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Welcome, 77 artists, 40 different points of Attica welcomes you by singing Erotokritos an epic romance written at 1713 by Vitsentzos Kornaros

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Family Adds Greek Government to Lawsuit Over Missing U.S. Marine's Heart

The parents of a U.S. Marine who claim their son's heart was "harvested" during an illegal autopsy in Greece have added the Greek government to a lawsuit filed in the wake of his death. Craig and Beverly LaLoup, of Coatesville, Pa., filed a lawsuit in ...

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China's Terracotta Army was inspired by ancient GREEK art, claims expert

who collectively took centuries to perfect such realism in their sculptures and etchings. He wrote: 'The [Chinese] sculptors attempted to render a bone structure, muscles and sinews to depict a person in movement. ‘This comes close to an ...

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Greece resumes talks with creditors

Greece has resumed talks with creditors, who will report on the nation's progress in implementing reforms.        

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Most stocks in Greek bourse have gone into hibernation

KathimeriniMost stocks in Greek bourse have gone into hibernationKathimeriniThe absence of most foreign portfolios – who seem to have already taken off for the holidays – from the Greek bourse on Wednesday brought trading volume down to just over 50 million euros during the session, with the majority of stocks ending up in the ...

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New IFC president aims to unite Greek community

New IFC president aims to unite Greek communityDaily IlliniComing from the suburbs of Atlanta, Ga., Kurt Zellner, junior in LAS, didn't really know anyone at the University. Greek life was a place where he felt a sense of belonging, was offered leadership opportunities and made lasting friendships. Zellner ...

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The Surprisingly Stressful Life of a Greek Presidential Guard

The Atlantic CitiesThe Surprisingly Stressful Life of a Greek Presidential GuardThe Atlantic CitiesSince 1868, Greece's presidential guards ("Evzones" in Greek) have carried out a couple of key duties. Each day, they raise and lower the flag atop of the rock of the Acropolis and guard the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. These tasks sound simple. But ...Reuters Tribute to EvzonesGreek Reporterall 2 news articles »

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Greece's 2014 budget lays out more social attacks

Greece's 2014 budget lays out more social attacksWorld Socialist Web SiteLate on Saturday evening, the Greek parliament adopted the 2014 budget, which proposes further social cuts and mass lay-offs. Strikes and protests against these plans are increasing. Employees at Athens University have resisted the trade union ...

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Greece to carry on Lithuanian EU presidency goals of fiscal stability and ...

KathimeriniGreece to carry on Lithuanian EU presidency goals of fiscal stability and ...KathimeriniGreeces upcoming six-month turn as EU president will focus on fostering growth, regulating immigration and promoting maritime issues with emphasis on undersea energy exploration, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said Wednesday. "The Lithuanian (EU) ...Lithuania hands over the responsibility for critical EU decisions to GreeceThe Baltic CourseGreece Passes 2014 Budget as Economic Questions LingerWall St. Cheat SheetGreece crisis continues while negotiations with troika drag onallvoicesBusiness Recorder -The Times of Israel -World Politics Journalall 9 news articles »

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The 58 Initiative Turns Center Left

Unhappy with the fractured Greek left, a new moderate movement dubbed The 58 Initiative because it was begun by 58 academics, intellectuals and others disenchanted with the political system, has begun – with squabbling over whether to become a party or just stand on the sidelines in opposition. Some of its members want The 58 […]

The post The 58 Initiative Turns Center Left appeared first on The National Herald.


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Property Prices Plummet On Cyprus

Cyprus’s economic crisis is taking its toll on property values on the island as banks aren’t lending and people aren’t buying. The prices fell up to 20 percent on an annual basis between July and September, a survey showed, illustrating how difficult it will be for the government to get the economy again. Property values […]

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Parents Say Greece Stole Son’s Heart

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Craig and Beverly LaLoup have accused Greece of stealing the heart of their son, Marine Sergeant Brian LaLoup, 21, who committed suicide on August 22, 2012 while stationed at the U.S. Embassy in Athens. The LaLoups filed a lawsuit against the United States, the Department of Defense, and the Navy, in Federal […]

The post Parents Say Greece Stole Son’s Heart appeared first on The National Herald.


