Author Archives
John Apostolos
Ladies’ Day Returns by the “Kali Parea” of St. Thomas
Hainesport, NJ – After two years of hiatus due to the Corona Virus pandemic, members of the “Kali Parea” of Saint Thomas Greek Orthodox parish held their annual “Ladies luncheon” to honor their wives, sweethearts,…
The Colossus Of Rhodes And Lady Liberty – Two Identical Wonders Of The World 2164 Years Apart
Somewhere, in a dusty, long-forgotten archive, there is a yellowed, insect-eaten parchment, or perhaps a papyrus, a clay tablet, or even a broken piece of pottery with a description, or a likeness, of the Colossus…
The Last Gunfighter of the Greek Revolution
The Greek revolution against Turkish rule did not start in 1821. It started long before then, and many of the heroes that we know well were born, grew up, and were nurtured in the difficult,…
The Accidental Hero Of Greece: Admiral Codrington And The Battle Of Navarino 1827
On October 20, 1827, allied fleets from Britain, France, and Russia met the Ottoman–Egyptian navy in Navarino Bay. What began as a tense standoff ended in a decisive battle that changed the course of the…
Nafpaktos – The Legendary Battle Of Lepanto
As the dawn breaks, I stare out, across the Gulf of Corinth, at the peaceful town of Nafpaktos. Its familiar, imposing Castle, with its great citadel on top of the hill, and its massive walls…
Greece Without Greeks
A Demographic Reality, And There Is No Cure Have you ever dropped a pebble down a well, and waited to hear the splash? That simple act brings forth certain ramifications that tell us that Greece…
Crucifix In A Bucket – The Shock Of A Young Immigrant’s Memories
It arrived at my home, near Patra, inside a grungy plastic bucket, once used for house paint. I was waiting for It, not quite knowing what to expect. A cousin had told me that they…
When “The Big Powers” Called The Shots
How the Aegean Islands Escaped Returning to Turkey It is almost axiomatic, to hear the typical Greek statement: “It’s all controlled by the Big Powers, we’re just little pawns.” Often this is used as a…
Merchant Marine to the Rescue?
Support of Greek Economy by the Greek Merchant Marine Greece has been struggling with a deep economic crisis since 2009, reaching its nadir in 2012. Despite many and frequent, optimistic statements by its politicians, the…
Constructing The Biggest Bridge In Greece – A Personal Story
I was there, in the crowd, with moist eyes and a warm feeling in my heart, on August 8 of 2004, when a series of runners carried the Olympic Torch across the Harilaos Trikoupis Bridge,…
Last Farewell To George Burlotos
The beloved George Burlotos and well-known producer of the long-running radio and television program “The Greek Spirit,” passed away at age 96. His funeral was held on Monday, May 4, 2020, at the St. Thomas…
Meton, Julius, Gregory, and the Moon – How Orthodox Easter Dates Are Set
The Orthodox Easter Sunday of 2020, and how its date is determined, makes for an interesting story, which starts 2452 years ago ( Yes, it all started “Before Christ!”) 432 BC: Back then in Athens,…
