A paper on Aristeidis Metallinos

Aristeidis Metallinos, laic sculptor of Ano Korakiana (1908-1987)

Aristeidis Metallinos - Αριστείδης Μεταλληνός - is known to few. Villagers of Ano Korakiana older than 30 remember talking to him as children.  Aristeidis' son, Andrea, died in 2016. We attended his crowded funeral at Agios Athanasios, the cathedral of Ano Korakiana. We're honoured to be friends of Maria,  Andrea's sister, daughter of Aristeidis, also her son, Tassos; also of Angeliki, the sculptor's grand-daughter and her mother, Anna, Andrea's widow.
Aristeidis Metallinos was a craftsman of many skills, who became, in the last part of his long life, a sculptor - one of the island's talents. He died 20 years before we came to have a home in his village. Six years after our arrival, we were invited to visit the museum in which Andrea and Anna lived and in which the sculptor's work is currently displayed. Few others, Greeks or foreigners, have been inside.  It was once described as a 'museum', but last year that name was removed by workman in 2017, leaving Andrea's plaque on the front of the house, attesting it as his father's place of work.

To make his work known, a project in which we have faith, I submitted a Wikipedia entry in English and Greek. Two years ago, Angeliki, Lin and I, with Andrea's approval, made a draft catalogue of every work in the 'museum'.

With Andreas Metallinos' approval, Angeliki and Linda cataloguing his father's work 

Richard Pine was permitted to use one of the sculptor's marble friezes - The Saint of Preveza - in his book Greece Through Irish Eyes. In 2016 our son Richard made and administers a website owned and paid for by the family.
I have shown photos of many of the works to interested Corfiot artists and writers, Greek and British - Maria Strani-Potts, Jim Potts, Richard Pine, Katherine Wise. Also Corfiot historian John Petsalis author of Corfu Museum on-line, and his colleague photographer, Effie Stathia; the cultural anthropologist, Dr Alexandra Moschovi at the University of Sunderland. Irini Savanni, art historian and curator at the University of Athens, who I met in Ano Korakiana, her village. Aristeidis Metallinos is mentioned on Ano Korakiana's website and blog authored by Thanassis Spingos.
The first noting of the sculptor outside his village was by Giannis M. Maris - welcome, but brief, in a collection of artists' biographies published in 1978. The catalogue Angeliki, Linda and I made of the works in the museum in Ano Korakiana shows just 25 sculptures completed by that year.

Giannis M. Maris (1978) "Βιογραφικό - Αριστείδης Ζαχ. Μεταλληνός", in Απάνθισμα Γραμμάτων και Τεχνών, Athens, pp. 611–617

A much fuller paper of 23 pages illustrated with black and white photos of the artist's work was written by Professor Eurydice Antzoulatou-Retsila (she told me, in a letter, she preferred 'Eurydice' to the Greeklish 'Evridiki') published in Myriovivlos, vol. 7, Athens, pp. 37-47 - two years before the artist's death. 'Corfiot themes in the craft of the laic sculptor Aristeidi Metallinou'.

Ευρυδίκη Αντζουλάτου-Ρετσίλα (1985) “Θέματα Κερκυραϊκής λαoγραφίας στo έργo τoυ λαϊκoύ λιθoγλύπτη Αριστείδη Μεταλληνoύ” στο Μυριόβιβλoς, τεύχ. 7, Αθήνα, σελ. 37-47

Maria and Jim Potts have generously donated a 'free translation' of this paper's abstract:

The laic sculptor (sculptor of the people) Aristeidis Metallinos (1908-1987), from the Corfu village of Ano Korakiana, provides us with a common example of a folk artist or craftsman, for whom the need to earn a living pushes him/her in the direction of an occupation involving a variety of forms of traditional artisanal handicraft-work, until reaching the final stage of free and unconstrained expression of artistic inspiration through, e.g. sculpture in stone (in the case of Metallinos).
In the course of his difficult life, he practised as a wood-carver, a professional shoe-maker. He built fireplaces and ovens, carved and chiselled olive press mill-stones and hand grinding-mills.
At the advanced age of 67, he occupied himself as a sculptor carving in stone, declaring that he was self-taught. He thus realised a long-standing ambition to create and depict different forms of life which were slowly disappearing, as he had understood from his own experience of life.  His works of art demonstrate the true meaning of laic folk-art and provide visual testimony and evidence of aspects of Corfu’s culture and way of life, particularly in the north west of Corfu.
The inspiration for Metallinos’ sculptures was the folklore of the island. They are presented here for the first time. They were created in the period between 1975 and 1983. Two types are distinguishable: bas-relief sculptures, and statues, carved from white Kozani marble or Corfu stone.

