Greeks around the world can partake in the spiritual journey of Holy Week through the live broadcasts of the sacred services, the Resurrection liturgy of Holy Saturday, and the Vespers of Love on Easter Sunday, offered by Voice of Greece.
Throughout Holy Week, at 14:00 Athens time, the English-language show “Greek Music Express” with Hercules Economou turns its focus to Greek song and how it converses with the divine. Songs that reference God, as injustices, pain, longing, and so much more compel us to turn to religious invocation.
Starting from Lazarus Saturday, a special series of podcasts will be broadcast, featuring artists who speak in the spirit of the season through the imprint of their art. The series is curated by Themis Rodamitis and includes Stelios Mainas, Loudovikos ton Anogeion, Veronika Davaki, Christos Tsiamoulis, and others. The podcasts will air daily from Lazarus Saturday until Easter Sunday (Saturdays and Sundays at 14:00, and from Holy Monday to Holy Friday at 12:00).
Holy Friday, April 18
At 13:00 Athens time, the show “Unguarded Passage” with Thomas Sideris presents a special radio tribute to the iconic “Song of the Dead Brother,” as it is recorded in the popular poetry of the Greek and Balkan regions, showcasing its various variations. Laments of the Virgin Mary from our tradition, mourning songs, and customs from Greek folklore, as well as hymns of Holy Friday, will be broadcast “live” at 15:00 Athens time on “The Elves of Tradition” with Maria Koutsimpiri.
Immediately following, at 16:00 Athens time, Dimitris Kontogiannis will converse with Greeks from Kenya, Malawi, and other areas of Africa in the show “Our Global Voice,” while Thanasis Houpis at 18:00 will share the atmosphere of the day as experienced by Greeks in the Diaspora.
At midnight, Pantazis Tzaras will present a concert featuring excerpts from his composition “Lamenta,” influenced by mainland music and the long, mournful sounds of the mourning song, with performer, educator, doctor, and researcher Xanthoula Dakovanou.
Holy Saturday, April 19
At 12:00 noon, Ariadni-Sofia Kouri hosts musician and iconographer Kostas Konstantatos in a special episode of the show “Ariadni’s Thread“, focusing on iconography, the study of form and light, and music, the pulse of the soul.
At 13:00 Athens time, in the Easter tribute of the show “Historical Walks” with Marilena Katsimi, Miranda Terzopoulou, folklorist, ethnologist, and close collaborator of the unforgettable Domna Samiou, takes us on a journey through Easter folk songs, explaining the narratives and symbols from Lent to Holy Week.
At 16:00 Athens time, “Our Global Voice” with Dimitris Kontogiannis welcomes Bishop Photios of Malawi, who speaks to us about Holy Week in the small African nation with its few Greek expatriates, the Resurrection service, and the celebration of Easter. Immediately after, at 17:00 Athens time, our compatriots living abroad convey the atmosphere of the season live on the program “Hellenes Everywhere” with Thanasis Houpis.
At 19:00 Athens time, the show “Remarkable Personalities” with Mina Ralli will host Metropolitan Chrysostomos of Messinia and Metropolitan Ignatius of Dimitrias, along with Evangelos Karamanes, Director of the Center for Folklore Studies at the Academy of Athens.
Easter Sunday, April 20
At 08:00 in the morning, on Easter Sunday, Antonis Karagiannakis connects with the seafaring ships and Greek sailors traveling the seas of the world on the show “Fair Winds and Following Seas”, hosting sailors who recount memories of Easter celebrations during their voyages. A similar program is prepared by Antonis Karagiannakis for Easter Monday at the same time.
At 10:00 Athens time, Christina Tsardikou brings us the festive atmosphere from Buenos Aires, Argentina in the show “Greeks Around the World – Greece in Argentina,” while Archbishop Georgios of Cyprus delivers his Easter message “live” on the show “Hellenes Everywhere” with Thanasis Houpis (13:00 Athens time).
A two-hour musical celebration will be broadcast “live” at 14:00 in the show “Folk Paths” with Elena Falirea, and a different musical tribute will be aired at 21:00 Athens time on “Ariadni’s Thread” with Ariadni-Sofia Kouri, where the musical ensemble “Anafandon” will keep us company with its unique style inspired by our rebetiko and folk music tradition.
Easter Monday, April 21
At 10:00 Athens time, on the program “Take Your Time”, Prokopis Agelopoulos presents a special musical tribute from the ERT Musical Ensembles Studio. The tribute features the “Chronis Aidonidis” Orchestra— a traditional music ensemble formed by the close friends and collaborators of the legendary “Nightingale of Thrace,” under the direction of his student and fellow townsman, Vaggelis Dimoudis.
At 21:00 Athens time, within the framework of the program “Our Town” with Themis Rodamitis, listeners can enjoy a curated selection of beloved folk songs by iconic Greek composers such as Titsanis, Theodorakis, Kaldaras, Zambetas, Akis Panou, and Spanos. Four exceptional musicians perform live from Studio B of ERA, offering a heartfelt tribute to the richness of Greek folk music for the audience of Voice of Greece.
Source: vema.com.au
