My spouse, Aaron, and I depart one week from today for our western Christmas holiday with his family in Toronto! We’ll be there for exactly one week then return home. Due to this winter excursion (and the possibility of weather interference), there will be only one post entry here for next week: Monday, December 22.
All bare and in the air!
And to eliminate any chance of confusion and/or misunderstanding, neither one of us are angelic!
These images are offered here today in the seasonal spirit of the approaching holiday! We are not “winged” but we do have flight reservations!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, December 19,2025, and the proposed topic is: “Friday Footnote: Resolutions!”
When it was originally observed, HIV/AIDS was an almost completely fatal diagnosis with countless deaths following varying periods of immense misery and suffering. Since that time, enormous progress has been made in medicine, and the disease is no longer considered synonymous with death. Although there is still no known cure for the virus, there is now hope that one is possible within the foreseeable future.
The virus that causes the condition known as AIDS was first identified in the middle 1980’s decade. For decades, it was considered an exclusive “gay” disease or else a disease of intravenous drug users. This led to excessive discrimination against those two communities. Massive prevention education efforts globally resulted from the stigmas surrounding the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV is the virus that causes AIDS. AIDS is a result of HIV infection. Two basic facts that remain true, still today.
“It’s not who we are, it’s what we do that puts us all at risk of HIV infection!” ~ Red Cross HIV/AIDS Prevention Education curriculum ~
The above quote appeared in the numerous versions of the Red Cross HIV/AIDS prevention education curriculum. This essential fact was vital in combatting the bias against certain persons and communities.
What Is World AIDS Day?
“World AIDS Day is a global movement to unite people in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Since 1988, communities have stood together on World AIDS Day to show strength and solidarity against HIV stigma and to remember lives lost.”
“In the UK, more than 105,000 people are living with HIV. Globally, an estimated 38 million people live with the virus. More than 35 million people have died of HIV or AIDS related illnesses over the past 40 years, making it one of the most destructive pandemics in history.”
Click on the above link to visit the official website.
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The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) weakens the body’s immune defenses by destroying CD4 (T cell) lymphocytes, a type of white blood cell that usually guards the body from bacteria, viruses and other germs. With a severely compromised immune system, the body is unable to protect us against unwanted diseases, infections and illnesses.
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World AIDS Day 2025 Theme:
“Overcoming disruption, transforming the AIDS response.”
Focus on the need to renew the international commitment to addressing HIV/AIDS challenges globally. These challenges often include numerous aspects of our lives, such as social, political, religious, educational, economic, personal and/or public. The situations may vary but unfortunately the causes frequently remain the same: bias and discrimination. Prejudices are “learned” behaviours that are based primarily on fear and ignorance.
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Designation Clarifications:
To refresh one’s memory of the status determinations applied for HIV/AIDS.
HIV Negative (HIV-): means that one has tested negative for the human immunodeficiency virus HIV. After the initial testing, the counselor administering the test will recommend a repeat test to confirm the results.
HIV Positive (HIV+): means that one has the human immunodeficiency virus HIV. A counselor will discuss the test results and provide information regarding services available.
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The Beginning of World AIDS Day
World AIDS Day (also known as World HIV Day) was initially conceived by James W. Bunn and Thomas Netter, two public information officials for the Global Programme on AIDS at the World Health Organization (WHO) in Geneva, Switzerland. They jointly introduced the idea and concept to Dr. Jonathan Mann, Director of the Global Programme on AIDS (now known as UNAIDS) in August, 1987. Dr. Mann liked the idea, approved it and the date of 1 December 1988 was selected as the initial observance.
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The Red Ribbon Campaign:
The awareness ribbon strategy was adopted within a few years of the World AIDS Day commemorations. The Red Ribbon Campaign received immediate international recognition. The campaign soon expanded beyond just the World AIDS Day occasion and the red awareness ribbon became synonymous with HIV/AIDS awareness. The red awareness ribbon continues to designate HIV/AIDS awareness as well as knowledge of the disease, the prevention of infection and compassion to persons living with HIV.
The colour of red is noted as representing “life.” This was a deciding factor in choosing the design of the HIV/AIDS awareness ribbon and campaign.
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The Condom:
The use of a latex condom remains, even today, as the most effective tool in preventing the transmission (spreading) of HIV during sexual engagement. With all the advancements in prevention strategies and treatments, a latex condom is an essential element in stopping the spread of HIV during sex.
Allergic to latex? Not a problem. Consult your physician, pharmacist or trusted HIV counselor.
