Sailing towards Santorini it is hard to not be struck by its beauty. Rocky cliffs striped with history meet some of the bluest waters one will ever see. Dotting these cliffs are the white churches with the blue domes, know the world over as a symbol of Greece.
A few days ago I learned about why the buildings were white and that nearly every family has a church. But it wasn't until yesterday that I learned why the domes are that beautiful, distinctive blue. According to the captain of our sailboat, the blue domes were a subversive showing of national pride.
The Greeks are no strangers to wars. They have battled the Persians, the Turks, and the Venetians among others. It was during the occupation by the Venetians in the 13th century that Greeks were ordered to no longer fly the Greek flag. Being a people of great national pride and a good deal of smarts, the Greeks chose to paint their churches white with brilliant blue domes to match the colors of their flag. The churches being Greek Orthodox were already a strong symbol of the culture of Greece, so they were a fitting vehicle with which to assert their independence, however small.
Today, much like the whitewash on the buildings, the domes are kept blue out of tradition. When you see them you are touched by the tradition of Greece and its independen
No comments:
Post a Comment