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Greece Plans Underwater Diving Parks

Looking for ways to increase tourism – from golf to history and other ideas – Greece is going to give divers access to underwater archaeological sites near Pylos in the southwestern Peloponnese with two underwater parks that allow visitors to explore ancient shipwrecks and underwater archaeology. Wanderlust magazine said among the sites are the remains […]

The post Greece Plans Underwater Diving Parks appeared first on The National Herald.


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Chobani Plans Super Bowl Splash

Chobani says it will air its first Super Bowl ad this February, a move intended to make the Greek yogurt company more of a household name. The debut on advertising’s biggest stage comes as Greek yogurt continues to surge in popularity. Known for its thick texture and tart taste, Greek yogurt now accounts for more […]

The post Chobani Plans Super Bowl Splash appeared first on The National Herald.


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Greece Defensive Over Defense Industries

ATHENS – After taking  break when negotiations stalled over how to close a 2014 budget gap and delayed reforms, Greece and its international lenders are talking again and one of the stumbling blocks preventing release of a one billion euro ($1.37 billion) installment is the government’s reluctance to sell off or close down its money-bleeding […]

The post Greece Defensive Over Defense Industries appeared first on The National Herald.


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I Kind Of Think Greek Yogurt Can Cure Anything

Do I normally slide food-based objects into my body ... I took the path of least resistance and took care of business. My love of all things Greek yogurt also extends to the beauty brands, and no one does it better than Korres, which has the magical ...

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Greek yogurt 'opened up the market' for healthy dairy: Chr Hansen

Greek yogurt 'opened up the market' for healthy dairy: Chr HansenDairyReporter.comIn recent years, Greek yogurt sales have gone from small change, accounting for around 1% of US yogurt sales in 2007, to big money. The segment, dominated by the likes of Chobani, Yoplait, and Dannon, now accounts for more than a third of all yogurts ...and more »

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Marine's family sues Greek entities for lost heart

Daily MailMarine's family sues Greek entities for lost heartWRAL.comPHILADELPHIA — The parents of a Marine whose body came back from Greece missing his heart have amended their federal lawsuit to add the Greek government and an Athens hospital as defendants. Coatesville residents Craig and Beverly LaLoup ...Family of dead U.S. Marine claim Greek government 'harvested' his heartmyfox8.comHeart belonging to suicide Marine was 'stolen by Greek doctors in illegal ...Daily MailLawsuit: Greece performed illegal autopsy on dead MarinePhilly.comGreek Reporter -Newsworks.orgall 105 news articles »

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Teen charged in Greece crash

13WHAM-TVTeen charged in Greece crashRochester Democrat and Chronicle1386730434000-greececrash2.jpg. Peter Riccardi, 18, of Creston Court, was charged with two counts of first-degree vehicular assault, a felony, and driving while ability impaired by drugs, a misdemeanor, said Greece Police Capt. Patrick Phelan. (Photo ...Greece teen charged after two car crash on Vintage LaneNews 10NBCPolice Arrest Greece Teen for DWAIRochester YNNSerious accident on Vintage Lane13WHAM-TVall 9 news articles »

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Uncontrolled immigration is fuelling Greece's violent street politics. The EU needs to sit up and take notice

In recent years, Greece has also become one of the main entry points for illegal immigration from Africa and Asia ... Many were taking advantage of "visa diplomacy" in Turkey, which, as part of its bid to become an Ottoman-style regional ...

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Greek drug pricing amendment expected to make over USD600 mil. in annual savings

The effect of the amendment on the Greek pharmaceutical industry will probably be very negative, since larger producers, and those from low-cost production countries, will be better able to absorb the impact of the low prices than local firms ...

