Many
foreigners appreciate the centuries-old past of Greeks, and they are willing to
deepen into the study of Greek letters. We often hear about schools in other
countries that integrate in their program the learning of ancient or modern
Greek language and history and we are silently applauding them with a
disadvantageous shame that we do not express it. Foreign students studying
Greek would be quite astonished, if they knew our loud abstention from the
essential knowledge of our people's language and history.
As
an evidence of western and eastern young people's love for the Greek Culture,
we present the collaboration of three institutions that sought to bring and
include in the courses for their students education a byzantine and
post-byzantine scent. The College de France from Sorbonne with its 15 students
from European countries, together with New York's Columbia University and the
Peking University, met in the halls of the only Greek Research Center in the
world, namely the Hellenic Institute of Venice, to draw on -from its
educational programs with the foreign universities- important elements of
information about the Greek culture and Byzantium. But how many are aware of
Byzantium's existence and contribution for centuries to world culture?
The
Hellenic Institute of Venice ensures the dissemination of Byzantine and
Post-Byzantine culture. Venice was the main center of Greek studies throughout
the West from the 15th to the end of the 18th century. And this was also
attributable to the fact that 90% of the Greek publishing production during the
above mentioned period was printed at the printing houses of Venice. It would
be crucial to recall a significant historical moment, when 70 years ago the
Greek Community of Venice made an utmost important gift to culture and letters.
At this point, we cannot fail to feel proud of those moments when the Greeks
become truly generous.
The Vice Director of the Hellenic Institute of Venice,
Anastasios Theofilogiannakos, will say in the Orthodox Truth paper: "The
Historical Greek Community has transferred to the Institute not only its entire
real estate, which includes, among other things, the church of Saint George,
the former Hospital, the Chapter Hall of the Old Greek Brotherhood and the
Flaginian College, as well as all its priceless movable property, its treasures
and relics, paintings, mostly hagiographies, which in fact formed the basis of
what is exhibited at the Museum of Icons, holy furnishings, sacred vestments,
manuscript codes, paper pictures, seven libraries full of old and rare books,
ecclesiastical books and objects, other valuables, bank titles and deposits,
cash and of course the most precious Archives of the Greek Brotherhood since
its foundation. This act of donation by the representatives of the oldest Greek
institution in Venice, which contributed to the rescue and preservation of the
Greek-Byzantine heritage after the Fall of Constantinople, and even made Venice,
from the 15th to the late 18th century, the main center of Greek studies
throughout the West, is embarrassing. It escapes the management of an external
power, of a political power. It constitutes the roof under which scientists and
intellectuals convene and meet each other out of any property claim and power,
with the main purpose of detecting the beginnings of modern Greece, studying
the resources from which our identity emerges and perceiving the messages that
the modern Greek proposal could convey to the world".
So
today, the offer of that time done in order not to stop sharing the treasure
all over the world, resonates with young people from Europe, America, even from
distant Beijing, who are willing to learn about our relics. This year, the
Hellenic Institute organized two educational programs aimed at students from
Universities abroad for the best possible education on Byzantine and
Post-Byzantine culture and the beginnings of modern Greek identity:
The
first is the New York's Columbia University program, which within the framework
of its course "Mediterranean Venice: Living and Losing a Maritime
Empire" requested the cooperation of the Hellenic Institute for the best
possible education of its students on the Greek presence and the Greek cultural
heritage in Venice. The Hellenic Institute, in response to this invitation,
organized courses at the end of June for these students on the subjects
"Greeks in Venice" and "The economic expansion of Venice towards
the East". In the lectures held at the Hellenic Institute in Venice, the
associate and former scholar of the Institute, professor at the Ionian
University of Corfu, Mrs Katerina Korre presented the two-way routes between
the Byzantine culture and Venice and the action of the Greeks in Venice.
