Inside This Issue: Pisces Is the Last Sign of the Zodiac
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
www.greekamericancare.org 847 Wheeling, IL 60090 220 N. First Street - 459 THE - 8700 GREEK-AMERICAN TIMES LOEFFLER, M. 03/05 PETRAKIS,S. 03/06 MANOLAS, E. 03/09 MARLANTIS,A. 03/15 LATSON, A. 03/15 LANZILLOTTI,G. 03/28 Inside this issue: Pisces is the last sign of the zodiac. People who are born between February 19th to Special Points of Interest / Birthdays th March 20 are said to be born Pisces. The ruling planet of Activity Happenings Pisces is Neptune. They are 25th of March ~ Greek Independence Day the most emphatic sign of the zodiac and are deeply patient 25th of March—the Annunciation and gentle. They are mostly GARCC—15-Year Anniversary generous and emotional and happen to be quite popular. Saint Patrick’s Day National Women’s History These are people who value human relationships above everything and give a lot of importance to A Special Thank you human feelings. This sign is represented by two National Women’s Month fishes that are swimming at the opposite direction. As per the ancient Greek mythology, the fishes are Volunteers Needed in reality Eros and his mother Aphrodite; who were trying to flee from the clutches of the ‘Typon’, the Life Enrichment Calendar Lord of Fire. 1 Activity happenings … Welcome all to our March issue of the Greek American Times and welcome Spring. First, we would like to share some of our February activities which were plenty and very joyful. Like every month, many of our friends paid us a visit. The Greek American The Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Uprising Rehabilitation and Care Centre Women’s Auxiliary hosted a lovely Valentine’s Day Social and was a successful war of independence waged by the Greek revolutionaries between 1821 and 1832 gave us cards, balloons, delicious cake and ice-cream sundaes. On Monday, February 13th we against the Ottoman Empire. The Greeks were later assisted by the Russian Empire, Great Britain, the had an unforgettable Magic Valentine Show with Jimmy the Magician. Kingdom of France, and several other European powers, while the Ottomans were aided by their vassals, the eyelets of Egypt, Algeria, Tripolitania, and the Beylik of Tunis. On President’s Day, Monday, February 20th, the youth group from Saint Nectarios Greek Even several decades before the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453, most of Greece Orthodox Church joined us and helped residents decorate homemade cinnamon cookies. It was a had come under Ottoman rule. During this time, there were several revolt attempts by Greeks to gain very nice visit, full of joyous moments and happiness. That was a very nice surprise. independence from Ottoman control. In 1814, a secret organization called the Filiki Eteria was founded with the aim of liberating Greece. The Filiki Eteria planned to launch revolts in the Peloponnese, the One of the best moments of the month was the Carnival parade that was organized by the Greek Danubian Principalities, and in Constantinople and its surrounding areas. The first of these revolts began staff of the facility and held on Friday, February 24th. We all sang and danced, and shared on March 6, 1821 in the Danubian Principalities, but it was soon put down by the Ottomans. The events in wishes for a good and blessed Great Lenten season. On February 27th residents decorated the the north urged the Greeks in the Peloponnese into action and on March 17, 1821, the Maniots declared war on the Ottomans. This declaration was the start of a spring of revolutionary actions from other dining rooms with handmade kites and carnival masks. In the afternoon, we shared a Koulouma controlled states against the Ottoman Empire. meal with traditional foods; Laganes, Halva, olives and Tarama which were served reminding everyone that Sarakosti (Great Lent) has begun. We also celebrated Fat Tuesday and Mardi Gras By the end of the month, the Peloponnese was in open revolt against the Turks and by October 1821, the Greeks under Theodoros Kolokotronis had captured Tripolitsa. The Peloponnesian revolt was quickly on February 28 with beads, masks, traditional pastries and more. followed by revolts in Crete, Macedonia, and Central Greece, which would soon be suppressed. Mean- while, the makeshift Greek navy was achieving success against the Ottoman navy in the Aegean Sea and As March begins, we can not await for Spring to arrive. March is a month full of events and we prevented Ottoman reinforcements from arriving by sea. Tensions soon developed among