Footnote #1: The colour of the condom pictured above is red. Please understand that the colour of a condom has no determining value in the protection offered.
Summary:
HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, is today a very manageable and treatable infection that no longer imposes the outcome of suffering and death it originally produced. With the medicines and treatment strategies currently available worldwide, persons infected with HIV (HIV+) are now able to enjoy long and productive lives while undergoing care and/ora treatment programme.
A gentle reminder that at this time, there exists no known cure for HIV. However, testing, knowing one’s HIV status and receiving care and treatment options if HIV+ permit many unlimited hopes for a full life!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, December 5, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “December Observances!”
My father died mid-day (11:48 a.m.) on Saturday, 10 November 2018. All of us considerably miss and mourn him, especially our mother. This year, on the anniversary of his death, our family’s church is conducting a community Memorial Service as a tribute to his life.
Mother has requested Alex (my identical twin) and I to be present along with all our family and the local population. Alex and I depart later this same day for our return to Greece. My university has officially sanctioned my instructional absence. Aaron, my spouse, and his parents leave the later part of the week to join with us.
She has also scheduled some time for my seven (7) brothers and I to decide and determine some familial issues that will have to be addressed and resolved eventually. Her preference is to be an active participant in these matters. My siblings and I agree to honour her wishes.
At this time, I assure everyone that mother’s health is fine, at least physically. Emotionally and mentally, she mourns for our father. I accept, respect and understand her reality.
I have composed and submitted a number of post entries for publication here on ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! during our absence.
I ask for your patience, tolerance and understanding as Aaron and I respect my mother and offer our tribute to my father’s memory.
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, November 7, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Bare Celebrities #2!”
Helen Hunt Jackson was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, on 15 October 1830 and died in San Francisco, California, on 12 August 1885. She was a U.S. poet and writer who became an activist for improved treatment of the Indigenous peoples by the USA national government.
Educational poetry:
My identical twin brother, Alex, and I were required to memorize the above poem in our 6th level class (primary) at the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind. Our teacher, who was one of our all-time favourites, used poetry to improve our English writing skills as well as our general comprehension of the English language. With our school located in Virginia and this poem reflected landscape and wild natural growths common to Massachusetts.
Unfortunately, there were no American Sign Language (ASL) manual signs for almost all the items, therefore, we had to fingerspell manually virtually the entire poem. Alex loved the poem but resented the fingerspelling aspect. He still remembers his remark that he felt as a child in kindergarten learning the ABC’s because of all the fingerspelling involved. As this was our first poem to memorize, our teacher always inspected every other poetic assignment to make certain fingerspelling didn’t dominate the process again.
An October, riverside!
Enjoy your last week of October’s Bright Blue Weather!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Friday, October 31, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Bottoms-Up! October, 2025!”
An Examination and Exploration of Our Community and Our Culture of Same Gender Loving Nakedness! #3
Identical Twins: Double the Nakedness, Double the Fun!
Preliminary:
As promised at the beginning of this series, this final offering for this publication was guaranteed prior to the end of the summer season as my personal perspective. Just a reminder that this post entry also includes that of my own identical twin brother, Alex. Sometimes, the sharing of our ideas, inspirations, memories, reactions, recollections, thoughts, etc., become blurred and riddled with questions. However, the experiences are shared and together as they involve us both – guilty and innocence – together!
We, Alex (Twin) and I, are identical; our births barely two hours apart. Therefore, we share our personal experiences in nakedness – the comfort, joy, and preference for living, as much as possible, our lives without the burden, duty and/or obligation of clothing/concealment!
Footnote: For this series, I use pictures of identical twinsfrom online. Our brothers prefer I not use any from our childhood.
Identical and Serious: together!
Introduction:
Our family name is Poladopoulos and we are identical twin brothers born almost two hours apart. Alex – the “first-born” – is also Deaf, same gender loving (SGL) or gay and frequently confused with me, Roger, the author of this blog and the “second-born” of this twin team!
Our parents were born in the Kingdom of Greece during the time of the German invasion and occupation during World War II. They married and began their family there before immigrating to this country in the early 1950s. Neither of them became citizens here and they returned to Greece in the 1990s. We (Twin and I) have three (3) older brothers and three (3) younger brothers. That makes the both of us the exact “middle-child” in our family.
Our family household being predominantly male has caused many to assume our nakedness wasn’t a major issue.
A very false and unreal assumption!
