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6 THE SHEPHERD • MARCH 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO Greek Independence Day, celebrated on March 25th, commemorates the beginning of Greece’s War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire in 1821. After nearly 400 years of Ottoman rule, Greek revolution- aries, inspired by the ideals of freedom and national identity, rose up in defiance. The revolution was fueled by the Filiki Eteria, a secret organization dedicated to Greek liber- ation, and was supported by key figures such as Theodoros Kolokotronis, Alexandros Yp- silantis, and Laskarina Bouboulina. Despite initial hardships, the Greek forces, with aid from European allies, eventually secured in- dependence, leading to the establishment of the modern Greek state in 1830. To honor this historic struggle and the he- roes who fought for Greece’s freedom, Greek School will be hosting its annual Greek In- dependence Day celebration on March 30th, 2025. This event will bring together students, families, and the community to commemo- rate the bravery and sacrifices of those who paved the way for Greece’s independence. Through traditional songs and presenta- tions, we will reflect on the significance of this day and keep the spirit of 1821 alive for future generations. Nancy Provataris, PhD Greek Language School Director GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL DANCE & CHORAL Three numbers sum up the progress of our dance program to date: 8, 4, and 20. It’s hard to believe that in 2023 we revived the Dance program after COVID with just 8 kids. In 2024 we went back to FDF for the first time in 4 years and this year we took a group of over 20 kids to FDF, some whom just started dancing for the first time this year and sev- eral who were going to their very first FDF. The group made enormous progress from last year. They gave two phenomenal perfor- mances that brought tears to our eyes. But most everyone is probably scanning this ar- ticle to see if we won a medal. I can tell you that we are very proud of our Youth Choral group, who won third place and competed against groups who were 10 to 30 years older. Competition is a key tool to measure prog- ress and push you beyond what you think you can achieve. But it can stir up some rath- er ugly feelings too. We have all felt it. But for me, FDF is about so much more. It is surreal to see typical teenagers and hip young adults transformed into villagers from decades past, dancing without self-consciousness in elabo- rate archaic headwear and clothing. Where else would you see the cool people are the ones dancing until 2:00 am to the sounds of an instrument made of sheep intestine? This is the sort of infectiously unique and total- ly Greek experience that makes FDF such a bonding experience. These few days brought us closer to our culture and our faith and each other. Where I heard of snarkiness and strife in other groups, ours grew bigger and stronger like a family. The St. Spyridon fam- ily is truly special, and the genuine warmth and affection we feel for each other is envi- able. And there is no more precious medal than that. The Greek Revolution of 1821 Sunday, March 30 In the Church Hall, Following the Divine Liturgy General admission: $25 12 yrs old and below: $15 Get your tickets at www.sdgreekschool.org or contact Christoforos Savvides at 619.709.6067 O u r G r e e k S c h o o l p r e s e n t s a p r o g r a m t o c e l e b r a t e