The
students were also provided with detailed information on the Greek
Brotherhood's Archive that belongs to the Institute, and was shown in situ the
way in which this Archive is organized as well as the various types of the
Archive's documents. Moreover, were presented at the students the most
important manuscript codes of the Hellenic Institute, such as the gospel books
of the XII and XIII centuries and the "Novel of Alexander the Great"
in which foreign students have demonstrated a particular interest from the
beginning. After the completion of the lessons, Columbia University Professor
Konstantina Zanou, announced that the collaboration will be included in the
official program of the course, which will be posted on the website of Columbia
Summer in Venice Program.
We
will non omit from our side to underline the importance of bringing out the
timelessness of the Greek letters, arts, culture in the heart of Venice which
35 million tourists visit each year.
Finally,
the students were guided to the Icons Museum and to the Holy Church of Saint
George of the Greeks.
The
second educational program is a collaborative product between the Hellenic
Institute, the Peking University and the "Greek Language of Christian
Literature" Laboratory of the Theological Faculty at Aristotle University
of Thessaloniki. The Summer School was organized in order to enhance and
promote the training and education of the students who study Greek language and
literature in Beijing. Thus, the Chinese student mission headed by Yingxue
Chen, Hellenist and Director of the Greek Language Department, was taught at
the third summer school, which took place at the Hellenic Institute of Venice.
Peking
University students from China are studying now Atticism in the halls of the
Hellenic Institute of Byzantine and Post-Byzantine Studies in Venice, where
they attend palaeography lessons. Chinese students who study Greek language and
Literature in their native country, are now learning about the evolution of
Greek writing and its genres and explore the remarkable codes and rare
manuscripts saved in the West by the Greek Community of Venice.
The
Chinese students having attended a 4 day course in the History of the Greek
language in Thessaloniki, which was held by Professor Anna Nikita-Koltsiou and
included units on the Proto-Hellenic language, the Ancient Greek, the
Hellenistic common biblical language, the Atticism and the Patristic Language,
the Liturgical and Modern Greek Language, went to Venice, where, under the
supervision of the Chairman of the Control Committee, Mr. Christos Arampatzis,
took part in the courses of Palaeography e Codicology organized by the
Institute.
The
students attended lectures presented by Dr. Katerina Korre and enriched their
Knowledge about the evolution of the Greek writing, the genres of writing, the
organization of the Brotherhood of Greeks, as well as the relations between
Venice and Greeks.
There is indeed a large scope of opportunities and a great
potential to highlight and promote, through groups of scientific experts and research
laboratories, the excellent archival and museological material that reflects
the path and the brilliant history of the Venice Greek Community from the 15th
century until today.
At
the end of the course, the Chairman of the Supervisory Committee of the
Institute, Professor Christos Arampatzis, congratulated all those actually
involved in the program and the staff of the Institute which under the
supervision of the Vice Director Anastasios Theofilogiannakos contributed to
the perfect organization. Mr. Theofilogiannakos spoke to us with satisfaction
about the impact of the lessons to the young people from abroad and conveyed to
us the atmosphere of gratitude and emotion on their part: "The students
thanked because, as they mentioned, they realized that the beauty of the Greek
Culture is not limited to classical times, but it was naturally and
indissolubly handed over to the next generations. They were offered the
incentives for exploring and recognizing the beauty of Greece, not as an idea
or a museological exhibit, but as a living reality.
Such deposits in the new generations of our spiritual tradition
and such teachings suit us, are compatible with our people and our nation. It
is therefore appropriate to recapitulate with the following words of Zisimos
Lorentzatos, a man of spirit and letters: "those who proceeded with the
realization of some works, which can be used as indices in the course of a new
civilization, we should consider fathers and recognize that they keep the tree
in vertical position on which we lean, and that this tree has never fallen
thanks to them. Who knows, it could happen that, during a great drought, when
there will be nothing to expect anywhere and the branches will remain naked and
the leaves will remain roasted on the ground and everything will be deplorable
and painful, these roots that we took for granted they were dead, will draw
from the dark and infernal depths a few drops that will save the tree from
withering and extinction".
___________
Sophia Chatzi
source:
weekly journal ORTHODOX TRUTH, 14.08.2019
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