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Photos: With new renovations, Greek Peak’s owners are focusing on winter

The new owners of Greek Peak have wasted little time working towards their goal of focusing on the skiing and snowboarding experience.

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Cyprus president warns resumption of talks to reunify ethnically-split country in jeopardy

NICOSIA, Cyprus - The Greek Cypriot president of ethnically-divided Cyprus says efforts to resume reunification talks with breakaway Turkish Cypriots are close to collapsing.

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Jajabelle's Greek Bakery Coming Soon to Main Street

Jajabelle's Greek Bakery Coming Soon to Main StreetPatch.comdePontbriand graduated from UNH's Whittemore School of Business in 2003, after winning the annual $4,000 Holloway competition for her business plan defining, of all things, a little Greek coffee/pastry shop called jajaBelle's she planned to own one day.

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Concerns about Greek EU Presidency Delays

European Commission officers have expressed their concern about the delays they have noticed in preparation of the Greek EU presidency which is scheduled to begin in January 2014. According to the newspaper “To Vima,” Zappeion Hall, which ...

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International auditors return to Greece to debate reforms

KathimeriniInternational auditors return to Greece to debate reformsDeutsche WelleAuditors from the EU, the European Central Bank and the International Monetary Fund went back to Greece Wednesday for another round of stock-taking as the nation continued to wait for a pending loan installment. The meetings with the Greek finance and ...Greece's 2014 budget lays out more social attacksWorld Socialist Web SiteGreece, lenders to lock horns over layoffs, home seizures: officialsReutersLenders tell Greece to pick up the pace on reformsEuropean VoiceTIME -Capital.gr (press release) -Financial Timesall 89 news articles »

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10 Things You Need To Know Before The Opening Bell (QQQ, SPY, DIA, COST)

Good morning. Here's what you need to know. 

Asian markets were all down in overnight trading. Japan's Nikkei fell 0.62%; Hong Kong's Hang Seng, 1.71%; and the Shanghai, 1.49%. Europe, on the other hand, was slightly up, but U.S. futures were pointing lower. In a rare moment of bipartisanship, Democrats and Republicans agreed on a budget last night, preventing a repeat of October's government shutdown with weeks to spare. The deal — reached by Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) and Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) — was immediately hailed by both President Obama and Speaker Boehner. The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 "sets discretionary spending levels a little above $1 trillion for the next two years, while repealing and replacing some cuts of sequestration," our Brett LoGiurato explains. "In fiscal year 2014, spending is set at $1.012 trillion, which sits about halfway between the proposed levels of the House and Senate budgets. Current law under sequestration calls for caps of $967 billion." The deal still has to pass both chambers by January 15. It seems we have Obamacare to thank for saving the U.S. economy. As our Joe Weisenthal writes, "Because Obamacare has rolled out terribly, Obama's approval ratings are in the toilet. This is a very welcome turn of events for the Republican party, which just over a month ago was in the toilet itself approval-wise. Republicans now have a good hand to play going into next November, and the only way they could obviously screw it up is by doing something stupid like shutting down the government again. So it appears that Republicans are content now to just not rock the boat and get to the next election which they hope will be a big one for them thanks to Obamacare." This budget deal was timely, because at 2:00 p.m. ET the U.S. government will make its monthly budget statement. Economists expect the Treasury to report a budget deficit of $140 billion. Of course, a quiet trend this year has been that the deficit has been shrinking. German consumer price index (CPI) came in at 0.2% month-over-month and 1.3% year-over-year, meeting analyst expectations. The German economy has continued to outperform its European neighbors. Earlier this month, the country's manufacturing sector saw its strongest month since the summer of 2011. On the opposite end of the European spectrum, Greece reported an unemployment rate of 27.4%, up from 27.3% the previous two months. That rate is more than double the Eurozone average. A lucrative Bitcoin arbitrage opportunity in China has all but disappeared in recent days. "Traders could earn profits by buying bitcoins using dollars on a foreign exchange such as Mt. Gox, reselling them for yuan at the higher price on BTC China, the main local exchange, and finally converting the yuan back to dollars," reports Reuters' Gabriel Wildau. "In recent days, however, the spread between bitcoins as priced in yuan and those priced in dollars has disappeared" after the Chinese government released a statement forbidding local banks from dealing with the digital currency. Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta asked parliament to support his government and back a spate of reforms he said would boost the country out of the economic doldrums. "He promised to rein in the deficit, cut Italy's towering public debt, the second highest in the euro zone as a proportion of the overall economy, lower taxes on families and companies, reduce unemployment and boost public investment," Reuters' James Mackenzie reported. "Privatizations would continue and the government would consider allowing employees to buy shares in the post office and other public companies, he said." Costco will report earnings earnings today. Market analysts expect the company to post an EPS of $1.02, up from $0.95 a year ago, and revenue of $25.34 billion on the quarter. Last fiscal year, Costco netted .3 billion on membership fees, making up about 75% of its operating income. That huge figure allows the retailer to charge less and tempt customers looking to save money. Government regulators approved the Volcker rule yesterday, a long-in-the-making measure that limits trading activity — specifically proprietary trading activity — at U.S. banks. Standard & Poor's estimates that the rule could shave off $10 billion in yearly pretax profit from the eight largest banks. At 953 pages, "Sure a lot of the Volcker rule is highly over-engineered checklists and admonitions that boil down to 'don't be dumb,' and sure there are good theoretical arguments against that sort of regulation, but I don't know, come on. You shouldn't be dumb," wrote Bloomberg's Matt Levine. "You could do a lot worse than a rule that requires you to think about what you're doing."