They depict agricultural occupations* (milking a goat, a village woman carrying a load, the village olive press), traditional crafts and professions (the shoemaker/cobbler, the milkman, the village baker, the blacksmith), domestic activities (grinding with a hand-mill, a village woman kneading dough, a peasant woman carrying water), traditional handicrafts (a peasant woman with a distaff, another with a shepherd), villagers wearing traditional costumes (‘My mother’, an elderly man from Korakiana, a peasant woman in formal costume, a Corfiot).
NB If the word peasant’ is not felt appropriate now, substitute ‘villager’.

*I've recorded several of these. See 'Ano Korakiana in relief'

I am looking for ways of getting a translation of the whole paper – but without paying.

One of Metallinos' latest works - self-portrait of him at work 1984  (stone S 74 x 69 Cat 190) Photo: Richard Baddeley)

Up to date on Black Patch Park

"The conundrum of the Black Patch" Cllr Steve Eling, Sandwell Council Leader, 23rd Feb 2017 

I am hoping that these are significant dates in the restoration of Black Patch Park - useful to us, The Friends of Black Patch Park (FoBPP), and to anyone new to our campaign, begun 14 years ago, to stop the decommissioning of the park in favour of light industry, and bring people back to the park and its surroundings.

A facebook Messenger letter to me from Cllr Darren Cooper in late July 2015

Hi Simon it was good to see Michael Chaplin in Black patch, I'm just sorry I was not aware of this until it appeared in the news. I have made many attempts in the past to get a solution to the area including the historical Soho foundry. I'm still keen to look at options. However this just seems to hit a brick wall. I had extensive meeting with the Lunar society all to know end. I'd be happy to meet with you to look at options if you contact my office on 01215695666. In any case finding a solution with Council money alone is a non runner given the cuts we have to make. B'ham are in a worse place than Sandwell so can't see that making a difference.’

My reply on behalf of the Friends:  'Thanks Darren. It is such a tricky wicked problem - one you clearly understand. I will indeed be in touch. You know at the moment that Hayley Insley, your senior regeneration officer, is looking at Eastside's offer but which involved losing a third of the Patch. We are bound by our constitution and belief in the park to resist this while ready to be participate in all attempts to find a way through in these horrible times for local government! Kindest regards, S'
[Note: On 16th June 2014 FoBPP had an interesting meeting in the Soho Foundry Pub with Tony Deep MBE of Eastside Foods who expressed interest in seeking permission for a company called Smart Waste to construct an autoclaving plant on part of Black Patch Park]

The notes are from a facebook timeline:

Cllr Darren Cooper 1964-2016

A meeting with Cllr Darren Cooper, Leader of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council

On 16th March 2016 - yesterday - Ron Collins, our chair, Phil Crumpton and Simon Baddeley, met with the Leader of Sandwell MBC, Cllr Darren Cooper at the Council House in Oldbury. We talked for over half an hour. The best that came from the meeting was Cllr Cooper's view that the area surrounding Black Patch Park could be rezoned for housing, instead of, as it is and has been for over a decade, for light industry. [Darren Cooper died 10 days after our meeting]

The circulation of a report on rezoning by FoBPP

Our report 'Bringing People Back to Black Patch' was approved at The Friends of Black Patch Park's last Committee Meeting on 1 December at the Soho Foundry Tavern.

First meeting with Cllr Steve Eling, new Leader of Sandwell

At the meeting between Cllr Steve Eling and the FoBPP on 23 Feb 2017, Cllr Eling said he was impressed at the comprehensiveness of the report that the Friends had produced, recommending that people be brought back to Black Patch Park as the only solution to its neglect and blighting. His Cabinet had walked around the park a few weeks earlier. He had followed our case. He agreed with our plan and its arguments for rezoning the area for new housing around the park and beyond. This, the Leader agreed, was the only way to resolve what he described as the ‘conundrum of the Black Patch’ - a problem created by a prolonged series of failed piece-meal measures; in particular, a repetitive cycle of forced illegal entry, consequent trashing, expensive clearance, inadequate boundary securing and monitoring. “Black Patch” he declared “has been historically disadvantaged by its lack of connectivity. But there’s a new connectivity which changes the fortunes of the Black Patch”. There would be no solution to the ‘Black Patch conundrum’ without a restorative strategy for this part of the Borough.

