message of Christ's Resurrection transmits it's redemptive Power to the people of the world.
Later on, in many areas of Greece, the custom is to burn an effigy of Judas. The young people make an effigy of Judas out of old rags, put into it's hands the price of betrayal (a bag containing 30 pebbles) and hang it in the courtyard until the rags catch fire and go up in flames.
So, the preparations of the food for the day start early in the morning. First to prepare the fire in the right way so to be sure that the lamb and the rest of the meaty meze will be cooked thoroughly and nicely. The customary main attraction of the day is a whole roasted lamb or goat (kid) to represent the Lamb of God. But for those who are not so lucky there is always the home oven. Great Greek wines, ouzo, and other drinks flow freely, and preparations for the meal turn into festive celebrations even before the main eating begins. These high-spirited gatherings often last long into the night.
On Easter Monday processions take place at many areas. Early in the morning, after the services, each church brings out its standard and its Cross. In other places the main icon of each church is placed in another church for a period of time, during which daily prayer services are held. Depending on the calendar of the year, if Easter is celebrated after the April 23rd, then the Easter Monday is dedicated to Saint George, a beloved Saint for all Greeks. Many festivals take place on his memory and if it happens that April 23rd is during the Lent or the Holy Week, then no celebration can be performed and is moved to Easter Monday which is a National Holiday anyway.
Other than that Easter Monday also is meant for people to take things slowly.... Nothing is open beside cafés and restaurants and people, while trying to recover from the previous day's big feast, continue eating whatever was not eaten on Sunday!!! All those delicious leftovers! They never learn...
Day by day there are different themes regarding the services people attend at church every evening. Until we get to Holy Thursday where things get quite dramatic and mournful for the faithful. But, at the same time, preparations for the big day of Easter Sunday start and every year the Greek households are busy with certain things which have to be done on certain days during the Holy Week.
On Palm Sunday, the morning service, includes offering of the "vayia", small branches of bay leaves commemorating Jesus's entrance into Jerusalem. And the evening service "officially" starts the period of the week of the Passion of Jesus. We are allowed to eat fish that day.
Usually, Holy Monday and Tuesday are dedicated to making the Easter cookies and the forthcoming Easter shopping begins... There are relative services at church in the evenings.
Holy Wednesday, the service of Holy Unction is performed while the faithful kneeling before the priests are anointed with the Holy Oil to receive forgiveness. In the evening at churches, the centre of the ceremonies and services is the "Washing of the Disciples' Feet" that takes place at many areas. For example, in Patmos island, a platform is set up in the square of the main town, which is always crowded for the occasion. During the ceremony, which lasts about an hour and a half, the Bishop, who "plays the part" of Christ, washes the feet of twelve monks -the Disciples- in imitation of the action of Christ before His Crucifixion
Holy Thursday is when the "tsourekia", a traditional Easter semi sweet bread, is to be baked.
Most important though is the preparation of the dyed red eggs. You can find households without any homemade Easter cookies or tsourekia but you will not find many households without having prepared their own Easter eggs. And Holy Thursday is the day to prepare them. Not before then and if, for any reason, you don't have the time to prepare them, then you have to wait until Holy Saturday.
Nowadays, you can find eggs dyed in various cheerful colours but in general the red ones are significant to the Easter feeling. Red because it is the colour of life and also represents the blood of Christ and because the egg always was a symbol of the renewal of life- it is also a message of victory over death...
Holy Thursday evening, church services last longer than the previous evenings because all the 12 Gospels are being read. Just before the 5th Gospel is about to finish the enactment of Christ's Crucifixion is taking place inside the church. The faithful offer wreaths to Him at the bottom of the Cross and the period of mourning begins. In many places - villages but even in big cities - women will stay in the church throughout the night in traditional mourning and when Holy Friday dawns they start preparing Christ's "Epitaphio" (the bier) with flowers.
Holy Friday, the most dramatic and mournful day in the Holy Week. The day of the culmination of the passion of Christ with his burial. It is a day of mourning, everything is closed (public services, schools, shops) and the housewives do not do any house chores. It is not that they are not allowed, it is just that they don't feel like doing it. Everybody feels numb that day, they really have that feeling of Loss in their hearts, as if somebody in the family has died. So, no housework that day and not even any cooking.
