In western Peloponnese, in the beautiful valley of the
Alpheios river, lies the most celebrated sanctuary of ancient Greece. Dedicated
to Zeus, the father of the gods, it sprawls over the southwest foot of Mount
Kronios, at the confluence of the Alpheios and the Kladeos rivers, in a lush,
green landscape. Although secluded near the west coast of the Peloponnese,
Olympia became the most important religious and athletic centre in Greece. Its
fame rests upon the Olympic Games, the greatest national festival and a highly
prestigious one world-wide, which was held every four years to honour Zeus. The
origin of the cult and of the festival went back many centuries. Local myths
concerning the famous Pelops, the first ruler of the region, and the river
Alpheios, betray the close ties between the sanctuary and both the East and
West.
Hellenic Olympic Committee Olympia video
Pankration (Greek: παγκράτιον) was a sporting event
introduced into the Greek Olympic Games in 648 BC and was an
empty-hand submission sport with scarcely any rules. The athletes used boxing and wrestling techniques,
but also others, such as kicking and holds, locks and chokes on the ground. The
only things not acceptable were biting and gouging out the opponent's eyes. The
term comes from the Greek παγκράτιον [paŋkrátion], literally meaning
"all of power" from πᾶν (pan-)
"all" and κράτος (kratos) "strength, might,
power".
The Aegean has since prehistoric times been a sea that has
united rather than separated the large or small islands. Between these islands,
there were narrow sea passages and shallow gulfs, accessible by some primitive
sailing means. Navigation in the Aegean, has been testified by the tools made
of Melian obsidian which were found in Franchthi Cave in Hermionid (at
the eastern coast of the Peloponnese, a distance of 80 nautical miles
(approximately 150 kilometers) from Melos. Tools made of Melian obsidian also
found on Crete (Knossos) and on Cyprus, substantiate the existence of sea
routes in the Aegean from the Early till the Final Neolithic (6800-3200 BC). They
made a boat exclusively from papyrus, an aquatic plant which can be found near
water areas of Greece ( as well as on the river Nile in Egypt). A similar boat
was used until recently in Kerkyra. The "papyrela" could easily
travel from Lavrion to Milos. Its crew would use kayak oars for
navigation. It has also been proven that men in the Greek prehistoric period
could travel by sea using natural material offered by the domestic world of Greece
and also using simple techniques such as the one of straw mats.
In third prayer added:
Great and
most high God, You alone are immortal, abiding in unapproachable light. In
wisdom You created the world; You separated the light from the darkness, and
set the sun, the greater light, to rule the day, and the lesser light, the
moon, and the stars, to rule the night. You have judged us, though sinners, at
this present hour to come into Your presence, giving thanks and offering You
our evening praise. Loving Lord, let our prayer rise as incense before
You, and accept it as a fragrant offering. Make this evening and the coming
night peaceful for us. Gird us with the armor of light. Deliver us from the
terror of the night and from everything that lurks about in the darkness. And
let our sleep, which You have given us for rest, given our weakness, be free of
all demonic images. Yes, Master of all, source of all blessings, so that, even
as we slumber in our beds, we may speak Your Name in the night, and so,
enlightened by the contemplation of Your statutes, we may rise, our souls
rejoicing, to glorify Your goodness, offering prayers and supplications to Your
compassion, for our own sins and for those of all Your people, asking that, at
the intercession of the holy Theotokos, You will show them mercy.