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Greek unemployment 'stabilizing' despite Sept rise

Greece's statistics office is noting some signs of stabilization in the labor market despite a modest increase in the country's unemployment rate in September to 27.4 percent from the previous month's ...

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Probe Shows Golden Dawn Talked Overthrow

Evidence found on the computers of jailed Golden Dawn party leader Nikos Michaloliakos and party spokesman Ilias Kasidiaris, who are among those facing charges of operating a criminal gang, show them denouncing democracy and being involved in paramilitary training that could be enough to bring charges of treason against them, it was reported. It was […]

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Lagarde: IMF’s Admission of Error on Fiscal Multipliers for Greece “A Matter of Honour”

Managing director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Christine Lagarde said on Tuesday that it was a “matter of honour” for the IMF to acknowledge its forecast error on the fiscal multipliers in the case of Greece and other eurozone member states. According to AMNA, addressing the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels, Lagarde […]

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The 58 Can’t Decide What They Want

Greece’s latest center-left political movement, dubbed The 58 Initiative because it was begun by 58 academics, intellectuals and others disenchanted with the political system, brought together a lot of admirers when it launched in Athens, but a lot of disagreement too over what it should do. Some of its members want The 58 Initiative to […]

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Greek jobless rate stubbornly high in September

Unemployment inched up to 27.4 percent from 27.3 percent in the previous two months, as the labour market continues to suffer amid the country's austerity-fuelled economic slump. "The data shows a stabilisation trend in the jobless rate and a ...

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Has Greece's economy finally turned a corner?

As Greece releases its latest unemployment figures, there are signs the country's economy may be turning a corner. The Troika of lenders - made up of the European Central bank, the European Commission, and the International Monetary Fund - has returned to ...

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Ancient Greece

The term Archaic Greece refers to the time three centuries before the classical age, between 800 B.C. and 500 B.C.—a relatively sophisticated period in world history. Archaic Greece saw advances in art, poetry and technology, but most of all it was the ...

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Greek Unemployment Rate Rises To 27.4% In September

The unemployment rate in Greece edged up in September, hitting 27.4 percent compared to 27.3 percent in August, and more than a percentage point above the 26.0 percent rate reported in September 2012, even as the government expects employment levels to improve in 2014.