Our infancy and early childhood progressed along the same pattern as that of our older siblings with the exception of our diagnosis of being Deaf. Otherwise, we were “normal” until our parents and older siblings decided to teach us to properly adorn (wear clothes) ourselves. Our “moment” to establish our true identity! Our joint (shared) “declaration of independence” was upon us!
Bottoms-up! to yardwork!
Reality:
Our initial opportunity to proclaim our self-determination (identity) happened when the decision was made to instruct us on the process of how to dress – put on clothes. At last, a chance to demonstrate (show) precisely who we really are! Twin and I are unable to exactly recall the experience, so this episode is best described by our surviving parent (mother) and older siblings.
The miraculous fascination that Twin (our familiar reference name for ourselves) and I had for learning how to decorate our bodies with clothes was that it also gave us the knowledge of how easy and simple it now became for us to remove (discard) our clothing!
The proverbial adage, “practice makes perfect” was the result of this lesson. Easy to put on, easy to take off! Our parents were amazed at the both of us getting dressed in garments and then removing them immediately! The essence and introduction into our world of “guys without boxers!” No underwear equals no clothes!
Needless to elaborate, but this basic logistic created an enormous amount of frustration within our family household. Our desire for freedom from clothes soon reached epic proportions that continued throughout our childhood. This conflict in nudity versus textile (clothes wearing) was compounded by a communication issue: our being Deaf against the fact that everyone else was verbal (hearing). At the time, the tensions in our family, along with the births of our younger brothers, made happiness and tranquility seem impossible!
Luckily, Twin and I shared a bedroom. Perhaps “identical” is synonymous with “shared!” Soon, our parents conceived of a compromise: we could be naked inside our bedroom if we agreed to wear clothes while elsewhere in our home. Our older siblings joined in this project, and while some awkward occurrences happened, tranquility returned to the Poladopoulos residence.
Footnote: Now, today, as a family, we all laugh when remembering this drama in our lives!
Calm and peaceful!
As we matured, our late Father eventually acknowledged to us all that the “bedroom nudity compromise” was initially considered only a temporary adjustment. Both parents believed we would grow away from this behaviour and the nude insistence was a developmental “phase” of our lives that would eventually disappear.
Our oldest sibling, Nick, (who “came out” as gay while at university), readily admitted to our family that at his young age, he briefly thought Twin and I were “double trouble!” At the time of this incident, he viewed our being Deaf as synonymous with our penchant for nakedness!
Sometimes, a “temporary” compromise affords a very rewarding and significant solution!
A doorway of twins!
As to the communication concern: our family all learned to manually share (sign language) – both in English and Greek! A process that remains underway still today with the addition of in-laws (sibling marriages), nieces and nephews!
Summary:
Life experiences provided Twin and I with an opportunity to explore, firsthand, the world of nakedness. It afforded us a chance to examine and explore our perspectives, reactions and involvement! These same life experiences reinforced, both internally and in reality, our identical appreciation and commitment to nakedness that we both share!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, September 22, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Autumn Adaptability!”
The announced and planned post entry for this past Monday, 18 August, 2025, never occurred and my spouse, Aaron, and I both share the blame for that mishap! We’re just too much in love and we’ll only have one 10th anniversary. A very “last minute” (spontaneous) decision on our part for an extended anniversary celebration: a bromantic (he and me) extended weekend away from our routine to a Florida clothing optional resort that we’ve never visited before.
Our weekend ended yesterday: Thursday, 21August. I did mention an “extended” weekend, correct? We added four days and a renewal of ourselves!
Together!
This impulsive adventure was totally unplanned. We had discussed an excursion of this nature in the past but never actually realized that it didn’t really require that much attention to detail. After all, we’re usually “clothing optional” around our condominium/home anyway. So we had minimal need for any “official” wardrobe. Just the two of us being our natural selves.
Passion!
We do apologize to anyone if our spontaneity created any inconvenience for you. It was unintentional although irresponsible from the both of us. Please know that we both regret the error and can assure all of you that we’ll do our best to avoid any similarity in the future.
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry for this site is planned for Monday, August 25, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “August Antics!”
Bare Practitioner:same gender loving and embracing nakedness as both community and culture. An enthusiastic advocate of the right to love and of body and clothes freedom.
Body and clothes freedom!
Naked is defined as without clothing on the body. Without addition, concealment, disguise or embellishment. Nude.
Nude is defined as without clothing or naked. The condition of being unclothed.
Introduction:
Mutual body and clothes freedom!