March/April 2017 - The Temporary Transit Site laid out between Avery and Boulton Roads

To find a solution to a borough-wide problem of travellers trespass on public green space Sandwell MBC permits the laying out of a secure temporary site for travellers so that within 24 hours, the authority can, under public order legislation, transfer trespassers on its parks to that site. FoBPP expressed concern, objecting, in a letter from our Hon Sec, that placing a Temporary Traveller's Transit site next to the last remaining homes near Black Patch and in the centre of an area that a month before the Council Leader had described as the 'sustainable housing area',  blocked plans to restore Black Patch Park as a 'community of place'. Cllr Steve Eling responded with a 3-page letter.

August 2017 Sandwell MBC Cabinet agree on rezoning the Black Patch area for housing

Cllr Steve Eling, Leader of Sandwell MBC, spoke with four of the Friends of Black Patch Park, in the gallery of the Council Chamber, just before chairing Cabinet - 3.20 pm 30th Aug. The question in our minds and on our lips and in the paper we submitted to the Council last year, is "Will the Council adopt what FoBPP have proposed for the Black Patch - the return of houses and therefore people to the land around the park?" Steve Eling says - I wrote down his words - "it's in hand. it will take time. A schematic will go out to consultation in October."

In the Visitors' Gallery at Sandwell Council House 

Second meeting with Cllr Steve Eling

On 7th Sept FoBPP met the Council Leader to seek his reassurance that plans for the restoration of the area were going ahead despite Friends' concerns about the obstacle posed by the temporary transit site sitting right opposite the park

A brief about where things stood for the Black Patch at the end of Summer 2017

‘In the last 18 months things have changed for the Black Patch – not only for the park but for its surrounding streets and small edging areas of land. In mid-2016 the Leader of Sandwell Council said that previous bets – few and far between - on the future of the Black Patch were off. Something serious needed doing for this area at the eastern end of the borough - neglected 30 years; blighted by the dispersal of all but a few of its surrounding residents; by a pragmatic council decision to decommission the park and rezone it for light industry, and by its spreading repute as an expedient place for flytipping. Councillor Darren Cooper declared to us, in his office on 16th March 2016, that things were going to change.

Diana Bancroft's long demolished childhood home off Foundry Lane overlooking Black Patch (with permission) 

His sudden death, within days of our meeting, did not interrupt that aspiration. Rather, a decision to restore Black Patch Park became part of Darren Cooper’s eulogy, repeated, with detail, at a meeting, on 23rd February 2017, with Sandwell’s new leader, Cllr Steve Eling. “The whole area” he declared from his predecessor’s chair “has been blighted by decades of piecemeal decisions”. Council strategies, having nothing to do with this area of the borough, have nudged the ‘Patch’ into an urban limbo – reminiscent of its status 150 years earlier, when none but the Romany would make a home on 10 feet of industrial embers threaded by two oily brooks beside barren rail embankments.’

Full Council Meeting on 16th Jan 2018 endorsed the decision of Sandwell's Cabinet

Well what do we think - after attending Full Council at Sandwell tonight? Throughout the proceedings we heard no mention of Black Patch. All rose to leave after near 2 hours.  "So what's happened?" we asked one another. It felt like an anti-climax, but then we met up with the Leader and colleagues in the Council Chamber lobby...The Rev Ash Barker of Winson Green asked Cllr Eling to help us understand why there'd been no mention of the Black Patch during the Council meeting. Cllr Eling replied "It's done! Council endorsed Cabinet's recommendation/ No-one objected" Our mood shifted upwards as other councillors came up to us to confirm our best hopes. We had actually not quite grasped that - but see the letter below from Suki Suthi-Nagra copied to our member, Phil Crumpton.

The Leader reassures the Rev Ash Barker on 16th Jan 2018

So what has been so far decided?

This is an email from Sandwell's manager of Democratic Services, officially copied to one of our members, Phil Crumpton, shortly before Sandwell MBC Full Council met on 16th Jan 2018 to endorse a proposition for the future of the Black Patch Area that had been put forward at a Sandwell MBC Cabinet meeting on 18th Oct 2017:

From: Suky Suthi-Nagra
Sent: 11 January 2018 09:32
To: Jan Britton CEO Sandwell MBC; Phil Crumpton FoBPP
Subject: RE: [The Friends of Black Patch Park] Perrott Street, Winson Green viewed from beneath... [IL0: UNCLASSIFIED]

Phil. Thank you for your email. I can confirm that the Council at its meeting to be held on 16 January 2018, will be receiving the minutes of the Cabinet held on 18 October 2017. You will recall that at this meeting in October, the Cabinet considered the Proposed Masterplan for Residential Development at Black Patch, Smethwick and resolved:- 

(1) that the proposals for a land use change to the sites in the Black Patch area, Smethwick to that of residential be noted;

(2) that a masterplan and Interim Planning Statement be prepared as the way forward for the Black Patch, Smethwick area;

(3) that in connection with Resolution (2) above, a further report be submitted to the Cabinet on the draft masterplan and Interim Planning Statement prior to public consultation being undertaken;

(4) that consultation be undertaken with Merry Hill Allotment plot holders to consider relocation to an alternative allotment site and the results of the consultation be submitted to Cabinet in due course. 