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EOPYY doctors to be given stay-or-go choice

The 4,500 doctors working for Greece’s main public healthcare provider, EOPYY, will be given the option of taking up jobs at state hospitals or having their contracts terminated, helping the government meet its targets for the civil service mobility schem... ...

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Athens awaits troika response on EAS talks with troika resume

With talks between the government and troika envoys set to resume on Wednesday afternoon, Greek officials were waiting late on Tuesday for a response from the troika to their proposal for the streamlining of state defense firm EAS, the outstanding prior a... ...

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Competition Commission focuses on beer, gas markets

The Competition Commission is investigating a total of 45 cases in as many sectors of the Greek market to establish whether there have been instances of dominant position abuse or other anti-competitive practices, its president, Dimitris Kyritsakis, annou... ...

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Onex proposes partnership with Hellenic Aerospace

Greek firm Onex, which is active in the aviation industry, announced on Tuesday its intention to move ahead with a $100 million investment in partnership with the Greek state. Chief Executive Panos Xenocostas stated that the company is determined to use r... ...

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Exports in October post biggest decline in four years

Greek exports posted a four-year low in October, confirming the forecasts of fatigue in the sector due to reduced cash flows and the slowdown in global trade. Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT) estimates showed on Tuesday that exports posted a consid... ...

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Nanotechnology in Greece: Market Report

Greece is a located in southeast Europe, almost at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. It covers an area of 131,957 km 2 and has a population of 10,767,827 as of 2012. Greece became a part of the NATO in 1952, the EU in 1981, and the ...

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Even a Greek Crisis Is a Terrible Thing to Waste

When I recently returned to my incredibly beautiful and incredibly troubled birth country to launch the translated edition of my memoir, some expressed concern that my candid descriptions of the intolerant society I had fled a generation earlier could ...

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Greek goodies abound at bazaar, in cookbook

Greek goodies abound at bazaar, in cookbookSunHerald.comSince Greek food ranks high on my list of favorites, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church's cookbook, "Family Traditions," gets a workout in my kitchen. It is a journey of culinary treasures from Greece, Russian, Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Denmark and the ...

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Suit: Marine's body sent home to Pa. without heart

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The parents of a Marine sergeant who died while stationed in Greece say that they discovered weeks after his funeral that his body had been sent home without a heart — and that the Department of Defense later gave them somebody else's heart in its place.


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Greek Mythology

In ancient Greece, stories about gods and goddesses and ... products get their names from Greek mythology. Nike sneakers are the namesake of the goddess of victory, for example, and the website Amazon.com is named after the race of mythical female warriors.

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Why The Amish Dress So Plainly

So even though they had been baptized as infants, this new group had themselves re-baptized, earning them the name Anabaptists ( ana is Greek for

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Lawsuit: Heart missing after Marine's death in Greece, then wrong heart sent ...

Philly.comLawsuit: Heart missing after Marine's death in Greece, then wrong heart sent ...Fox NewsPHILADELPHIA – The parents of a Marine sergeant who died while stationed in Greece say that they discovered weeks after his funeral that his body had been sent home without a heart — and that the Department of Defense later gave them somebody else's ...Lawsuit: Greece performed illegal autopsy on dead MarinePhilly.comDead Marine's family says Greece 'harvested' his heart after suicideNew York Daily Newsall 74 news articles »

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Greece: the optimistic case

After more than half a decade of recession, could Greece's economy finally be on the mend? Ed Butler visits Athens to look at the optimists' case. He hears from the head of one major US investment firm who claims that the old stereotypes of Greece as a ...

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Why Greece's schools are a shambles and its universities are chaotic

Why Greece's schools are a shambles and its universities are chaoticIrish TimesThe crisis of Greece is due to it having always been messed around politically by the major powers, and being subject now to the international expectations and persuasions in the EU and the financial marketplace. It is not due to the people, any more ...

