Greece 2009
Our Parish Choir trip from St. Gregory the Great Church on “Paul”-ina Street “In the Footsteps of Paul” to Greece and Turkey was unforgettable. 14 choir members and 8 Friends of the Choir went from March 20-29th and enjoyed gorgeous weather that even reached the 70s.
After we missed our connecting flight in Rome, Alitalia gave us all vouchers for free lunch. And before we knew it, we were on our way to Athens. The clouds were in unusually high formations with various pockets in them that we seemed to fly into. It felt like we were going into a dream world. We touched down in Greece and I breathed a sigh of relief. We had a bit of a mix up when trying to locate our tour manager; apparently he didn’t know that our airline had changed, but with a little scouting he found our group. We arrived at our extremely nice hotel and a buffet dinner was awaiting us. After the long day of travel, the bed felt really good.
For our first full day we sang a public mass at St. Paul’s in Piraeus. As the choir warmed up in the choir loft before mass, I was pulled aside to meet the priest. He seemed very excited to have us there for the mass, but he didn’t seem to have the memo that said we were supposed to sing a half-hour concert after the mass. I asked if he’d announce that we’d sing the short concert after mass, and after some back and forth he appeared to agree to do so. He thanked us at the end of the mass, but didn’t announce that we’d sing the concert, so most people just left. We ended up singing a few songs and then he told us he had a Spanish mass to say shortly, so we stopped our concert for our Friends of the Choir and took some group pictures.
For lunch, our tour manager Kostas took us to the heart of the city. I ate a gyro and it was unlike any I’ve had in the U.S. On our way to lunch we had our first view of the famed Acropolis. Later we saw the Olympic stadium and a staircase near the Acropolis where St. Paul himself walked, leading to a breathtaking view of Athens. Kostas got word that there was a worker’s strike on the Acropolis, so we couldn’t see it that day. Instead of heading back to the hotel, which was not in a good neighborhood, I had the bus drop us near the heart of the city. Some of us checked out the shops and others walked around a park near the Hadrian arch and the Temple of Zeus. That night after dinner, a group of us went to a restaurant across the street from the hotel where they played Dancing Queen over their speakers and had us all singing. My favorite part of the evening was seeing Roger Dore and Dan Boyle dancing.
The next day we boarded the cruise ship for a 4-day Greek island cruise. Many of us on the tour had never been on a cruise and none of us had been to Greece. We were happy to know that we all had outside cabins on the ship. Once on the open water, we had a mandatory safety inspection where all passengers line up in 3 lines on the outside deck. Being slightly late, I just plopped myself in the front line when one of the staff members said with a half smile, “Women and children in the front.” I squeezed to the back.
We arrived just in time to see a beautiful sunset at our first stop, the island of Mykonos. The town felt like a fairy tale; all the buildings were white and the roads tiled in stone. We took a group walk to the windmills. Since none of the roads were straight we felt lost numerous times, but we just asked for directions along the way. We discovered icon-filled chapels and all kinds of shops. One woman in one of the larger chapels was offering all of us little candies. A few of us met a woman in her shop who was weaving a shawl as we entered. She told us that when she started at 16, there were 400 weavers on the island, but now she is the only one left.
The next day we arrived in Turkey, where we had an entertaining and knowledgeable tour guide. We took a bus to the house of the Virgin Mary, on the top of a large hill. As we approached where we were to have an outdoor mass, Sister Antonius had just finished the preparations on the altar and said, “Come right in Father.” I said to our guide, “I didn’t know you were a priest.” He responded, “I’m not, she thinks you are!” So they didn’t know that we weren’t bringing our own priest. After much fuss and negotiating, she agreed to ask an ailing Polish priest to say mass for us. He agreed, and invited us up to a private chapel in the priest’s residence. He was a little older than me and much friendlier than Sister Antonius. Near the end of mass he paused and thanked us for coming, saying, “Usually it is the German choirs that bring such beautiful songs.” From there we descended the hill partway to Ephesus where we saw countless ruins, of which only 1/3 have been unearthed. We saw the reconstructed library, a theater still used today that seats 20,000, and ancient public toilets. From Turkey, we sailed on to Patmos, where St. John wrote the book of Revelation. After a nice climb to the summit of the island we reached a monastery which has been converted into a museum. We witnessed some amazing views and saw another great sunset.