The Council will note these minutes. A further detailed report on the draft masterplan will be presented in due course to Cabinet to which you will be invited to attend 

Kind Regards
Suky Suthi-Nagra
Democratic Services Manager
Sandwell Council, Oldbury, B69 3DE

Us lot - Friends of Black Patch Park, Stacey, Harj, Ash, Phil, Ron, Simon at Newbigin House on 30th Jan 2018

One window <Μικρό παράθυρο, πολλά δουλειά>

“Wouldn't it be simpler, even economical in the long run, to remove the whole window, frame and all, and have a metal opening window installed?”
"Yes and no" says Linda
Our dining room window is a quaint opening in the house, slightly hidden by steps up to the outside balcony, and pot-plant greenery.

It must once have been a wood-framed inward-opening window with transoms. Before we came here, that had been removed - regarded beyond repair. We have instead, a fixed pane that drips condensation in winter. It doesn't open.
6 years ago Lin and I made shutters to fit outside this window - adapting doors recovered from a discarded kitchen cupboard. The job was complicated because the exterior entry to the window, at the house wall, was inches larger than the square into which the shutters on their new frame were to fit flush against the window. The angles, front and back, were slightly different too. We ended up. after some minutes of fruitless offering up, cutting out a section from the frame to get it to fit; then rejoin the cut ends; difficulties that should have been avoided by proper measuring. Then the shutters had to be reshaped to fit the adjusted frame.
Because of the proximity of the external balcony steps, the shutters could only open if two folding sections were hinged on one side, and one on the other. In time, we worked our way through these difficulties. Our neighbour, Lefteris, watching us, mused <Μικρό παράθυρο, πολλά δουλειά> "Little window, lots of work"

The shutters were made to a frame that didn't fit

For the last year, Lin’s noticed that the inside of the old frame is rotting. On the dining room side, she poked a finger deep into the foot of it. Out came white insects. Procrastination no longer possible, we set to, chiseling out the wood below and beside the window. It came away in flaky chunks...

...some damp but not so much rotten as termite infested. The insects came tumbling out onto the interior sill to be killed with insecticide spray.

Our chiseling out continued along the bottom and the lower sides of the frame, until we were down to rocks and cement. I used the multi-tool wood cutter to remove frame-wood back to where it was still sound – hard old wood. As I expected more and more unsound, damp and rotten wood needed cutting out; more insecticide sprayed into the cavity.
"I'm glad we started on this at last" I said aloud, thinking how we could easily have invested in a new opening double-glazed window. But as, instead, we invested our energies repairing what existed, its value shifted.
"The rot's all out now. You've sprayed insecticide thoroughly. What next?"
"Lots of insecticidal wood preservative" said Lin...

...and then I'll spade the cavity with pudlo-ed mortar, and finish with plaster."

"While I unscrew the shutters. sand, undercoat and paint them and the external frame"
I'd seen there was a length of the lower frame topped by quarter-round trim serving as stoppers for the shutters to rest on, but serving, also, as a window-width rectangular 'ditch' in which rainwater was collecting - likely the main source of the rot.
From the apothiki I dug out a length of hardwood that, by good luck, was exactly wide and high enough. Offered up, and cut to exact length, sanded, preserved, undercoated, painted twice in Corfu green, it was put out on to dry - 24 hours each coat.

At the same time, after her plaster had dried, Lin applied undercoat and gloss white to her repairs inside.

"Looking good" I said "I'll get on with the frame. Same old."
Sand, undercoat, two layers of Corfu green, after removing the shutters. The gloss - sticky and rich - takes at least 24 hours to dry, indeed, better left 48.
Nice and dry, I inserted the length of wood neatly in the 'ditch' on top of a light bed of silicone filler; all remaining cracks similarly filled and smoothed, and the ¼ round tapped off and cut away, still serving as stoppers, but in three much shorter separate lengths. I poured water on the outer sill to satisfy myself it would now run away onto a concrete balcony step, and not just sit there encouraging rot.

On top of the renewed bottom frame I painted a further coat of Corfu green. When all had dried, thanks to a few rainless days, I re-attached the shutters to the frame, having cleaned the little brass handle used to open them.