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Terracotta Warriors Inspired by Ancient Greek Art

LiveScience.comTerracotta Warriors Inspired by Ancient Greek ArtLiveScience.comThe Terracotta Warriors, along with other life-size sculptures built for the First Emperor of China, were inspired by Greek art, new research indicates. About 8,000 Terracotta Warriors, which are life-size statues of infantryman, cavalry, archers ...

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Christmas 2013: Facts, History, Dates, And Traditions Of The Celebration Of Jesus' Birth (PHOTOS)

Christmas is the holiday celebrated by millions around the globe that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ.Dates To Know In many Western churches, the Advent liturgical season celebrates the season leading up to Christmas. This year, it began on December 1, 2013, and will continue until Christmas is celebrated on December 25th, 2013. The Eastern Churches' equivalent of Advent, the Nativity Fast, is 40 days long and began on Nov. 15, 2013. Epiphany will fall on January 6, 2014, which is the 12th day after Christmas. Orthodox Christmas Day will be celebrated on January 7, 2014.Religious Significance Although the four Gospels in the New Testament differ in their accounts, the common Christmas narrative of the birth of Jesus associated with Christmas starts with Mary, who agrees to bear the Son of God after Angel Gabriel announced the good news to her. The Gospel of Luke goes on to describe the travels of Joseph and the pregnant Mary from Nazareth to Bethlehem to take the census, and the subsequent birth of Jesus in a manger because there was no room for them in an inn. Angels proclaimed him Messiah or the Christ, shepherds came to adore him, and kings or wise men came with gifts.The feast of Epiphany commemorates the wise men's arrival, and in some communities is more widely celebrated than Christmas Day. Some traditions celebrate the baptism of Jesus on this day as well.TraditionsChristmas celebrations vary widely around the world. Nativity plays and Christmas pageants that depict the story of the birth of Christ are often performed around Christmas. Festive carols are sung, as people celebrate the warm and joyous season. Many families place gifts under a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, to open on Christmas morning. Church services on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are popular with many people. Christmas is a time to celebrate faith and family.Santa Claus, or St. Nick, is a popular part of Christmas in many countries. The fantastical character arrived in American in the nineteenth century, as new German immigrants arrived with the traditions of the Christmas tree, Christmas gifts, and the story of St. Nicholas. By the end of the century, Santa Claus was an important part of Christmas in the United States. American children believe he travels from the North Pole in a flying sleigh pulled by reindeer to deliver gifts on Christmas Eve. He fills their Christmas stockings with treats, and enters and exits the house through the chimney. The name "Santa Claus" comes from St. Nicholas' nickname of "Sinter Klaas" in Dutch. St. Nicholas was born in the third century, in a village on Turkey's southern coast. He was known as a protector and helper of children, as well as the poor, and was associated with gift-giving due to stories about his generosity. He became the Bishop of Myra later in his life, and his tomb became a popular pilgrimage site after his death.History Of ChristmasHistory.com's feature on the history of Christmas says:In the early years of Christianity, Easter was the main holiday; the birth of Jesus was not celebrated. In the fourth century, church officials decided to institute the birth of Jesus as a holiday. Unfortunately, the Bible does not mention date for his birth (a fact Puritans later pointed out in order to deny the legitimacy of the celebration). Although some evidence suggests that his birth may have occurred in the spring (why would shepherds be herding in the middle of winter?), Pope Julius I chose December 25. It is commonly believed that the church chose this date in an effort to adopt and absorb the traditions of the pagan Saturnalia festival. First called the Feast of the Nativity, the custom spread to Egypt by 432 and to England by the end of the sixth century. By the end of the eighth century, the celebration of Christmas had spread all the way to Scandinavia. Today, in the Greek and Russian orthodox churches, Christmas is celebrated 13 days after the 25th, which is also referred to as the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. This is the day it is believed that the three wise men finally found Jesus in the manger. Merry Christmas!Find unexpected facts about Christmas here Check out the Christmas celebrations here:

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