That evening after eating dinner together, we sang a concert on the cruise ship in the Moonlight Disco lounge. It was moving in numerous ways. In addition to the beautiful singing, we were swaying while the cruise ship was moved by the waves of the Aegean Sea. After the concert the cruise assistant director said, “There are just a couple of words I’d like to add about this performance we just witnessed: first of all, hard work, perfect synchronization, inspiring words, and great voices.”
The following day was the Greek Independence Day. We docked on the island of Rhodes and boarded a bus for the town of Lindos. Some chose to climb to the Temple of Apollo, the highest point of the town, while others opted to stay and shop. After discovering Lindos, we returned to the port city of Rhodes and sang a private mass in the cathedral. Our tour manager Kostas woke up the priest, one Fr. Luke Gregory, originally from England, so he wasn’t in a good mood. When I met him he said that they only allow people to receive communion by mouth. He asked me if all of our songs were in Latin as that was the only language he typically allowed at the cathedral. He then handed me a four part version of “Hail, Holy Queen” for us to sing at the end. What struck me here was that in the middle of the mass, two stray cats just sauntered through the church. It was quite a stark juxtaposition of cold priest, who wouldn’t even look at us during the mass, and stray cat without boundaries. He had a hilarious sing-songy voice that I’d be happy to imitate if you ask me. Instead of saying “Please be seated” he’d say, “SIT DOWN, please.” During the homily he made first contact with us by referencing how Mary’s “yes” to God came with sacrifice; that we sometimes have to give of ourselves for the greater good. So too do choir members have to trust the direction of their director even if they don’t always agree right away. The priest at the end asked us if we were with a parish. After my “yes” response he said, “Your pastor needs to be very grateful for such a beautiful choir; I wish you were here.” After the mass, he wanted us to sing another song in parts and said that he’d probably never hear the song sung so beautifully again. Our fearless organist Brett Rowe made up an accompaniment on their surprisingly new pipe organ, and we breathed life into a song that none of us had heard before. The priest gave me two chant books to take home and asked me to send him the accompaniment if I could find them. Before we left, he and I chanted through a handful of his favorite chants. We certainly made his day and in the end he made ours.
The next morning we arrived in Crete and visited the 1700 BC civilization of Knossos. In the afternoon we sailed on for Santorini, where “Mamma Mia” was filmed. The views from the top, reached via cable car, rival the best in the world.
After visiting 5 Greek islands and seeing part of Turkey on the cruise, we headed back for Athens. Once on land again, we boarded our tour bus and headed for the Parthenon at the Acropolis. This time we made it in. The views of the city were spectacular and you could see all of Athens as it rolled up the neighboring mountains. It was worth the wait. After a quick tire change of the bus, we were on to Delphi. The drive took us into the mountains. At Delphi, we encountered many more ruins, including the temple of Apollo, a theater, and a stadium. Before heading back to the hotel we did some bargain shopping.
Our final day revealed a Canal, Corinth, Mycenae and amazing food. The Canal connects the Aegean and Ionian Seas. At Corinth, we sang next to the Bemah, where St. Paul was put on trial. Those of us that went on the tour now have a direct connection with the biblical books of Ephesians & Corinthians; we’ve walked through those places. In the town of Mycenae we explored the ruins, visited a museum, and sang in the tomb of Agamemnon; coincidentally where our tour manager Kostas was born. The sound of the choir in that tomb was like 40 voices; I’ll never forget the sound. A large group coming in after us applauded as we finished. Kostas explained his deep connections with this excavation site at Mycenae and that he is one of the archaeologists working on it. He then took us to lunch at his brother’s restaurant, which bears their last name: Kolizeras. After all the walking, cruising, singing, and sight seeing, this restaurant was like an oasis. It had the best food by far of the entire trip: the lemon soup, the lamb, the orange juice and more. We also celebrated Marilyn Moore’s birthday (sister of Ed Rolfsen), which she said was her best birthday ever! And speaking of birthdays, there was a young Grecian girl who was also having a birthday, and we sang a couple songs for her and the rest of the restaurant. We ended this day with dinner and an authentic Greek floor show at a taverna in Athens. After the incredible lunch, however, the food here didn’t have a chance. While there were professional dancers entertaining occasionally, our tour guide got a few of us out on the dance floor and taught us some Greek moves.
