After almost five years in the priesthood I am not sure why this still makes my blood boil. I read several blogs each day and also have my google news reader set to search for certain topics like, orthodox, Romania, Spirituality, etc. In the feed this morning was this headline:
Preparing for Pascha: All ages help to ready church for Greek Easter
The question I have was last Sunday Roman Catholic Easter? Why is it the journalists cannot seem to understand that there are others out here in this big world that are Orthodox that are not Greek?
Having said that it is a very nice article and quotes my friend Fr. Angelo so all and all not a bad look at what we do. I am glad we got some ink since none of the papers around here saw fit to publish anything about the fact that today we celebrate Christ Rising from the dead. Perhaps if someone actually rose form the dead last night we would have gotten some ink.
Happy Easter Padre!
Indeed, he has risen! We aren’t Greek, either. We cannot allow the press to steel any part of our joy!If you want to know something you have to go to the source, and Jesus was not Greek either. Oh well, maybe you have just to chuckle at that one. Remember do not judge a book by its cover and they can only know what was taught to them. Worse yet, they aren’t even aware that they have offended a whole mass of people, even though well-intentioned writers.
What part of the country are you in? That makes a difference. Here in NH, it’s “Greek Easter,” but when I was growing up in NYC it was “Russian Easter.” Depends on the ethnicity of the most visible Orthodox population is. I’m guessing we won’t see “Romanian Easter” anytime soon — well, maybe in my old home town, I understand more and more Romanians are moving in. Makes me think it’s time to revisit the subject of returning to NYC, something I promised myself I’d never even think about.
Christos a inviat! Adevarat a inviat!
The problem of the press and others referring to Eastern Orthodox Easter as “Greek Easter” is that they do not realize that the term “Greek Easter” only refers to Greeks. In other words, these people believe that the term “Greek Easter” covers all of the Eastern Orthodox worshipers, and not just Greeks. Why is this mistake so common? This misconception probably originated by the fact that most of the Eastern Orthodox Churches — at least most of them in the New England area — are Greek Orthodox Churches. Consequently, many people working in the press and others either do not know that there are other Orthodox ethnic groups besides Greeks, or perhaps more likely, they believe that using the term “Greek Easter” covers all ethnic Orthodox worshipers in America.
Well said Father!
maybe its just time to call our selves orthodox.then no one will be offended.because that is what we are,we are all orthodox christians.linda
Linda — we tried that in our parish. NOT a good idea — our priest is still catching heat for leaving out the word GREEK in the parish’s name. Sigh.