But if they do cook, the food of that day is something very simple. Maybe a bean or lentil soup, just boiled in water (since that day oil is not allowed, they are still in Lent phase) with some vinegar added to it (the vinegar has it's significance, vinegar was what they gave to Jesus when he was thirsty while on the cross...). Flags are hung at half-mast and church bells ring all day in a slow mournful tone.
In the church that morning they keep preparing Christ's bier and the morning service includes the deposition of Christ's body off the cross. The Epitaphios is lavishly decorated with spring flowers and they place a symbolic image of Jesus's body on it. Nowadays, mainly for practical reasons, the shops open only after the morning service is finished, around 12 p.m.
In the evening service the Lamentations are chanted, followed by the exit of Epitaphios which is carried on the shoulders of the faithful and a procession takes place going through the parish streets and back to the church. In small towns or villages this procession also passes by the local cemetary and then back to the church. In both cases members of the congregation follow, carrying honey coloured candles.
On Holy Saturday, everybody is anxious for the big night service at midnight. During the day time the households continue preparing the traditional food for that evening and also for the Easter Sunday. The mageiritsa soup is prepared, which will be eaten after the midnight service of Resurrection and the fast will finally break.
That day a morning prayerful church service is performed. The priests are dressed in white, scatter balm leaves and rose petals while church bells ring happily and chanters sing hymns in praise of Lord. At many areas the custom of 'the earthquake' is carried out. This is a re-enactment of the earthquake that took place after the Resurrection, as described in the Bible. The congregation beats the pews rhythmically, while outside chaos reigns, with gunfire, firecrackers and fireworks. This is a part of the 'First Resurrection' ceremony. Another custom is to close the doors of the church, and the priest, having made three circuits of the church while chanting, kicks open the central door and enters, singing the psalm "Arate pilas" which means "Open the Gates".
Another special tradition of the morning service is the 'Pot Throwing' custom that takes place at some Ionian islands, especially Corfu. Local people throw pots out of their windows, smashing them onto the streets below. Some times pots are filled with water to make a louder crash.
The midnight Service of the Resurrection is a big occasion attended by almost everyone while they are holding white candles. The white candles are only used for one Easter midnight service.
Shortly before midnight, all lights are switched off in the churches and you can see only the Holy Flame on the altar held by the main priest of the church. Every year this unique flame comes directly from the Holy Grave of Christ in Jerusalem and it lights miraculously without any human involvement. He passes it then to the congregation and one by one the faithful get their own Holy Flame (the light of the Resurrection) with the aim to bring it home safely for good luck and a blessed rest of the year.
When the clock hits midnight, the Priest calls out "Christos Anesti" (Christ is risen).
The night air is filled with the singing of the Byzantine Chant "Christos Anesti," and the "kiss of love" and wishes are exchanged between family members and friends and neighbours. Everybody exchanges the same wishes- "Christos Anesti" (Christ is risen) says the one and the other replies "Alithos Anesti" (Truly, he is risen) or "Alithinos o Kyrios" (True is the Lord). And these wishes and greetings go on for the next 50 days, until the Pentecost day, when Jesus appeared again to his people.
The tradition has it, as soon as "Christos Anesti" is called out, the church bells start ringing joyously non-stop, ships in ports all around Greece sound their horns, floodlights are lit on large buildings, canons in Lecabetus hill (in Athens) bang and great and small displays of fireworks and noisemakers are set off. It is a representation of the noise that sounded when Jesus rose out of his tomb...
People then return home to have their traditional midnight food and enjoy the happy feeling of the Resurrection. The message in their hearts is that of the victory of life against death.
Once home, family and friends gather around the table for the traditional meal to break the fast, which includes the mageiritsa soup, the tsoureki and of course the red eggs. But before the eggs are eaten, there's a traditional challenge: the "tsougrisma", the cracking of the eggs!!
Holding your egg, you tap the end against the end of your opponent's egg, trying to crack it. Eggs are often made in very large quantities since the game continues on the next day with more friends and family.
On Easter Sunday whether it is a city or a village people get up quite early. It is a big happy day and in the case of being in a village or small town, it means you might have the chance to enjoy some traditional lamb or goat on the spit and other delicious Easter food.
