VII. Birthday on Earth Ancient Eldla. C.1. – Athens, Greece – Tourist Blog

Day October 26 is a special day for me, and he has nothing to do with Greece.

Let’s start with Greece. What is this particular day? The answer can be found in the historic past of Greece.

October 26, all Greece celebrates St. Dimitry Solunsky’s Day.

A little story is interesting. Every day of the church calendar – the memory of some martyr or saint. It is difficult to mention all known names. It is impossible to imagine about the life and death of how many of them we have no idea. But the history of this saint in Greece knows almost all.

Dimitri was the son of Roman Consul in Fesaloniki (modern Thessaloniki, Slavic name – Solun). It was the third age of Christianity. Roman paganism, spiritually broken and defeated by the sonmal of martyrs and confessors of a crucified Savior, increased persecution. Father and Mother of St. Dimitri were secret Christians.

In the secret home church, the former in the House of Proconsula, the boy was baptized and set in the Christian faith. When Father died, and Dimitri has already reached the age of majority, the emperor Galery Maximian, who joined the throne in 305, caused him to himself and, making sure his education and military administrative abilities, appointed him to the place of his father Proconsul.

In relation to Christians, the Will of the Emperor was definitely expressed: "betray the death of everyone who calls the name of the crucible". The emperor did not suspect, assigning Dimitri, which wide path of confessional feats is provided by a secret devotee. Accepting the appointment, Dimitri returned to the Dessaloniki and immediately confessed and glorified our Lord Jesus Christ.

When Maximian found out that the proconsul-Christian newly appointed by him, and many Roman subjects, enthusiastic with example, turned into Christianity, anger of the emperor was not borders. Returning from the hike in the Black Sea region, the emperor decided to lead the army through the Dessaloniki, full of desire to deal with the Solong Christians.

Having learned about this, Saint Dimitri commanded his faithful servant Luppha in advance to distribute the estate with the words: "I divided the richness of the earthly between them – we will look for the wealth of heavenly". And he himself got a post and prayer, preparing him for the adoption of a martyr.

At dawn on October 26, 306, soldiers were soldiers in the underground dungeon of the Holy Prisoner and pierced him with spears. The body of the Holy Great Martyr Dimitri was thrown into the Wild Beasts, but the Solun Christians took him and secretly betrayed the earth. With Saint Equal-Apostles Constantine (306-337) above the grave of the saint Dimitria was erected church. One hundred years later, in the construction of a new majestic temple on the site of the Old, the unwanted relics of the Holy Martyr were acquired.

From the VII century, a miraculous dehydration cancer has a wonderful ************************ of the world. Therefore, St. Dimitria is also called peaceful. Holy Faith and Holy Acts.

Visiting the Temple of Dimitri Solunsky in Thessaloniki, do not rush to go and go out, putting a tick about visiting some sights. This temple is more than a landmark, stay, because the five minutes in your tourist trip "will not make up".

That I will fly to thessaloniki on my birthday, I knew before the trip to Athens. Not to celebrate it alone, alone, when in the next city a huge number of friends and the most important little man on the planet. Definitely, I am flying in Thessaloniki, I collect the whole company, I note and return to Athens. Conceived – done.

On the eve of the evening I’m going to the airport, airline tickets for the local airline I already have. After 50 minutes, I on Earth, in the glorious and such loved city – Fessonalki. First Surprise from Friends. I am celebrated at the airport almost all the "choral chapel". The student is nice shutters – she has nothing to do with it. The festive welcoming table is already covered. All my favorite dishes in our places. Emotions even forgot about the suitcase with gifts. Long before the trip gave the task to his student to carry out reconnaissance to clarify the souvenir "Wishlists" from Russia. If anyone gave Greeks gifts, he will understand me: they are the Universe of Positive. And only from some emotions can be happy for a long time. But happiness does not happen much. Surverating to the state of "SSCHASS SPO", went for a walk through the night city. Cafe tried to bypass.

Meeting of dawn on an updated embankment. Autumn drinking air. Who wants home? Well, yes … stupid question. Morning smoothly passed on day. And day – in the evening. It’s time and eat. Went to your favorite cafe. The company is rather big, and the tables in the premises of the cafe are already all busy. Although it is not bad on the street. Not so cold, and heaters stand almost every table. Friends prepared another little surprise. But what it turns it, no one knew. In the midst of the meal from the room cafe, a young man came out in the national costume. In his hand he held a tray, as it turned out, with cake and festive candles. "Happy Birthday to You! Happy Birthday to You!"- He signed loudly, our friendly company was supported. In a couple of seconds, visitors to the cafe are "naply" the words of this simple song. While I have a light shock.

At this time, from the rehearsal of the military orchestra (Greece was preparing for a parade, passing annually on October 28 ("No Day")) Returned musicians. Hearing singing without musical accompaniment, they decided to help and "turned on" music. Immediately appeared the first wishes to dance. Then the musicians of the neighboring cafes joined the incomplete orchestra, and in a couple of minutes danced, as it seemed to me, the whole street. Quarter for sure. More and more people joined our dancing chain, and curious citizens closefully closed their ranks. How much the action continued, I do not know, but during this time all the food has already cooled, it had to be ordered again. I arrived in full euphoria by this time. And in the neighboring cafes there are no free tables, not to mention our loved one. For the owners of the cafe, this evening was also a festive – "During the profit". And it all started with a small surprise of my friends.

I still didn’t want to return home, and we went again to walk around the city. The next day I left the hospitable city with light sadness. Leaving this time evening train. Accompanied me, as I met, our whole "choral chapel". In the morning I will be in Athens.