*** *** ***
From the Ano Korakiana website:

Των Αγίων Αντωνίου και Αθανασίου ~ Of Saint Anthony and Saint Athanasios

18.01.18

Του Αγίου Αντωνίου χθες και στον Άη-Νικολόπουλο τελέστηκε η αφιερωμένη Λειτουργία, μετ’αρτοκλασίας. Η γειτονιά και όχι μόνο, έδωσε όπως πάντα το παρών. Στη συνέχεια προσφέρθηκε κέρασμα στην εορτάζουσα οικία του Φωκίωνος Μάνδυλα. Σήμερα, ανήμερα της εορτής του Αγίου Αθανασίου, με λιακάδα και αέρα, το ενδιαφέρον και ο κόσμος συγκεντρώθηκαν στην ομώνυμη εκκλησία, την αποκαλούμενη και  «μητρόπολη» του χωριού.  The whole neighbourhood came to celebrate services at the churches of St.Antonios and St. Nikolaos yesterday, followed by a party at the home of the village Mayor Fokion Mandila. In fresh and sunny weather, for today's celebration of St. Athanasius, everyone gathered in Agios Athanasius - the 'cathedral' of the village. Εκεί, παρουσία του Μητροπολίτη ΚερκύραςΕκεί, παρουσία του Μητροπολίτη Κερκύρας σεβ. Νεκταρίου και αρκετών ιερέων, τελέστηκε η Λειτουργία και ακολούθησε η χειροτονία ως Αρχιμανδρίτου του ιερέα μας, πατέρα Ευδόκιμου, με το εκκλησίασμα να αναφωνεί τρεις φορές «Άξιος»!. Το παρόν έδωσαν επίσης ο πρ. Βουλευτής Στέφανος Γκίκας, από το Δήμο Κέρκυρας οι δημοτικοί Σύμβουλοι Γ. Ρεδαιστινός, Σταμάτης Απέργης, Φανή Τσιμπούλη και Δημήτρης Μεταλληνός, ο Πρόεδρος και τα μέλη του Τοπικού μας Συμβουλίου, καθώς και οι μαθητές του Ειδικού Γυμνασίου και του Νηπιαγωγείου Κορακιάνας μετά των καθηγητών και δασκάλων τους. Η δε Χορωδία Σπαρτύλα συνόδεψε από το γυναικωνίτη το ψαλτήρι. Μετά το πέρας της Λειτουργίας τελέστηκε μνημόσυνο στη μνήμη του αγαπητού του μας παπα-Κώστα. There, in the presence of the Archbishop of Corfu, his Grace Nectarios, and several priests, the Liturgy was observed for the diocesan ordination of our priest, Papa Evthekimos; the congregation exclaiming three times 'it is meet'. Also present, from the Municipality of Corfu, were Councillors G.Rethystinos, Stamatis Apergis, Fani Tsimpoulis and Dimitris Metallinos, as well as the President and members of our Local Council, and the students of the Special High School, the Korakiana Nursery School with their teachers. The women of the Choir of Spartillas added their voice to the psalms. At the end of the Service, a eulogy was given in memory of our dear Papa-Kostas. Στη διάρκεια του κεράσματος πΣτη διάρκεια του κεράσματος που ακολούθησε στο «Κελί», ο Μητροπολίτης ευχαρίστησε ιδιαίτερα το Επιτροπικό Συμβούλιο για την άψογη προετοιμασία της εορτής και έκοψε την πρωτοχρονιάτικη βασιλόπιτα.. .....During the meal that followed, the Archbishop thanked the Commissariat for the perfect preparation of the feast that marked the New Year's Eve. (Trans: My rough understanding!) ...though this event was, of course, 10 days earlier, I could not forbear to record the wonderful scene in Ano Korakiana's Church of St George for the Epiphany on 7th January *** *** *** With Dr Benoit Smeuninx on the first day of 'The Bed Rest Study'   I've finally started as a subject in a 'bed-rest study' at Wellcome Clinical Research Facility (CRF) at QE Hospital - 5 muscle biopsies, blood tests, urine and saliva sampling, balance testing, BMI measures, ultrasound scans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, diet logging, prior daily pedometer readings (up to the 5 days in bed) plus a wrist activity meter, and prehabilitative weight exercising before and after 5 days in a hospital bed during which I'm asked to do a few minutes of mild exercise every waking hour, wear special blood clot reducing socks, have my temperature and blood pressure read and my BMI measured, and have an anti-coagulating injection (which I can't feel) in the middle of each evening. Nurses wait on me almost hand and foot bringing me bland but perfectly eatable meals and cups of tea on request, wheel-chairing me to the washroom and WC when required (I must not be on my feet)... ...  'Skeletal muscle mass plays an essential role in activities of daily living and regulation of metabolic health. Ageing is associated with a progressive decline in skeletal muscle mass (sarcopenia) that compromises tasks of daily living, metabolic health and increases the risk of falls, fractures and mortality. The healthcare costs associated with treating age-related musculoskeletal decline are vast, and continue to grow with our expanding ageing population. Of concern is that ~30% of those aged 75-84 years suffer from sarcopenia. Thus, interventions to reduce the progression of age-related muscle wasting will improve the quality of life in older individuals and have a profound impact on healthcare expenditure. To place this into context, a 10% reduction in the incidence of sarcopenia would result in an enormous reduction in healthcare expenditure associated with muscle deterioration (estimated annual cost to the NHS of £5.7 billion).....A cohort of healthy older individuals will complete single-leg exercise prehabilitation (for comparison with the untrained control leg), consisting of either single or multiple bouts of resistance exercise. Immediately following exercise prehabilitation, participants will undergo 5 days of strict bed-rest. Detailed assessment of muscle size, architecture, and strength will conducted prior-to and following bed-rest. Furthermore, we will use sophisticated measurement techniques to understand the precise mechanisms that underpin alterations in muscle size and strength during short-term bed rest, and whether adaptations in these mechanisms can explain the protective effects of exercise prehabilitation on muscle health. Ultimately, we hope to demonstrate that exercise prehabilitation is an effective means of preventing muscle deterioration during short-term disuse in older individuals, which will ultimately slow the trajectory of sarcopenia and promote healthy, independent ageing in a diverse and expanding older population.' Anyone interested in taking part in this study as a subject (like me - over 65 and under 80 male in good health) should contact Benoit Smeuninx (School of Sport Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, Birmingham University) This involvement comes via my membership of the Birmingham University 1000 Elders Group researching healthy ageing.  I've been a member for about 4 years now and taken part in quite a few experiments, but this is the most involving. At midnight I will be half-way through my time in bed at the CRF.

