This August 15th in Greece, business and schools will shut their doors in honor of Κοίμηση της Θεοτόκου the Dormition of Theotokos (Theotokos means literally god + childbirth, but is usually translated as the Mother of God). This day commemorates the “sleeping” or death of the Virgin Mary, a much beloved figure in the Greek Orthodox Church. The day is also referred to as the Assumption and is celebrated in many countries, including France, Italy, Poland, Austria, Spain, and several Latin American countries to name a few.
On or before this day, many Greeks will make their way home in order to participate in festivities with their loved ones. From August 1st to 14th, some observe a fast which is joyfully broken on this day as well. The festivities range from place to place but many will attend mass and celebrate the breaking of the fast with a feast. Getting home on such a busy travel day can be tricky, as we all know from our own experiences. If you’re travelling in Greece at this time, expect buses and trains to be packed full and for the roads to be quite busy.
Below, we’ve put together some useful phrases for getting around Greece from our Living Language Greek course that may come in handy should you find yourself seeking a train, bus or a flight to get somewhere in Greece.
ο σταθμός του τρένου
train station
ο σταθμός του λεωφορείου
bus station
το αεροδρόμιο
airport
Έχετε χάρτη της πόλης;
Do you have a map of the city?
Ποια είναι η ώρα αναχώρησης;
What is the departure time?
Ποια είναι η ώρα άφιξης;
What is the arrival time?
Αυτό είναι το τρένο για Πειραιά;
Is this the train to Peiraeus?
And on this day you may see a sign on the door of some restaurants or businesses that say:
Κλειστό λόγω διακοπών.
Closed for the holidays.
For more practice, check out the Greek Language Lab materials for Lessons 17-20 of Intermediate Greek.