Those of us that went on this tour to Greece and Turkey are forever changed and thankful for the opportunity.
After we missed our connecting flight in Rome, Alitalia gave us all vouchers for free lunch. And before we knew it, we were on our way to Athens. The clouds were in unusually high formations with various pockets in them that we seemed to fly into. It felt like we were going into a dream world. We touched down in Greece and I breathed a sigh of relief. We had a bit of a mix up when trying to locate our tour manager; apparently he didn’t know that our airline had changed, but with a little scouting he found our group. We arrived at our extremely nice hotel and a buffet dinner was awaiting us. After the long day of travel, the bed felt really good.
For our first full day we sang a public mass at St. Paul’s in Piraeus. As the choir warmed up in the choir loft before mass, I was pulled aside to meet the priest. He seemed very excited to have us there for the mass, but he didn’t seem to have the memo that said we were supposed to sing a half-hour concert after the mass. I asked if he’d announce that we’d sing the short concert after mass, and after some back and forth he appeared to agree to do so. He thanked us at the end of the mass, but didn’t announce that we’d sing the concert, so most people just left. We ended up singing a few songs and then he told us he had a Spanish mass to say shortly, so we stopped our concert for our Friends of the Choir and took some group pictures.
For lunch, our tour manager Kostas took us to the heart of the city. I ate a gyro and it was unlike any I’ve had in the U.S. On our way to lunch we had our first view of the famed Acropolis. Later we saw the Olympic stadium and a staircase near the Acropolis where St. Paul himself walked, leading to a breathtaking view of Athens. Kostas got word that there was a worker’s strike on the Acropolis, so we couldn’t see it that day. Instead of heading back to the hotel, which was not in a good neighborhood, I had the bus drop us near the heart of the city. Some of us checked out the shops and others walked around a park near the Hadrian arch and the Temple of Zeus. That night after dinner, a group of us went to a restaurant across the street from the hotel where they played Dancing Queen over their speakers and had us all singing. My favorite part of the evening was seeing Roger Dore and Dan Boyle dancing.
The next day we boarded the cruise ship for a 4-day Greek island cruise. Many of us on the tour had never been on a cruise and none of us had been to Greece. We were happy to know that we all had outside cabins on the ship. Once on the open water, we had a mandatory safety inspection where all passengers line up in 3 lines on the outside deck. Being slightly late, I just plopped myself in the front line when one of the staff members said with a half smile, “Women and children in the front.” I squeezed to the back.
We arrived just in time to see a beautiful sunset at our first stop, the island of Mykonos. The town felt like a fairy tale; all the buildings were white and the roads tiled in stone. We took a group walk to the windmills. Since none of the roads were straight we felt lost numerous times, but we just asked for directions along the way. We discovered icon-filled chapels and all kinds of shops. One woman in one of the larger chapels was offering all of us little candies. A few of us met a woman in her shop who was weaving a shawl as we entered. She told us that when she started at 16, there were 400 weavers on the island, but now she is the only one left.
The next day we arrived in Turkey, where we had an entertaining and knowledgeable tour guide. We took a bus to the house of the Virgin Mary, on the top of a large hill. As we approached where we were to have an outdoor mass, Sister Antonius had just finished the preparations on the altar and said, “Come right in Father.” I said to our guide, “I didn’t know you were a priest.” He responded, “I’m not, she thinks you are!” So they didn’t know that we weren’t bringing our own priest. After much fuss and negotiating, she agreed to ask an ailing Polish priest to say mass for us. He agreed, and invited us up to a private chapel in the priest’s residence. He was a little older than me and much friendlier than Sister Antonius. Near the end of mass he paused and thanked us for coming, saying, “Usually it is the German choirs that bring such beautiful songs.” From there we descended the hill partway to Ephesus where we saw countless ruins, of which only 1/3 have been unearthed. We saw the reconstructed library, a theater still used today that seats 20,000, and ancient public toilets. From Turkey, we sailed on to Patmos, where St. John wrote the book of Revelation. After a nice climb to the summit of the island we reached a monastery which has been converted into a museum. We witnessed some amazing views and saw another great sunset.
