Greek Like Me

Rockets rain down on Greek churches every Easter in the Rocket War of Chios.Traditional 'rocket war' welcomes Orthodox Easter on Chios IslandThe Great Rocket WarEaster Rockets on Chios Island, GreeceChios "Rocket War" lights up Easter amid safety fearsGeorge Tatakis: Vrontados Chios - An Easter Story to Rememberonebeanmarketingramonapintea_art

Angie Xidias of One Bean Marketing and artist Ramona Pintea spotlight the impact of women on the Greek Revolution, in a groundbreaking exhibit at the Hellenic Museum of Michigan, March 19 - May 17, 2026.

Comedian and gay icon Gus Constantellis rocketed to fame impersonating his Greek mom on social media. After she died, he wrote My Greek Mom’s Recipe in tribute. Part memoir, part cookbook, it’s a funny, heartbreaking glimpse into their complicated relationship, and in managing grief, the Greek way.Greek Moms on Easter (2022 Edition)Actual Greek Moms on EasterGus Constantellis book tourMy Greek Mom's Recipes: She Died. I Wrote This Cookbook

Hephaestos: Mighty lord of fire and metalwork, inventor and metal-smith of the gods. Cheated on, rejected, and ridiculed, like a country music anti-hero, he keeps looking for love in all the wrong places.

Kathryn Gauci’s quest to find traditional Greece drew her to the Dodecanese Islands in 2005. Her memoir, An Aegean Odyssey, intertwines history, cuisine, traditions, and breathtaking landscapes with stories of the people she meets along the way as she explores the road less traveled. Kathryn GauciGreek Shop SignsKathryn Gauci's booksColours of Aegean Dreams: A Greek Odyssey

He was a consummate character actor in films, an iconic TV detective, a storyteller, a gambler, a singer, a family man, a lover. He was larger than life and when ethnics were still being stereotyped, he made it cool to be Greek. Telly's Coffee House [No. 8, 1952-12-30]Telly Savalas' Ghost StoryBirdman of Alcatraz Movie clip - Death of a Canary (1962)The Young Savages (1961) trailerKelly's Heroes 1970s BestTrailerTelly Savalas Interview/Kojak/How did you get into acting? Today 1971

We’re sharing some of the most popular Greek customs for New Year’s through Epiphany. Καλή Χρονιά και Χρόνια Πολλά!Northern Greece's Pagan Customs of Christmas Ιερέας "λούζει" τους πιστούς με αγιασμόYoung Men Dive for the Cross at 117th Epiphany Celebration in Tarpon Springs

Where else can you take part in ancient traditions, sing Byzantine Christmas songs while lighting bonfires and evading evil Christmas goblins? Join us for a very Greek Christmas.Northern Greece's Pagan Customs of ChristmasΚάλαντα ΣμύρνηςGreek Christmas TraditionsGeorge Tatakis: Black and White. Photography in Greece

Sean Bryan was a nineteen year old backpacker in Athens, Greece in November 1973, when he witnessed what became a pivotal moment in modern Greek history: the student uprising that led to the eventual overthrow of the military regime.

November 17, 1973, a Greek army tank crashed the gate of the Polytechnic Institute of Athens, where students were protesting the military dictatorship crippling Greece. It was the largest public protest against the regime, which toppled 8 months later. Today we celebrate those students and their sacrifice. ζήτω η Ελλάδα!

When the Underworld goddesses of vengeance are invoked, nothing will stop them. Then things get Phríke: Tales and terrors of the Erinyes, hounding heroes to their doom.

Her colleagues denounced the celebrated actress as a collaborator. Was she a traitor, a hero, or the victim of her rivals’ greed and ambition?Music and photo montages below:Γιατί φταίει η γυναίκα - Ελένη ΠαπαδάκηΤρελλή θεατρίνα - Ελένη ΠαπαδάκηΘέλω μαμά ένα αντρούλη - Ελένη ΠαπαδάκηΕλένη Παπαδάκη - Μ' αυτά τα λόγια σου λιγώθηκαMini bio:Η εκτέλεση της ηθοποιού Ελένης Παπαδάκη στα ΔεκεμβριανάΕΛΕΝΗ ΠΑΠΑΔΑΚΗ-ΟΙ ΗΘΙΚΟΙ ΑΥΤΟΥΡΓΟΙ ΚΑΙ ΟΙ ΕΚΤΕΛΕΣΤΕΣ ΤΟΥ ΕΓΚΛΗΜΑΤΟΣ

