February 9th - The Greek Language National Day & the Olive Tree

February 9th. There are many many different national days celebrated today, but I chose to discuss shortly about the Greek Language Day.

And for this to be celebrated, I am posting photos of .. olive trees.

Olive Trees were highly valued both in Greek and Roman cultures. They placed a central role in the economy but above all, they represented hope, peace and rebirth.

According to the Greek Mythology, Athena (Goddess of Wisdom) created the olive tree. Both her and Poseidon (God of the Sea), were the protector of olive trees which was considered sacred.

It is worth mentioning that winners of Olympic Games (which were held in Ancient Greece in year 776 B.C and after that), were honored with a wreath made from olive branches. That symbolized ideals such as harmony, excellence, physical health, and power.

The olive branch is still, today, a symbol of peace and victory.

Εάν αποσυνθέσεις την Ελλάδα, στο τέλος θα δεις να σου απομένουν μια ελιά, ένα αμπέλι κι ένα καράβι. Που σημαίνει: με άλλα τόσα την ξαναφτιάχνεις. 🌿🍇⛵

Είπε ο βραβευμένος με Νόμπελ Οδυσσέας Ελύτης

If you were to decompose Greece, in the end, you would find an olive tree, a vineyard, and a ship. This signifies that with these three elements, you can rebuild Greece anew. 🌿🍇⛵

Said by Nobel Laureate, Odysseas Elytis, sums up the continuity of Greek Tradition. Even though Greece had many challenging times, the essence of it still remains simple and pure.

About this day

International Greek Language Day is celebrated annually on February 9. On this day the Greek language's contribution in shaping Western civilization is honored and recognized. It coincides with the Commemoration Day of Greece's national poet, Dionysios Solomos, whose lyrics are featured in the Greek National Anthem . 🇬🇷📜

• https://www.languagemagazine.com/2019/02/08/celebrating-international-greek-language-day
• https://greekreporter.com/2023/02/09/greek-language-day

Check here some more national days of .. today :)
https://nationaltoday.com/february-9-holidays/

Thank you for stopping by!
Ευχαριστώ!

I asked Bing to help me with the etymology of this word.. here is what it means exactly and where it came from

The Greek word “ευχαριστώ” (pronounced /ef.xa.ɾiˈsto/) has an interesting etymology:

It originates from the verb “εὐχαριστέω” (eukharistéō).
The root of this word is “εὐχάριστος” (eucharistos), which combines “εὖ” (eu, meaning “well” or “good”) and “χάρις” (charis, meaning “grace” or “favor”).
When you say “ευχαριστώ”, you are expressing gratitude or giving thanks. It’s a way of acknowledging favor or goodwill received from someone else.
< So, when you say “ευχαριστώ”, you’re not only saying “thank you” but also invoking the idea of grace and goodwill. 🌿🙏

But if you do know some Greek, I pretty much can guess which word comes first to mind! Feel free to share below!

Posted Using InLeo Alpha