Bare! Body! Clothes free! Naked! Natural! Naturist! Nude! Nudity! Nudist! All of these terms/words refer to the fact that we are uncovered (without clothing)! We are completely visible without even a single thread concealing any part of our natural body. Identical to the state of our birth. Not a single one of us were born wearing anything! Hallelujah!
Yours truly at a local park in Arlington, Virginia, USA!
My name is Roger Peterson-Poladopoulos. As many of you already know, I am the co-author and the creator of this site: ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! I am a same gender loving (SGL) man – gay – Deaf and of direct Greek heritage (both of my parents were born in the Kingdom of Greece).
Aaron, my spouse!
This is Aaron M. Peterson-Poladopoulos, my spouse. He is also the co-author and photographer of this site. Obviously, he is also SGL and is of African-Canadian descent. Aaron’s family is of the Yoruba ethnic tribe from the city of Ibadan, located in western Nigeria. Both Canada and Nigeria are Commonwealth entities. We have been legally married since 2015, a year after marriage equality was officially adopted here in the USA, our country of residence.
The both of us are confidently and proudly bare practitioners (SGL and naturist/nudist). We wear clothes when necessary but both of us prefer being without any garment whatsoever! As enthusiastic bare practitioner advocates, we are equally responsible for the theme of today’s post entry here.
Honest and simple advice!
We sincerely encourage all of you here today to join with us in nakedness and pride whenever possible!
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Bare Practitioners:
Bare practitioners!
As an integral component grouping of the gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and queer+ community and culture, bare practitioners often encounter awkward and discomforting situations not only because of our SGL status, but also due to our textile (clothing) – or our lack thereof. We are neither forcing nor intimidating anyone into our body and clothes freedom world, instead we are celebrating the enablement to just be ourselves: SGL and nakedness!
Progress Pride Flag body painted on himself!
Our man in the above photograph is very confident and proud of his bare practitioner identity. He has our SGL Progress Pride rainbow flag body painted on his nakedness while he’s participating in the London, UK, World Naked Bike Ride (WNBR)! His smile demonstrates his comfort and joy in being honest and open about his body freedom and his sexuality! Both Aaron and I salute his brotherhood, reality and sincerity! Take care and stay bare, our friend!
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Our Confidence Is Evident:
Bare under the bridge!
Our man in this series of pictures here is not only proud of his sexuality, he’s also assured and bold in sharing publicly his bare practitioner affiliation!
Submerged bare practitioner pride!
He combines his SGL nature and his body and clothes freedom preference and skinny dips (swims naked) without a care in the world!
His rainbow pride colours raised high!
He confidently flaunts both his bare body and his sexuality while posing and promoting his message: “I am my own man without guilt and/or shame!”
Bottoms-up! near the underwater bottom!
A philosophy that many of us who are bare practitioners endorse and proclaim wholeheartedly!
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Confidence and Pride!
Compatibility!
Being a bare practitioner isn’t an obligation to publicly reveal one’s personal character and identity. Each person determines their own comfort level in presenting themselves to others. The majority of us, bare practitioners or otherwise, are more amenable to others who we perceive as most like us and similar to ourselves. This is a human instinct that most of us believe, feel, nurture and share among ourselves.
Our bare practitioner affinity and appreciation aren’t based on or defined solely by our willingness to allow others to interpret or judge our nakedness and/or our sexuality. Our being what and who we are is determined completely by our private discretion, personal emotional capacity, and self-acceptance. If we need to confide in another, it is our choice, and we need to engage in the dialogue when we are comfortable. Otherwise, we await on our respective decision to proceed.
For everyone!
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Poetic Justice:
An important message inked on his genital area!
Reign is the stage name of our bare practitioner brother welcoming us here. Just above his pubic hairline, he has “unashamed” tattooed on his skin. His meaning is obviously visible for all. There is no embarrassment, guilt or shame associated with either his nakedness and/or his sexuality!
He prefers nakedness over clothing and has no issue in publicly endorsing both body and clothes freedom and his exclusive same gender loving sexuality. Reign is a very honest and open man who lives his life being himself and “unashamed!”
My Naked Life
by Roger Poladopoulos
I am naked and I am me.
I am the man the man I want to be.
When I am naked, I am nude,
Living life with a positive attitude.
I am naked and I am me.
I am the man I want to be.
When I am nude, I am also proud,
Whether alone or among a crowd.
I am naked and I am me.
I am the man I want to be.
When I am nude, I am living free,
I know that clothes are not for me.
I am naked and I am me.
I am the man I want to be.