Independent filmmaker Laurie Criego talks about her first feature length film, screenwriting, Greek gods, the environment and having hope in difficult times.Beach Entertainment ProductionsMother Nature & the Doomsday Prepper trailer IndelibleMonitored

St. Kassiani was a brilliant theologian, masterful poet, rebel, feminist, brutal social commentator. She continues to instruct the Orthodox faithful to this day. The Hymn of Kassianí (medieval melody) - Cappella RomanaKassiane Hymn for Christmas - The Women of Cappella RomanaHymns of Kassianí, the world’s earliest music female composer: 9th-century - Cappella RomanaBizancio Maravillosa Biblioteca

Influential hymnographer, poet, and champion of her faith, St.Kassiani was a devout, fearless, badass holy woman, and feminist.Hymn of KassianiThe Hymn of Kassianí (medieval melody) - Cappella Romana

Award-winning Photographer George Tatakis travels throughout rural Greece documenting Greek culture, traditions, and traditional dress. He shares his adventures, what he’s learned about our culture, and why black and white.Black and White Photography/George TatakisExploring Greece's Unseen Corners - New York TimesGeorge Tatakis - YouTube

Why Greeks bound the fight for independence to the Feast Day of the Annunciation. And how the sacrifice and faith of the Virgin Mary resounded with the Greek fight for liberty.Theodoros Vryzakis The Bishop of Old Patras Germanos Blesses the Flag of the Revolution, 1865Traditional Greek Recipe: Bakaliaros SkordaliaBakaliaros Skordalia/Cod Fritters with Garlic Potato Dip

Where did stuffed grape leaves originate? Who started the ancient fad of rolling up food in leaves? it’s another food fight, as we investigate claims and age old recipes.Deipnosophistae - Gulik translation Deipnosophistae - Bill Thayer siteHow to Harvest and Preserve Fresh Grape LeavesGreek Dolmades - Stuffed Vine Leaves Recipe

A tragic tale of a love lost, and one man’s heroic effort to use the only weapon he has to persuade the Lord of Death to give her back: his music.Artist Tristan MacDougallTristan on InstagramAnderson Gallery - BSUSiren artwork - Britannica

Join us for an episode of restless dead, vengeful wraiths, protective spirits, and ghosts summoned to serve the living.

A man of conscience continues to push the Greek Orthodox faithful in America to take a stand for justice and equal rights in the 1960s and beyond. And scholars’ take on the bizarre “reverse empathy” of today’s conservative Greeks.A Conversation on Racial ReconciliationThe Black American Orthodox Experience

The Greek Genocide of Asia Minor wiped out two thousand years of Hellenic history in Anatolia. Refugees found hope in a sickly Methodist minister from New York State.Greek Genocide Resource CenterForgetting the Smyrna Fire

600 years of brutal persecution by Turkish oppressors culminated in the Greek Genocide of Asia Minor. We’ll talk historical context and introduce Asa Jennings, the humble American who said “Enough!”https://www.greek-genocide.netGenocide of Armenians - Hellenism Asia Minor 1922: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp_oLQ3h60A&t=5sMinor Asia Greek Disaster: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WG7Dzc8SiFMExaltation of the Holy Cross: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FjFwmHKwmCg

Why is September 1 a big deal for Orthodox Christians? We explore the purpose and history of the Ecclesiastical New Year, St. Symeón the Stylite, and the Green Patriarch.Patriarchal Encyclical For the Indiction Published 8/27/20Ecumenical Patriarch Bartolomeo chants "Φως ιλαρόν" Joyous LightWhat is the Ecclesiastical New Year?

Mómos, Greek god of mockery, blame, scathing criticism and satire. How the Joan Rivers of Mt. Olympus became a vessel for social criticism and rebellion throughout time.

Happy Pride! The embodiment of gay pride in 4th century BCE was the Sacred Band of Thebes - an elite fighting unit made up of 150 pairs of male lovers. Their love-bond was considered a source of moral virtue and military strength as they battled tyrants in the name of Greek freedom.