Christmas in the Village

Ano Korakiana - Άνω Κορακιάνα (photo: Γιάννη Ματθεοφίλου - Yiannis Mattheophile)

In Ano Korakiana, Christmas is a celebration of the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, in fulfillment of the divine will of God, to save us from sin....Γιατί ο Θεός αγάπησε τόσο πολύ τον κόσμο που έδωσε τον μόνο γιο του... John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son...

12/12/17 Ολονύχτιο Βράδυ, παραμονή της εορτής του Αγίου στο χωριό, οι «επιτελούντες» της Λειτουργίας (πατέρας Ευδόκιμος, παπα-Βασίλης, ψάλτες και λοιποί ενορίτες) αποχωρούν από την οικία της Έμμης και της Κατερίνας Σαββανή μετά το καθιερωμένο λιτό δείπνο, επιστρέφοντας στη μικρή  εκκλησία για το Ολονύχτιο και αφήνοντας πίσω τους το σαββανάτικο «κοκκινέλι» συνοδευόμενο από μήλο και κουμ-κουάτ.

12/12/17 In the village, on the eve of the feast of the Saint, the 'performers' of the night-long service (Papa Evdokimos, Papa Vasilis, chanters and other parishioners) had a simple supper at the home of Emmi and Katerina Savvani, before leaving the warmth of the Savvani home with its apples and kumquats, returning to the small church for the 'Overnight' service, το Ολονύχτιο'.

Με το πέρασμα της ώρας η μικρή εκκλησία γεμίζει από κόσμο που παρακολουθεί με προσήλωση την ανάγνωση από το Συναξάρι του Αγίου με τα αποδιδόμενα θαύματα, ενώ οι ψάλτες στα αριστερά και στα δεξιά του ναού δίνουν το δικό τους τόνο, συνοδεύοντας τους ιερείς.

Over the night, the small church fills with people joining in reverence to hear the recital of the Holy Story, while the chanters - left and right of the church - play their part accompanying the priests.

Τις πρώτες πρωινές ώρες η Ολονυχτία θα λήξει με άρτους και σπερνά που μοιράζονται στους παρευρισκομένους και ανταλλαγή ευχών για την εορτή της ημέρας.

Early in the morning, the 'Overnight' ends with bread and collyva, shared with the congregation, and the exchange of good wishes for the day.