When I am nude, I clear my mind,
Gone are the clothes that hide and bind.
I am naked and I am me.
I am the man I want to be.
The End. Composed on 5 July, 2011 at a clothes free beach.
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Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, June 9, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Swinging It All: Bat and Buttocks!”
In both Canada and the USA, Sunday, 11 May is the observance of the day to pay tribute to our mothers and/or the women who provided us care, guidance and love!
This gracious salute is commemorated on the second Sunday in May, annually!
With child!
Thank you for all that you do (or have done)!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, May 12, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Bare Play!”
24 April, annually, is the Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day
This date is recognized as the first modern genocide of the 20th Century.
Genocide is the crime of intentionally destroying part or all of a national, ethnic, racial or religious group by killing people. It is understood by most people to be the gravest crime against humanity.
Prologue:
The presence of the Armenian peoples in Anatolia, the region in modern Turkey that borders Iran and the Caucus) has been documented since the sixth century BCE – about 1,500years prior to the arrival of the Turkmens (first Turkish immigrants) under the Seljuk dynasty. The independent Kingdom of Armenia adopted Christianity as its national religion early in the fourth century CE.
The Genocide:
Photograph by U.S. Ambassador Morganthau of Armenian corpses left roadside.
Before the Great War (World War I; 1914 – 1918), there were limited exterminations of Armenian inhabitants of Turkey during the 1890s and in 1909. During World War I, The Ottoman Empire (Turkey) allied itself with Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Germany. This led to the power transfer to the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) by the civilian authorities.
On 24 April, 1915, the CUP ordered the deportation and expulsion of Armenian residents in the Ottoman capital, Constantinople. Soon, this order was extended throughout all the Ottoman Empire and massive crowds were forced to march into the Syrian Desert, without food and water. They were raped, robbed and brutally beaten.
Soon, the extermination of the Armenian residents throughout the Ottoman Empire was endorsed and enforced. The massive deportations and deaths became real and prevalent. The involvement in the Great War and the political instability which followed prevented the Western powers from monitoring the conditions within the former Ottoman state.
The overthrow of the monarchy and the division of the lands formerly occupied by the CUP allowed atrocities against the Armenians and other religious minorities until almost midway through the 1920s. By that time, an estimated 1.6 million Armenians had been exterminated. The emerging Turkish country had reduced the population of Armenians from almost 2.5 million to less than 400,000.
The Genocide Memorial, Yerevan, capital city of Armenia
Tsitsernakaberd: Armenian Genocide Memorial
The Genocide Memorial was built in 1967 on the hill of Tsitsernakaberd, just outside the capital city of Yerevan, Armenia. The Genocide Memorial Museum-Institute was added later and officially opened in 1995.
Every year, on 24 April, the complex hosts the national Remembrance Day Ceremony, where hundreds of thousands line for hours to place floral and prayer tributes to the victims.
Remembering those murdered.
A profile of prayer
Personal Connection:
My maternal grandfather was half-Armenian. His mother was a resident of the Ottoman Empire. He remembered the Turkish soldiers congregating the Armenian population – including all of his family – inside their village church prior to setting the entire structure on fire. He and several friends were being absent from school that day and they climbed trees when they witnessed the soldiers assaulting the village.
A Turkish family helped them escape to safety.
My mother doesn’t remember his discussing the incident when she and her siblings were growing up. It was only when his grandchildren were born that he felt the need to share his past.
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers!
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, April 28, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “Charge!”
The Feasts of Great and Holy Easter in the Orthodox Churches and Western Easter in the Protestant Churches are observed simultaneously on Sunday, 20 April, 2025.
Kala Pascha!
Happy Easter!
The joint celebration of the Easter Holy Day is not a regular event as the churches all follow different calendars. Easter is a moveable feast day – always celebrated on Sunday however, it changes dates annually. There is no designated date for the observance of the Easter feast.
Aaron, my spouse, is Roman Catholic. I am Greek Orthodox. Our Easter celebrations are usually on different dates. Unfortunately, this year, we have only one single Easter observance. A reduction by half of all our Easter treats!
The Epitaphios: the tomb of Jesus in the Greek Orthodox Church!
Throughout Greece, in the larger cities and ports, the Army, Navy and Air Corps provide the bearers of the Epitaphios to churches. The state church is legally allowed to demand this duty from local military personnel. The only time such a request may be denied is during time of war. I imagine the military attendance is representative of the Roman guards lining the route of Jesus as he carried himself and his cross to the scene of the Crucifixion.
The Easter Ikons!
