“My little bright moon, light up my pathway so I can walk…”says the young student of the Greek school and emanates smiles and emotions.
The celebrations are very important for three different reasons and the Greek community is present in the Orthodox Church of St. Spiridon in Great Yarmouth.
It is the Sunday of the Cross, the Greek national celebrations in honour of the 25th of March 1821 and of the 1st of April 1955 which are celebrated under the roof of the grand church that is the centre of Hellenic culture in the town.
The Christians are listening with devotion to Father Fotios at the Divine Liturgy of the 3rd Sunday of the Fast . The church is filled with people of all ages,some of which are the first immigrants that came in the area. The president of the community, Mr Andrew Sumeou and the vice president Mr Dimitris Dimitriou are taking part, making sure that everything is run smoothly and uninterrupted. All of the people take part in their way. Some of them sing the hymns while others are taking place in the liturgy, but barring none they are all pray.
Father Fotios said in random time that “the little is a lot for us”, and he certainly knows about the needs of the Greeks and Cypriots living abroad as he came to the United Kingdom after preaching for many years in Panama. He is an energetic and creative member of the community while he manages to bring together, to help and support not only the people of the community but the Greek school as well that is created under the roof of the church itself.
Holding the Flag high, Very high.
The Divine Liturgy is finished. The school students are entering the temple by holding their flags high, really high, and then take their places.
The teachers, proud and smiling, are standing next to them, important supporters of the event.
Children’s voices are echoing the space and one by one the students are reading their poems within the applauses and the enthusiasm of the people that are there. While the poems of the children accompanied by beautiful songs, at the same time followed by traditional Greek dances. Right there in the first row of seats, Mrs Asimina, teacher of the first Greeks that came in the area, and even though she is quite old and frail, her feet are not holding her: she is there, standing and rhythmically waving her hands and giving the musical tone.
The student Alexandra Lazaridi was honoured at the painting contest about national celebrations.
The ceremony closes with the National Greek hymn and it clearly raises a lot of emotions. This year are all very happy, because the student Alexandra Lazaridi was honoured 1st Prize as she won the Painting Contest of all Greek communities in England with the theme national celebrations.
The school doors open for the parents and the visitors. The principal of the Greek school, Mrs Effie Symeou, is very happy about her students.
The interest about Greek language lessons has risen more than ever and the people of the community are participating with great will.
On the teacher’s side we also find the Greek dances teacher Mrs Angelina Michail, while great help and support and also helping in the school is the priest wife, Mrs Panagiota Panagiotopoulou.
The Greek Cypriot community in Great Yarmouth has approximately 900 members, a community that is alive and energetic, who with very little means, tries to keep alive the Greek spirit, the Greek language, the culture and the traditions of our country. There at St,Peters road, St. Spiridon’s church in Great Yarmouth gives the National Rhythm.
Eleni Andrianopoulou
Photography Deppie Paramani
