Koliva and bread

Koliva and bread are two very important ingredients in a Greek Orthodox Memorial Service. There are a number of services that can be attended after someone dies in the GO church, a couple of weeks ago I attended the 40th day service for my Grandma. According to Phylis Mensel Onest, the 40th day service is a tradition going back to the Old Testament Joseph ourned is father for 40 days, and the Israelites did the same for Moses.

Being an Evangelical Protestant Christian the world of Orthodoxy is slightly strange to me, it continues to amaze me how many different ways our brothers and sisters of different Christian denominations find to express their love for Jesus.

The service we went to is a regualr Saturday affair at the GO Chapel in Rookwood, I was suprised at how many people were there. There were people like us who had lost loved ones recently but also others remembering the 1st, 2nd, 5th, 10th Anniversary of their loved ones death. The Chapel was packed and there was a large crowd of people waiting outside. Occasionaly someone would push past the crowd and force their way inside to light a candle and watch what was happening... Being timid Australians Stu and I (albeit with Greek descent) waited outside looking lost.

Eventually we found Peter who as he has told me my attendance was compulsary so I could write this decided I needed to be inside the Chapel. So he weaved his way around many small old Greek women dressed in black with me following behind hoping I didn't step on anyone.

We ended up in the balcony seats and so had a pretty good view of the front of the room. There were two tables piled high with Koliva - a sweet wheat mixture decorated with nuts and sugar that represents John 12:24 "Unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it produces much fruit." Phylis Mensel Onest, says Jesus is talking about His death and resurrection here but on reading the whole chapter I'm not sure if he's talking about Himself or His followers as the next sentence seems to be talking about others. (Note to self - do inductive bible study on John 12 sometime).

Beind the tables was a Priest reading names of all those whose family were present one by one, this took a long time and members of the congregation started to get restless, at one point he stopped and told them to shut up or go outside! (in Greek of course)

We missed the beginning of the service which included communion so it seemed over very quickly. When the names were all read out it was time to dish out Kolivia and bread to everyone in attendance, again the Priest reminded everyone why they were there and asked them to do things in an orderly fashion but I'm not sure anyone was listening. A torrent of small Greek ladies pushed their way to the front of the church where they proceeded to take their dish of Koliva it was amazing how quickly it disappeared. Especially as I didn't think it tasted all that nice anyway...

I'm not sure what I think of the whole thing, it's good to remember those who have gone before us but that's hard to do in an unfamiliar environment. I think I struggle with the fact that in all the GO services I've been to there seems to be no opportunity for the congregation member to interact with others or with God, the Priest does it all for you. This is very different to what I've grown up with and what I experience every Sunday.

Well Peter, not sure if this is what you were expecting I'd write about but it's done :-) Thanks for making me go and thanks for lunch in the park too.

Isis Despinidic - My Grandma

These are pictures of my grandmother Isis Despinidic, she was my Dad's mum. She died two weeks ago on Christmas day, we held her funeral today.

My grandparents are Greek and so my grandfather wanted her to be buried in the Greek Orthodox section of Rookwood Cemetery.
This meant she had a Greek Orthodox funeral followed by a memorial service at the Baptist church in Landilo, where she was a regular attender.

The GO ceremony was very formal, all the liturgy was sung by the Priest and another man (not sure what his formal title is). It was also mostly in Greek, although the priest translated some of the most important prayers etc. into English, his sermon was also in English as most people there were not Greek speakers.

It was rather strange as there was no sense of who grandma was at this service and no mention of her life, rather all the prayers were for God to look after her soul now that she was dead. At the end of the service family and friends walk to the coffin and say goodbye by kissing it or in their own way, then the coffin is carried to the graveside. Those attending the funeral follow the coffin and at the graveside there are more prayers and then the coffin is lowered into the grave and flowers and dirt are thrown into the grave.

The memorial service at the Baptist church was very different, it was all about celebrating grandma's life, how she affected the people around her, thanking God for her life and for the fact that she is now with Him.

It was great to hear the different stories of how Grandma has influenced her family and her friends at church. I realised that I really didn't know her very well, but I was proud to be her Granddaughter!

Please pray for my Grandpa, who has lost his wife of 56 years and for my Dad's family that they wll know God's comfort and love.