Εορταστικό κλίμα...21/12/17 Festive atmosphere

Γιορταστική ατμόσφαιρα στο χωριό καθώς πλησιάζουμε στα Χριστούγεννα...
Η Χορωδία πραγματοποίησε την τελευταία πρόβα της πριν από τη χριστουγεννιάτικη εκδήλωση που θα πραγματοποιηθεί με τη συμμετοχή και της Μπαντίνας στην εκκλησία του Αγίου Γεωργίου την Παρασκευή 22 Δεκεμβρίου 2017 το βράδυ.
Στον Άη-Νικολόπουλο, η ενορία του Καμπουλιώτη τοποθέτησε φωταγωγημένο καράβι με επιμελημένη πινακίδα, ενώ αναμένεται από στιγμή σε στιγμή η «απάντηση» από την ενορία του Αγίου Γεωργίου.
Και στο πλαίσιο των εορτών διοργανώνεται από τη Δημοτική Κοινότητα το Σάββατο 23 Δεκεμβρίου στις 5.30 το απόγευμα στο «Luna D’Argento» χριστουγεννιάτικο πάρτυ για μικρούς, αλλά ...και για τους κάπως μεγαλύτερους και μάλιστα με μπουφέ από σπιτικές φαγώσιμες δημιουργίες...

A festive atmosphere in the village as we approach Christmas ... The Choir had its last rehearsal before the Christmas event that will take place with the participation of the Bandina in the church of St. George on Friday evening, December 22, 2017.
At St Nicholas, the parish of Kambouliotis displayed a floodlit boat with an elaborate sign. A 'reply' from the parish of Saint George is expected in due course.
And as part of the celebrations, the Municipal Community is organising a Christmas party for young people on Saturday 23rd December at 5.30pm at Luna D'Argento, and, for the slightly older ones, a buffet of homemade creations ...

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                                                       ΑΝΑΚΟΙΝΩΣΗ
Σας γνωρίζουμε ότι την Παρασκευή  22.12.2017 και ΩΡΑ 19:30 θα πραγματοποιηθεί στον Ιερό Ναό του Αγίου Γεωργίου  η καθιερωμένη Χριστουγεννιάτικη συναυλία των τμημάτων της Φιλαρμονικής μας. Διευθύνει ο Αρχιμουσικός κος Κώστας Ζερβόπουλος και ο μαέστρος Γιώργος Άνθης.
Επίσης οι μαθητές της Φιλαρμονικής μας θα παιανίσουν τα κάλαντα  στις γειτονιές του χωριού μας το πρωί της ημέρας των Χριστουγέννων μετά τη θεία λειτουργία. Τους μαθητές θα συνοδεύουν και τα μέλη του Δ.Σ. για την καθιερωμένη οικονομική ενίσχυση.
Ο Πρόεδρος και τα μέλη του Δ.Σ. εύχονται ολόψυχα σε όλους τους κατοίκους του χωριού μας Χρόνια Πολλά, Καλές Γιορτές και Ευτυχισμένος ο Καινούργιος Χρόνος.

                                                       NOTICE  21.12.17
Our Philharmonic students will also play carols around the neighbourhoods of our village on Christmas morning after the divine service. The students will accompany members of the Board for the traditional collection. The Chairman and Board of Directors extend their wholehearted good wishes to all inhabitants of our village. Happy Nativity, Good Celebrations and Happy New Year. We know that on Friday,  22 December 2017 at 19.30,  the traditional Christmas concert of our Philharmonic departments will take place in the church of St. George, led by Archbishop Kostas Zervopoulos, conducted by Giorgos Anthis.

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Προεόρτια Χριστουγέννων 25.12.17
Παρασκευή προπαραμονή των Χριστουγέννων πραγματοποιήθηκε στην εκκλησία του Άη-Γιώργη η χριστουγεννιάτικη εκδήλωση του Μουσικού Συλλόγου, με τη συμμετοχή της Μπαντίνας και της Χορωδίας.

The Musical Society's Christmas Eve event took place on Christmas Eve at the church of Agios Georgios with the participation of the Bandina and the Choir.