In the afternoon of that day the "Second Resurrection" takes place, at which the Gospel of the Resurrection is read at churches in seven languages. This is the "Service of Love" and expresses the fact that the message of Christ's Resurrection transmits it's redemptive Power to the people of the world.
Later on, in many areas of Greece, the custom is to burn an effigy of Judas. The young people make an effigy of Judas out of old rags, put into it's hands the price of betrayal (a bag containing 30 pebbles) and hang it in the courtyard until the rags catch fire and go up in flames.
So, the preparations of the food for the day start early in the morning. First to prepare the fire in the right way so to be sure that the lamb and the rest of the meaty meze will be cooked thoroughly and nicely. The customary main attraction of the day is a whole roasted lamb or goat (kid) to represent the Lamb of God. But for those who are not so lucky there is always the home oven. Great Greek wines, ouzo, and other drinks flow freely, and preparations for the meal turn into festive celebrations even before the main eating begins. These high-spirited gatherings often last long into the night.
On Easter Monday processions take place at many areas. Early in the morning, after the services, each church brings out its standard and its Cross. In other places the main icon of each church is placed in another church for a period of time, during which daily prayer services are held. Depending on the calendar of the year, if Easter is celebrated after the April 23rd, then the Easter Monday is dedicated to Saint George, a beloved Saint for all Greeks. Many festivals take place on his memory and if it happens that April 23rd is during the Lent or the Holy Week, then no celebration can be performed and is moved to Easter Monday which is a National Holiday anyway.
Other than that Easter Monday also is meant for people to take things slowly.... Nothing is open beside cafés and restaurants and people, while trying to recover from the previous day's big feast, continue eating whatever was not eaten on Sunday!!! All those delicious leftovers! They never learn...
Friday, 26 March 2010
"Pastitsio" - Baked macaroni with ground meat, topped with béchamel sauce
Moussakas is (probably) the most well known Greek dish abroad but Pastitsio is not far behind in popularity in Greece and it seems that nowadays more and more people outside the country knows about it. It is an easy and convinient dish to make because, if you want, you can start preparing it the previous day. It is very filling and very tasty and it is such a suitable food for all seasons. With the Pastitsio at your table you'll never fail to please your guests! The method for the béchamel sauce is not the most common one you'll find but I wanted to show you something a bit different
Labels:
GROUND MEAT,
PASTA,
TRADITIONALLY GREEK - Savoury
Thursday, 25 March 2010
Deep fried salt cod
This is the form you will find the salt cod in the shops
Let me tell you first a few things you have to be aware of regarding the fish and the recipe in general.
First of all the salt cod fillets you will buy have to be fleshy and the colour white-ish and not yellow because that would mean it is old and not good.
Second if you can not find salt cod fillets the alternative is fresh cod fillets (or frozen) or pollock or haddock or even halibut. All these fishes work with this recipe nicely.
**** If you decide to use salt cod be aware that you have to start preparing the fish in advance. You need to cut the fillets into portions and put them in a big plastic bowl full of water and let them soak for at least 1-2 days before cooking, so to extract the salt and you also have to remember to change the water many times through the day. This is very important!
Lets get to the recipe now
BIG DAY - DOUBLE CELEBRATION - What about recipes?
Today is a double, very important, celebration in Greece. First of all March 25th is one of the two national days we have and commemorates the beginning of the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire.
At the same time it is a big religious holiday for the Greeks connected to the Annunciation of Mary, Mother of God. And although we are in the middle of Lent, today is one of the two breaks during fasting period where fish is allowed (the other one is Palm Sunday). Every year most of the households around Greece cook the same menu which includes: fried"salt cod", "skordalia -garlic dip" and "beetroot salad".
The Greek War of Independence, was successfully waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821- 1829 and led to the Independent State of Greece in May 1832.
Following the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Empire (in 1453), most of Greece came under Ottoman rule. During this time, there were numerous revolts by Greeks attempting to gain independence.
In 1814, a secret organization called "Filiki Eteria" ("Society of Friends") was founded with the aim of liberating Greece. The Filiki Eteria planned to launch revolts in the Greek area of Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalites and Constantinople.
By the end of March 1821, the Peloponnese was in open revolt against the Turks and was to become the heartland of the revolt. The atmosphere in the Peloponnese was tense, and by mid-March, sporadic incidents against Muslims occurred, heralding the start of the uprising.