That evening after eating dinner together, we sang a concert on the cruise ship in the Moonlight Disco lounge. It was moving in numerous ways. In addition to the beautiful singing, we were swaying while the cruise ship was moved by the waves of the Aegean Sea. After the concert the cruise assistant director said, “There are just a couple of words I’d like to add about this performance we just witnessed: first of all, hard work, perfect synchronization, inspiring words, and great voices.”
The following day was the Greek Independence Day. We docked on the island of Rhodes and boarded a bus for the town of Lindos. Some chose to climb to the Temple of Apollo, the highest point of the town, while others opted to stay and shop. After discovering Lindos, we returned to the port city of Rhodes and sang a private mass in the cathedral. Our tour manager Kostas woke up the priest, one Fr. Luke Gregory, originally from England, so he wasn’t in a good mood. When I met him he said that they only allow people to receive communion by mouth. He asked me if all of our songs were in Latin as that was the only language he typically allowed at the cathedral. He then handed me a four part version of “Hail, Holy Queen” for us to sing at the end. What struck me here was that in the middle of the mass, two stray cats just sauntered through the church. It was quite a stark juxtaposition of cold priest, who wouldn’t even look at us during the mass, and stray cat without boundaries. He had a hilarious sing-songy voice that I’d be happy to imitate if you ask me. Instead of saying “Please be seated” he’d say, “SIT DOWN, please.” During the homily he made first contact with us by referencing how Mary’s “yes” to God came with sacrifice; that we sometimes have to give of ourselves for the greater good. So too do choir members have to trust the direction of their director even if they don’t always agree right away. The priest at the end asked us if we were with a parish. After my “yes” response he said, “Your pastor needs to be very grateful for such a beautiful choir; I wish you were here.” After the mass, he wanted us to sing another song in parts and said that he’d probably never hear the song sung so beautifully again. Our fearless organist Brett Rowe made up an accompaniment on their surprisingly new pipe organ, and we breathed life into a song that none of us had heard before. The priest gave me two chant books to take home and asked me to send him the accompaniment if I could find them. Before we left, he and I chanted through a handful of his favorite chants. We certainly made his day and in the end he made ours.
The next morning we arrived in Crete and visited the 1700 BC civilization of Knossos. In the afternoon we sailed on for Santorini, where “Mamma Mia” was filmed. The views from the top, reached via cable car, rival the best in the world.
After visiting 5 Greek islands and seeing part of Turkey on the cruise, we headed back for Athens. Once on land again, we boarded our tour bus and headed for the Parthenon at the Acropolis. This time we made it in. The views of the city were spectacular and you could see all of Athens as it rolled up the neighboring mountains. It was worth the wait. After a quick tire change of the bus, we were on to Delphi. The drive took us into the mountains. At Delphi, we encountered many more ruins, including the temple of Apollo, a theater, and a stadium. Before heading back to the hotel we did some bargain shopping.
Our final day revealed a Canal, Corinth, Mycenae and amazing food. The Canal connects the Aegean and Ionian Seas. At Corinth, we sang next to the Bemah, where St. Paul was put on trial. Those of us that went on the tour now have a direct connection with the biblical books of Ephesians & Corinthians; we’ve walked through those places. In the town of Mycenae we explored the ruins, visited a museum, and sang in the tomb of Agamemnon; coincidentally where our tour manager Kostas was born. The sound of the choir in that tomb was like 40 voices; I’ll never forget the sound. A large group coming in after us applauded as we finished. Kostas explained his deep connections with this excavation site at Mycenae and that he is one of the archaeologists working on it. He then took us to lunch at his brother’s restaurant, which bears their last name: Kolizeras. After all the walking, cruising, singing, and sight seeing, this restaurant was like an oasis. It had the best food by far of the entire trip: the lemon soup, the lamb, the orange juice and more. We also celebrated Marilyn Moore’s birthday (sister of Ed Rolfsen), which she said was her best birthday ever! And speaking of birthdays, there was a young Grecian girl who was also having a birthday, and we sang a couple songs for her and the rest of the restaurant. We ended this day with dinner and an authentic Greek floor show at a taverna in Athens. After the incredible lunch, however, the food here didn’t have a chance. While there were professional dancers entertaining occasionally, our tour guide got a few of us out on the dance floor and taught us some Greek moves.
