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7 THE SHEPHERD • APRIL 2024 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO AT THE CORONADO FERRY LANDING 619.435.1225 WWW.SPIROSCAFE.COM Best Greek food in the region Draft beer varieties Imported & domestic wine Spacious indoor/outdoor seating Panoramic views of S.D. Bay Catering Available 909 Prospect Avenue 858.352.6588 spiroscuisine.com Now open in the heart of La Jolla! Extensive Greek & mediterranean menu Delicious Greek desserts Fine wines, local & imported draft beer Patio for outdoor seating A fulfilling dining experience Open for lunch & dinner, 11AM to 9PM Catering for all events, big & small Online order & delivery available Sponsored Announcement GREEK LANGUAGE HISTORY The Greek language is well known for being one of the oldest languages. In fact, it has the most extended history of all Indo-European languages. The earliest inscriptions of Greek words written using the Ancient Greek al- phabet date back to 1400 BC, equat- ing to 3,400 years of written records. At the time more people were speak- ing Greek than any other language across the Mediterranean. Today, the Ancient Greek language is dead, and there is no longer a native-speaking community. Instead, Modern Greek is spoken – the version of the lan- guage that evolved from Ancient Greek through the Medieval Greek intermediate. Around 13 million people speak Greek worldwide to- day, most of whom live in Greece and Cyprus. The Greek language also holds a minority status in Al- bania and is used co-officially in a few municipalities. Throughout its long history from Ancient Greek to Modern times, the Greek language has been highly influential. Many notable literary works were written in Ancient Greek, including texts on science and philosophy. In addi- tion, many Greek words for scientific terms were adopted in English, such as mathematics, astronomy, and ath- letics. Even today, some words are often used as a basis for coining new scientific vocabulary. GREEK LANGUAGE ORIGIN The ancestor of the Greek language is Proto-Greek. Greek sound changes emerged around 2000 BC, differen- tiating this language from its closest Indo-European relatives. Linguists are unsure whether this sound shift happened in the Greek Peninsula or whether people speaking Greek mi- grated to Greece sometime after. A new version of the language emerged in the 15th century BC. The Mycenaean civilization spoke it, the first distinctly Greek society; hence, it is referred to as Mycenaean Greek. Mycenaean Greek was the first of several ancient dialects spoken throughout the Archaic and Classi- cal eras. Learning Greek also became widespread during this period as nu- merous important texts were written in Ancient Greek. Under the rule of Alexander the Great, Koine Greek emerged. This version of the Greek language fused Greek words from Ionian and Attic (two ancient Greek dialects) and was the first common form of Greek. It became the lingua franca across much of the Mediterranean, par- ticularly the Eastern regions. Peo- ple were learning Greek, speaking, Greek, and writing in Ancient Greek alphabet. Nancy Provataris, PhD Greek Language School Director GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL they tell, and thought that they would be a wonderful way to make connections with the Scriptures and Byzantine Chant, strengthening their fuller understanding of the musical tradition of the Church. When I shared my idea with Father Andrew, he was entirely supportive of my teaching these hymns, and worked with me to record each ode so that I could teach them first by ear, and then show them how the Byzantine notation reflected the notes they were singing. Father provided me with not only the notation but also the translation of each ode to further make the connection with the stories and meanings of the hymns. I invited Father Andrew and our Deacon Michael to give us a lesson about the hymns and where the stories are found in Scripture, focusing on the Eighth Ode, which connects the three Hebrew Children and the Trinity. Our kids love learning like little sponges, and they were so eager to learn more and to learn to sing these hymns themselves, that we decided to prepare the first, third, and fourth ode, which flow well together, to present at FDF. Father Andrew then recorded these three chants in this order for us to use in our preparation. It was fun for them to learn about Odes and modes as well, and to learn about the apikhima , or the pattern used to move into a mode (“ni-pa-vou-pa-ni”). They put their hearts into learning this challenging music, and were rewarded by earning a first place award at FDF for their hard work! Now our Protopsalti will be teaching us about the ison, and several of our group will be learning how to keep it when we chant new hymns, as we move on with the help of Father Andrew to learn more Katavasies, and additional Megalynaria, so that our young people will be able to recognize what they are learning when they attend various services, and be comfortable to chant along, and perhaps find their places at the analogion as well as the loft. 2 NEWS FROM THE LOFT