The leader of the Revolution in Peloponnese - and one of our biggest heroes - was the experienced general Theodoros Kolokotronis who actually had participated in the Napoleonic Wars on the side of the British!
The Revolution was declared on 25 March 1821 by Archbishop Germanos of Old Patras who raised the banner with the cross in the Monastery of Agia Lavra in Kalavryta town, in Peloponnese.
It was there that the call "Freedom or Death" was first heard launching the revolution against the Ottomans. That was and still is the motto of Greece and is symbolically evoked by the use of 9 stripes (for the nine syllables of the motto) in the Greek flag
The motto symbolizes the resolve of the people of Greece against tyranny and oppression. That day, the Bishop performed a service and administered an oath to the Peloponnesian fighters. The revolutionary flag was raised by Bishop under the plane tree just outside the gate of the monastery.
It is believed that they chose the specific day to combine it with the religious day of the Annunciation of Mary.
The war lasted for 9 years and only a small part of modern Greece was finally liberated and it was declared an independent nation.
The struggle for the liberation of all the lands inhabited by Greeks continued. In 1864, the Ionian islands were added to Greece; in 1881 parts of Epirus and Thessaly.
Crete, the islands of the Eastern Aegean and Macedonia were added in 1913 and Western Thrace in 1919. After World War II the Dodecanese islands were also returned to Greece.
The Greek National Anthem was written by Dionysios Solomos in 1824 and the music by Nikolaos Mantzaros in 1828. It was adopted in 1864
It was translated into English by Rudyard Kipling in 1918
At the same time it is a big religious holiday for the Greeks connected to the Annunciation of Mary, Mother of God. And although we are in the middle of Lent, today is one of the two breaks during fasting period where fish is allowed (the other one is Palm Sunday). Every year most of the households around Greece cook the same menu which includes: fried"salt cod", "skordalia -garlic dip" and "beetroot salad".
The Greek War of Independence, was successfully waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821- 1829 and led to the Independent State of Greece in May 1832.
Following the fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Empire (in 1453), most of Greece came under Ottoman rule. During this time, there were numerous revolts by Greeks attempting to gain independence.
In 1814, a secret organization called "Filiki Eteria" ("Society of Friends") was founded with the aim of liberating Greece. The Filiki Eteria planned to launch revolts in the Greek area of Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalites and Constantinople.
By the end of March 1821, the Peloponnese was in open revolt against the Turks and was to become the heartland of the revolt. The atmosphere in the Peloponnese was tense, and by mid-March, sporadic incidents against Muslims occurred, heralding the start of the uprising.
The leader of the Revolution in Peloponnese - and one of our biggest heroes - was the experienced general Theodoros Kolokotronis who actually had participated in the Napoleonic Wars on the side of the British!
The Revolution was declared on 25 March 1821 by Archbishop Germanos of Old Patras who raised the banner with the cross in the Monastery of Agia Lavra in Kalavryta town, in Peloponnese.
It was there that the call "Freedom or Death" was first heard launching the revolution against the Ottomans. That was and still is the motto of Greece and is symbolically evoked by the use of 9 stripes (for the nine syllables of the motto) in the Greek flag
The motto symbolizes the resolve of the people of Greece against tyranny and oppression. That day, the Bishop performed a service and administered an oath to the Peloponnesian fighters. The revolutionary flag was raised by Bishop under the plane tree just outside the gate of the monastery.
It is believed that they chose the specific day to combine it with the religious day of the Annunciation of Mary.
The war lasted for 9 years and only a small part of modern Greece was finally liberated and it was declared an independent nation.
The struggle for the liberation of all the lands inhabited by Greeks continued. In 1864, the Ionian islands were added to Greece; in 1881 parts of Epirus and Thessaly.
Crete, the islands of the Eastern Aegean and Macedonia were added in 1913 and Western Thrace in 1919. After World War II the Dodecanese islands were also returned to Greece.
The Greek National Anthem was written by Dionysios Solomos in 1824 and the music by Nikolaos Mantzaros in 1828. It was adopted in 1864
It was translated into English by Rudyard Kipling in 1918
We knew thee of old,
O, divinely restored,
By the lights of thine eyes,
And the light of thy Sword.
From the graves of our slain,
Shall thy valour prevail,
As we greet thee again,
Hail, Liberty! Hail!
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