different Greek are ready to live each one of them as vividly as possible. factions, leading to two consecutive civil wars. In the meantime, the Ottoman Sultan negotiated with Mehmet Ali of Egypt, who agreed to send his son Ibrahim Pasha to Greece with an army to suppress the revolt in return for territorial gain. Ibrahim landed in the Peloponnese in February 1825 and had immediate success: by the end of 1825, most of the Peloponnese was under Egyptian control, and the city of Missolonghi fell in April 1826 after a year-long siege by the Turks. Although Ibrahim was defeated in Mani, he had succeeded in suppressing most of the revolt in the Peloponnese, and Athens had been retaken. Following years of negotiation, three Great Powers—Russia, Britain and France—decided to intervene in the conflict and each nation sent a navy to Greece. Following news that combined Ottoman–Egyptian fleets were going to attack the Greek island of Hydra, the allied fleet intercepted the Ottoman–Egyptian fleet at Navarino. The battle began after a tense week-long standoff, ending in the destruction of the Ottoman–Egyptian fleet. By 1828 the Egyptian army withdrew under pressure of a French expeditionary force to which the Ottoman garrisons in the Peloponnese then surrendered, while the Greeks proceeded to the Ottoman-controlled part of central Greece. As a result of 660 Lake Cook Road 1913 Waukegan Road years of negotiation, Greece was finally recognized as an independent nation Deerfield, IL Glenview, IL in the Treaty of Constantinople of May 1832. Phone: 847-940-0777 Phone: 847-486-1988 The Revolution is celebrated by the modern Greek state as a Hours: Mon-Sun 6am– 4pm National Day on March 25th The Great Epochs of Orthodoxy March 25th - The Annunciation The Feast of the Annunciation of Our Most Holy Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary is celebrated on March 25 each year. The Feast commemorates the announcement by the Archangel F Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the Son of God, would become incarnate and enter into this world through her womb. R The biblical story of the Feast of the Annunciation is found in the Gospel of Luke (1:26 -39): I “The Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary, who was living in Nazareth, and said to D her, “Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you.” Mary was perplexed and wondered what kind of greeting this was. The angel told her not to be afraid, for she had found favor with God. A He said, “You will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to Y, him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary responded to the angel by asking how this could happen since she had no husband. The angel told her that the Holy Spirit and the power of M God would come upon her, and that the child to be born of her would be called holy, the “Son of God.” The angel then proceeded to tell the Virgin Mary that her cousin Elizabeth had A conceived a son in her old age (John the Baptist), and affirmed that with God nothing is impossible. In faith and obedience to the will of God, Mary replied to the angel, “Behold, I am Y the handmaid of the Lord; let it be according to your word.” Upon her response, the angel departed.” It is on the Feast of the Annunciation, that Orthodox Christians commemorate both the divine 5, initiative of God, whereby He took on flesh from the Virgin for our salvation, and the human response, whereby Mary freely accepted the vocation offered to her. He elected to become man, and He desired to do this with the willing agreement of her whom He chose as His mother. Mary could have refused, for she was not a passive instrument, but an active 2 participant with a free and positive part to play in God’s plan for our salvation. Thus, when on this and other feasts the Orthodox Church honors the Theotokos, the Mother of God, it is 0 not just because God chose her but also because she herself chose to follow His will. 1 7 Volunteers needed … Here at the Greek American Rehabilitation and Care Centre we are always looking for friendly, outgoing and passionate individuals to lend a helping hand. There are many ways you can be of assistance such as, visiting with the residents, providing additional support during activities, assisting with special projects or events, helping provide clerical assistance or even volunteering in our gift shop. To begin your volunteering experience today, visit our website at www.garcc.org and complete the volunteer application, or feel free to stop in and pick up an application from our first floor receptionist.