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6 THE SHEPHERD • DECEMBER 2025 • SAINT SPYRIDON GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH OF SAN DIEGO DANCE & CHORAL GREEK LANGUAGE SCHOOL ΣΧΟΛΕΙΟ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗΣ ΓΛΩΣΣΑΣ As we approach the end of the year, Greek School is filled with the joyful spirit of the season. Last month, we held our Αγιασμό, a beautiful blessing to begin our school year. Κάλλιο αργά παρά ποτέ! (“Better late than never!”) It was a wonderful evening of prayer, connection, and renewed purpose. We are especially grateful to Father Andrew for leading us in the service and blessing our school with his presence and prayers. On a personal note, I was deeply thankful to be able to attend after returning from a 2-month long business trip. It meant so much to be there with our students, families, and parish community to mark the beginning of our school year with faith and fellowship. This month, we’re looking forward to a fes- tive celebration on Friday, December 19th at 6:00 PM in the Church Hall. Students, fam- ilies, and parishioners are invited to gather for an evening of traditional Greek Κάλαντα (Carols), warm hot chocolate, treats, and holiday cheer. It’s a chance to come togeth- er in song and fellowship as we welcome the Christmas season. A GREEK TWIST ON CHRISTMAS TRADITIONS In Greek culture, Christmas is a time of deep faith, family gatherings, heartfelt traditions and of course traditional food. While many homes now display Christmas trees, the tra- ditional Greek symbol of the season is the decorated boat — Καραβάκι. This custom dates back centuries, especially in island and coastal communities, where the sea has al- ways played a central role in daily life. The Καραβάκι is adorned with lights and orna- ments to honor sailors and symbolize safe journeys, both physical and spiritual. It re- flects Greece’s maritime heritage and the hope for peace and protection in the new year. Decorating a boat instead of a tree re- minds us of our roots and the unique beauty of our traditions. As we teach our students about language and history, we also celebrate the customs that make our heritage so rich and meaningful. We hope you’ll join us in keeping these tra- ditions alive — through song, stories, and shared joy. Wishing you and your families Καλά Χριστούγεννα (a blessed Christmas) and ευτυχισμένο το νέο έτος (a joyful New Year)! Με εκτίμηση, Dr. Eleni Sinopoulou San Diego Greek Language School Director We are very excited to see the return of our Choir Christmas Concert on December 7th at 6:00 pm. Come and support Kathy Meck and our Adult and Youth Choirs for a festive and moving evening of music and song. The directors of our youngest dance group, Ta Spyridonakia, have had so much fun, that they decided to join assistant director Gabri- ella Livanos to teach our 7-10-year-old dance group, Helios ! Thank you, once again, Sophia Thiros , and Tina Perri ! Pelagos , our dance group of 11- to 18-year- olds is laser-focused on mastering their danc- es for FDF, while the rest of the dance group team is busy collecting costumes, accessories and putting into motion all the moving parts that go into preparing for FDF. Save the Date for Saturday, January 31, 2026 , when we will have our FDF Preview Night in the church hall. Since FDF will be in Phoenix, AZ this year, this will be your only opportunity to see the dance and choral performances. We have a wonderful evening planned of music, dance and choral performances so be on the lookout when tickets go on sale soon! Sia Brown recently wrapped up her two six- week Adult Beginner Greek Dance and Adult Cardio Greek Dance class. The group had a wonderful time at their weekly practices and are looking forward to joining up again after Great Lent. If you have any questions or want to learn more about joining our dance instructors or volunteering, please reach out to Tim- my Paraskevopoulos at stspyridondance@ gmail.com.