Ο Πρόεδρος του Συλλόγου που προλόγισε την εκδήλωση εξέφρασε τις ευχές της Διοίκησης και στη συνέχει τα δύο σώματα παρουσίασαν ένα ωριαίο πρόγραμμα με χριστουγεννιάτικες μελωδίες. υπό τη διεύθυνση του Κώστα Ζερβόπουλου και του Γιώργου Άνθη αντίστοιχα.Ειδικότερα, όσον αφορά στο χορωδιακό μέρος, η Δώρα Μεταλληνού προλόγισε κάθε κομμάτι της Χορωδίας με γνωστούς ποιητικούς στίχους. The President of the Association expressed the good wishes of the Administration after which the two groups presented an hourly programme of Christmas melodies. under the direction of Kostas Zervopoulos and Giorgos Andreas, the music and singing interspersed with familiar poems recited by Dora Metallinou. Το απόγευμα της ίδια ημέρας, στο Νηπιαγωγείο έλαβε χώρα η χριστουγεννιάτικη γιορτή των μικρών μαθητών με την επιμέλεια των νηπιαγωγών τους, ενώ το Σάββατο το βράδυ, παραμονή των Χριστουγέννων πραγματοποιήθηκε το χριστουγεννιάτικο πάρτι για μικρούς και μεγάλους στο Luna d’Argento. On the afternoon of the same day, after a Christmas Eve celebration for Kindergarten pupils in the care of their nursery nurses, there was a Christmas party, for all ages, at Luna d'Argento. Υ.Γ. Το τελευταίο κομμάτι της Χορωδίας, τα «Κάλαντα» αφιερώθηκαν στο Γεράσιμο Μαρκορά (επτανήσιο ποιητή και δημοτικιστή), η εγγονή του οποίου είναι μέλος της Χορωδίας Κορακιάνας.Y.K. The carols in the last part of the concert were dedicated to the poet Gerasimos Markaras (a Corfiot folk poet), whose granddaughter is a member of the Korakiana Choir.  Christmas in Thessaloniki - until I see a photo of Ano Korakiana's boat *** *** *** Πρωτοχρονιά 2018 Το βράδυ, για μια ακόμη χρόνιά, η γνώριμη φιγούρα του Άη-Βασίλη θα κάνει τη γύρα της στα σπίτια, προκειμένου οι μικροί φίλοι του Αγίου να λάβουν τα δώρα τους και να ακουστούν για μια ακόμη φορά τα Κάλαντα «εν χορδαίς και οργάνοις». New Year Day 2018....In the evening, for one more year, the familiar figure of Santa will make his round of the houses, so that the little ones receive their gifts from the Saint, and once again hear the 'tunes and songs' of Carols. Note: The words in Greek are copied from the Ano Korakiana website administered by Thanassis Spingos who also took all photos, except of the boat. It is a privilege to be able to copy them to 'Democracy Street'. The English translation is entirely my responsibility.  *** *** *** We had Christmas in Birmingham. When the grandchildren came round they extracted small felt velcro'd toys from a sequence of 25 pockets and stuck them on the tree. We've had this Advent Calendar for over 30 years - a present from the Greek side of the family, that we can use over and over.

On Christmas night I strolled up Hamstead Road to St Mary's. Bells were pealing for midnight mass; candle flames glowing through ogive windows; inside was warmth and light. On the way home I heard a few fireworks...

...a fox, sat in the grass beside my path. She turned around and around and strolled ahead and disappeared up Wellesbourne Road, sweetening the temper of the moment...John who'd swung the censer during mass had given me his key.
"I've got to put away my kit. Come and have a drink. Ask Lin too. I've got a bottle of Jack Daniels to open"
He went into the vestry. I went on up Beaudesert and opened his house. He soon followed. Lin, from our home, three houses up, joined us, and later John's wife, Gill, who dug out the bourbon.
"I liked the service" I said "but even Father Bob's quite conservative liturgy is a little remote...in words and tunes from what I know. What's engrained. I was glad to be there...I struggled to follow...except the carols. The church was beautiful, and so warm. I liked Father Bob's sermon...the defacing of the celebrities nativity at Madame Tussauds. He understood. Almost approved."
On Christmas day we drove across town to Amy and Guy and the grandchildren, with presents and some dishes Lin had cooked overnight, stopping on the way to collect Dorothy from her care home - rehearsal for more continuous care when she comes to live with us on a day not yet fixed. How incredibly disabling it is to be unable to walk, or indeed to have any traction in your legs. Moving Dot from place to place, especially in and out of a car, entails playing push-pull with a beloved being who, against every inclination of conscience, evokes in me the frustration of manipulating a sack of potatoes. I’ve become uncomfortably aware of my bounded charity. I suppose this is why love delivered as ‘professional care’ is expensive. I’m better at dealing with small children - my grandchildren I mean. I can wipe bums, clean off dribble, sweep up scattered food and take careless spillage in my stride, but messy vulnerability in old age repels me. I was fine taking my aged mum out shopping and for walks in her wheelchair. We talked and talked, and gazed at the landscape with such shared pleasure, but my mum’s intimate husbandry was in the hands of professional carers, behind curtains and doors; woman’s work, though of course there are men as good. I strive to choose words to protect my conscience.

Christmas lunch 2018