I spent every year of my life, well into my 50s, returning home to Pittsburgh to celebrate in the sacred rituals of the Greek Orthodox traditions that have been passed to us from generation to generation.

Like many of you, this time of year brings back memories of my childhood, with my family at the center of my world, back home in Pittsburgh.

Holy Week was always a special time, recounting the last experiences, trials and tribulations of Jesus Christ on earth, as he headed into the darkness. In addition to the church services and all of the symbolism that emanated from the sacred rituals, there were the traditions at home, always orchestrated by my mom.

When my mom passed away, I started traveling to Greece for Easter and was able to fulfill a lifelong dream to experience these traditions and celebrations in my ancestral homeland.

I’ve been traveling back to Greece ever since my mom passed away.

Times change, people pass away and we move forward holding dear these memories, while also embracing our current situation and creating new experiences.

This year I couldn’t travel to Greece. But I am fortunate to have friends like Dimitris Polymenopoulos in Athens who took the time to share his own experiences with me and help me travel there— even virtually. Thank you Dimitri for this special gift.

From Dimitris:

Dear Greg: I wanted to give you that feeling of being in Greece during this special time. The funeral procession of Jesus Christ from the Holy Church of Saint Demetrios Loumbardiaris in Athens. We followed the epitafios of the church down to Dionysiou Areopagitou street. There, underneath the Acropolis, we waited to join with the Epitafios from the Holy Church of Saint Sophia.

Photos by Dimitris Polymenopoulos