Join us for an intriguing conversation with Thaao Penghlis about the quest for Priam’s treasure, the Lion Gate at Mycenae and the lost tomb of Alexander the Great. We’ll talk about his travels, and his podcast, Thaao Penghlis’s The Lost Treasures, where he follows the path of 19th century Homer fanboy Heinrich Schliemann in his hunt to prove the people and places of the Illiad were real.Thaao Penghlis's The Lost Treasures Episode 1Parthenon by Costa-Gavras

Greek Firewalkers have been accused of paganism, even satanism.  But nothing will shake the dedication of these devout Orthodox Christians to the seven hundred year old tradition of the Anastenária.Glimpses of an Ancient Fire-Walking Ritual in Northern GreeceDemetrios Ioannou InstragramDemetrios Ioannou websiteGREECE: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE GATHER TO WATCH INTERNATIONAL FIREWALKING CEREMONY.FIREWALKING

Over 80% of Greek Jews were annihilated during the Holocaust.  Renée Benmeleh joins us to share the stories of her fierce Yiayia who survived the Nazi machine against tremendous odds with tenacity, spirit, and a love of lifeVisit Renée’s Website: Sound Nourishment - Renée BenmelehExplore testimonies of Holocaust survivors:USC Shoah Foundation

Why Orthodox call Easter Pascha, the spiritual symbolism of red Easter eggs - and how Greeks square off in an egg cracking competition that will leave one egg standing.Closing music: Holy Thursday Hymn Simeron kremate epi xilou featuring Iro SaiaGreek Easter Egg FightUkrainian Easter Egg Decorating KitFresco of Mary Magdalene presenting red egg to Tiberius

Rescues, betrayal, and assassination: a civil war in the middle of the Greek Revolution resulted in Greeks killing Greeks, nearly derailing the fight for Independence. Bouboulina’s heroic feats couldn’t save her.The Brave Stepped Back: The Life and Times of Laskarina Bouboulina Documentary film by April Kalogeropoulos HouseholderThe Bouboulina MuseumKolokotronis and Bouboulina become wax figures in Kavala

Bouboulina rebels: Patriarchy, secret plots and the Ottoman Empire. A preamble to the Greek RevolutionAn Introduction to a Heroine of the Greek Revolution and Her Context

What Americans mean by “white,” Greek allies, and how a Greek Orthodox Archbishop rallied his flock to step up for Civil Rights at a time when conforming was the only way to succeed in America. Black Children Arrested & Assaulted in Birmingham/The Children's CrusadeThe Bombing of the 16th Street Baptist ChurchHellenism and the Civil Rights MovementArchbishop Iakovos Reflects on Joining Dr. King on Selma March

Apokries means Carnival Season in Greece, and Patras Carnival is the biggest. Inspired by Dionysus, influenced by Venice and France, it has a nearly two hundred year history of Masquerade balls, parades, a near-diplomatic crisis, arson, and treasure hunts. Καλές Απόκριες! Patras Carnival 2019Patras Carnival 2023 - TV spotCarnival in Naoussa / Apokries NaoussasAPOKRIES IN ATHENSPatras Carnival websiteαπόκριες thessaloniki

Jews have been in Greece since classical times. After thousands of years, these Greek citizens were nearly wiped out during the Holocaust. Join us in honoring the Greek Jews. Never forget.My People Official TrailerThe Secret of Ereikoussa/The Greek Island that Hid Jews from NazisHolocaust Survivor Testimonies: Deportation from Greece

Once, the Twelve Days of Christmas didn’t mean turtledoves and gold rings to the Greeks, but hordes of vicious goblins causing mayhem. We’ll explore the history of the kalikántzaroi, and how to protect yourself during the most wonderful - and scariest - time of the year.Greek Christmas Trolls: KallikántzaroiΛάχανα και Χάχανα - Καλικάντζαροι | Official Music VideoΚαλικάντζαροιClosing music: Kalikantzari (feat. Pediki Horodia Spirou Lambrou), from Hristougenniatika Lahana Ke Hahana; Hahana Kids & Tassos Ioannides

He rescued children, averted a famine, and was the patron saint of sailors, brides, and pirates. Nearly 1,700 years later St. Nicholas continues to inspire the best in us.Could Ancient Bones Suggest Santa was Real? U of OxfordThe Bones of the Real-Life Santa ClausThe Real St. Nick is a Far Cry From the Santa we KnowInside NYC's National Shrine: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church