Those of us that went on this tour to Greece and Turkey are forever changed and thankful for the opportunity.
Repertoire
Paul’s Life: A Converted Man
Be Thou My Vision ~ Douglas E. Wagner (b. 1952)
A Jubilant Song ~ Allen Pote (b. 1945)
Paul’s Life: Witness to the Nations
Deep River ~ John Barnard (b. 1948)
For the Beauty of the Earth ~ John Rutter (b. 1945)
Prayer for Peace ~ Patrick Godon (b. 1979)
Paul’s Life: Trials and Afflictions
Let My Prayer ~ Greek Byzantine chant
Lord, I Have Cried ~ Greek Byzantine chant
Call To Remembrance ~ Richard Farrant (1530-80)
Be With Me, Lord ~ Lloyd Larson (b. 1954)
Paul’s Life: The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman ~ Landry/arranged by Moore, Jr. (b. 1951)
The Servant Song ~ Richard Gilliard/Francis Patrick O'Brien (b. 1958)
Go and Tell John ~ Larry L. Fleming (1936-2003)
Remembrance ~ Claude L. Bass (b. 1948)
Adoramus Te, Christe from The Seven Last Words of Christ ~ Theodore Dubois (1837-1924)
Brett Rowe – solo jazz piano
Dancing Queen ~ ABBA
The Lord Bless You and Keep You ~ John Rutter
Be Thou My Vision ~ Douglas E. Wagner (b. 1952)
A Jubilant Song ~ Allen Pote (b. 1945)
Paul’s Life: Witness to the Nations
Deep River ~ John Barnard (b. 1948)
For the Beauty of the Earth ~ John Rutter (b. 1945)
Prayer for Peace ~ Patrick Godon (b. 1979)
Paul’s Life: Trials and Afflictions
Let My Prayer ~ Greek Byzantine chant
Lord, I Have Cried ~ Greek Byzantine chant
Call To Remembrance ~ Richard Farrant (1530-80)
Be With Me, Lord ~ Lloyd Larson (b. 1954)
Paul’s Life: The Revelation of Jesus Christ
Hail Mary, Gentle Woman ~ Landry/arranged by Moore, Jr. (b. 1951)
The Servant Song ~ Richard Gilliard/Francis Patrick O'Brien (b. 1958)
Go and Tell John ~ Larry L. Fleming (1936-2003)
Remembrance ~ Claude L. Bass (b. 1948)
Adoramus Te, Christe from The Seven Last Words of Christ ~ Theodore Dubois (1837-1924)
Brett Rowe – solo jazz piano
Dancing Queen ~ ABBA
The Lord Bless You and Keep You ~ John Rutter
Pilgrims
Patrick Godon, Director of Music
Soprano
Sharon Howerton
BettyMarie Leslie
Diane Muss
Rogeria Santiago
Alto
Keri Godon
Susan Licciardi
Ellen Peirce
Tenor
Daniel Boyle
Jill Groth
David Lux
Bass
Roger Dore
Chuck Fiori
Ed Rolfsen
Organ & Piano
Brett Rowe
Friends of the Choir
Amelia Santa Brigida
Kathleen Godon
Maurice Godon
Marty Lux
Marilyn Moore
James Muss
Pauline Tuano
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Soprano
Sharon Howerton
BettyMarie Leslie
Diane Muss
Rogeria Santiago
Alto
Keri Godon
Susan Licciardi
Ellen Peirce
Tenor
Daniel Boyle
Jill Groth
David Lux
Bass
Roger Dore
Chuck Fiori
Ed Rolfsen
Organ & Piano
Brett Rowe
Friends of the Choir
Amelia Santa Brigida
Kathleen Godon
Maurice Godon
Marty Lux
Marilyn Moore
James Muss
Pauline Tuano
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