Blessing ceremony of the Unification Church

Most Greeks, of all ideological persuasions, agree that tourism is our national industry. Hence it is only natural that we should do everything we can to protect and improve it.

Sometimes I wish that I lived in a country somewhere between my native Greece and the USA where I live. By between I don't mean geographically but rather a country whose laws, social mores etc were somewhere between the two. Maybe, I like to dream, such a country would combine the best of both Greece and US without any of the negatives.

“Every extra day we get data back is a blessing”

Hundreds of Istanbul residents flocked to a Greek-Orthodox church on Dec. 1, just like the first day of each month, to make wishes in the hope for them to come true.

People of all faiths come in scores to visit the Ayın Biri Kilisesi, which literally means the "Church of the First Day of the Month" in English, to make a wish.

Pupils of the third elementary school in Corinth watch Monday as a priest conducts the customary blessing ceremony marking the start of the new academic year. Similar ceremonies were held at more than 13,000 schools. According to unions, some 5,000 teaching spots remain vacant.