In the early days of Greco-Italian War, as their region was being invaded, and their villages attacked by the Italian army, the women of the Pindus stepped up to fight back and keep the Greek army going. Women of EpirusΓυναίκες Ηπειρώτισσες (Women of Epirus) Monument Women of Epirus and Their Social Status from Ancient to Modern TimesWomen of the Pindos/Paul Vrellis Museum

Why the understanding of what it is to be Greek has changed over time. And why I’m here for it!Greek Identity White Paper

Greece has always been a land of gods and monsters. But who knew there are more species of vampires in Greece than anywhere else in the world? We’ll dive into our tales of Greek man-eaters, murder and mayhem.Modern Greek Folklore & Ancient Greek Religion

Oxi Day - October 28, 1940 was the day Greece took a stand against a powerful fascist army and put a crimp in Hitler’s grand plan for world domination. In the months that followed, Greece inspired war-ravaged Europe, and diverted and delayed the Italian and German armies long enough to impact the course of World War 2. Ζήτω η Ελλάς! Long Live Greece!How Greece saved Europe in world war 228 October 1940 - "Heroes fight like Greeks"How Greece Helped the Allies Win WW2

We’re going to follow the Parthenon Marbles, damaged and orphaned, to their new place of residence, in England. And discover how a government claiming it was based on justice, abetted one of the biggest heists of all time. Give them back!!Parthenon Battle?National GeographicHow the Parthenon Marbles Ended Up in the British Museum

The Parthenon and its spectacular marbles survived for two thousand years. Then Ottoman Occupation enabled an opportunistic British diplomat to run amok among Greece’s greatest monuments, and pillage the symbol of Greek civilization and democracy. The Unexplained: Sacred Greek Temple is an Optical IllusionPhidias, Parthenon Sculptures

For 2,500 years the most spectacular marble statues ever seen graced the Parthenon, atop the Acropolis in Athens. For all of that time artists, architects, mathematicians, and scholars studied and admired the Temple of Athena and her sculptures. We’ll talk history, the man who envisioned the Acropolis complex, and why the Parthenon Marbles are pride and “essence of Greekness.”Phidias, Parthenon SculpturesThe Parthenon/History/Acropolis of Athens

How a Turkish shadow puppet evolved into a symbol of Greek suffering and resistance. Funny and subversive, Karagiózis connected Greeks in cities, villages and islands by keeping their music, culture and the seeds of resistance alive; sustaining Greeks through the Ottoman Occupation, the War for Independence, civil war, Nazi brutality and military oppression.Karagiozis makes bullyingΕυγένιος Σπαθάρης Ο Καραγκιόζης Γιατρός

What led up to the ethnic cleansing of Anatolia and the destruction of Türkiye’s most beautiful and ethnically diverse city, erasing Greeks, Armenians, Assyrians and Jews from the region for the first time in 2,500 years. Guest Helen Vardakis shares her family’s escape in 1922 from Kemal’s blueprint for genocide.Asia Minor of Our Heart.02 Photos Until August 1922Smyrna: The Destruction of a Cosmopolitan City1922 The Destruction of Smyrna

Guest Georgia Dourdoulakis explains why icons are so important to the Orthodox Church; how they are NOT “graven images;” why we say they are written, not drawn; and what theology in colors means. Learning to Read IconsReading Icons 1Iconography/What is an Icon?

Overnight Greece went from democracy to military dictatorship, and Melina went from privileged society girl and actor to political juggernaut. How love of country launched her from star of the Broadway stage into battle for soul of Greece.Interview with Jules Dassin/Studs TerkelGreek actor/politician Melina Mercouri on being a national heroMelina Mercouri - The Last Greek GoddessA Greek Cafe Dedicated to Melina MercouriOur thanks to the Melina Mercouri Foundation for permission to use photos from their gallery

Melina becomes a worldwide film star with Never on Sunday, flops as Lady MacBeth and meets her hero, Greta Garbo. Then she and new hubby, Jules Dassin, open Illya Darling! on BroadwayStella (1955)"Never on Sunday" TrailerNever on Sunday (Nuncio en Domingo)Mes amis d'hier Melina Mercouri

Melina’s rising star on the stage, while chaos and Civil War rocked the country. And how she finally made her way into film.