The ikon is a representation (mural, mosaic or a painting on wood) depicting sacred events or a sacred individual (Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary or a saint). It is used as an object of veneration and prayer or as a visible tool of instruction. In western churches, statues are used. Ikons are found predominately in Orthodox Churches. For the Orthodox people, ikons remind us of our duties and obligations.
The ikon of the Crucifixion of Jesus!
At the noon hour on Great Friday (Good Friday in the Western Church) – which happens to be today, – the ikon of the Crucifixion is placed inside the Epitaphios (Tomb) and carried around the church a total of three (3) times. The Ikon rests inside the Epitaphios until the hour of midnight on Great Saturday. It is then replaced with the Ikon of the Resurrection of Jesus and then encircles the Church three times for the jubilation and veneration of the peoples. Easter is the Feast of the Resurrection!
The Ikon of the Resurrection!
For the Eastern Orthodox faithful (Greek, Russian, Bulgarian, Roumanian, Armenian, Syrian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Palestinian, Serbian, etc.), Easter is the paramount feast of the liturgical (church) year. My paternal papou (grandfather) always noted that in Greece, even the communists were in church on Easter Sunday!
Flowers and “Happy Easter” (Greek)!
Easter Eggs!
In Greece and throughout much of the Eastern Orthodox Church world, egg dying is very popular and involved. In our culture, all eggs are dyed red – the colour that represents both rebirth and renewal. Red is also symbolic for the blood of Christ which was shed during the Crucifixion. The elaborate decorations of eggs used in Russia and the Ukraine are not popular with the remainder of the Orthodox communities.
There are many contests and games utilized with the red eggs and related to the Easter holy day. The four weeks prior to the arrival of Easter is known as the Great Lent, a period of fasting and prayer, during which the consumption of eggs is restricted. It is customary to eat all of the festive eggs prior to the arrival of Easter Monday.
There are numerous ways of dying eggs for Easter. The majority of dying is done within the individual homes and households. Commercially, for large groups, dyed eggs can be purchased in advance. There are dyes available for families to shop. My mother recalls using a very traditional method of dying. They would peel the skins off of red onions and boil the skins mixed with some olive oil and vinegar. We dyed eggs this way growing up, the colour was not as bright as the manufactured dyes but a hard-boiled egg tastes the same, regardless of how it is dyed!
Commercially dyed Easter eggs!
Bare Practitioners!
For those of us who are committed and devoted bare practitioners, our observance of the Easter holiday includes the colourful decorating of our bodies in addition to eggs. Using various varieties of body paint, we are not restricted to simply using the red option.
Body painted adornment!
In celebrating the holiday, many decide to have their buttocks painted to resemble the eggs decorated for the occasion. This process also involves the cooperation of friends and talented (artistic) acquaintances in creating festive images. The most popular anatomical “canvas” (object painted) of course are the buttocks! For many, they do resemble an egg!
Detailed expression!
Some of the hand painted eggs are very awesome and intricate in the creativity and design employed. We can only wonder what is awarded to the first place winners and their artists! Imagine the crowds in line if the buttocks were displayed live in a museum!
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Tsoureki!
“Tsoureki” – Easter bread!
The Easter Bread – a sweetened and renowned baked treat that is a significant tradition of Greek Easter – is baked in the home according to family recipes, passed from generation-to-generation. I have my paternal yiayia (grandmother) recipe. My culinary skills are practically nonexistent so in our home, Aaron prepares our bread, and it is praised by all who eat it. My copy of the recipe was made in my own handwriting when I spent Easter with yiayia and step-by-step we made a total of nine loaves.
Yiayia’s recipe was her very own version of the one given to her by her mother. These recipes are guarded as family treasures and as a rule not shared with others. Frequently, each family has a slight variation in the traditional recipe due to the individual cooks.
The preparation of the bread takes between 18-24 hours and yiayia never used an alarm to remind her of the time. The preparation, after adding all the ingredients, involves allowing the dough to sit for eight hours to rise before punching down, then repeating the same process again before the final rise of six hours, another punch down time and then baking. She loved making this treat and everyone loved devouring her finished product! Aaron enjoys mixing and baking the tsoureki just as much as yiayia did!
Although Aaron never met her, his following her recipe brings back many special memories!
Happy Easter to all!
Naked hugs!
Roger Poladopoulos/ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers
Author’s Note: The next post entry here is planned for Monday, April 21, 2025, and the proposed topic is: “April Environment!”
ReNude Pride: Guys Without Boxers! 