On Sunday, April 22, New York City's infamous Fifth Avenue became a sea of blue and white as it hosted the 76th Annual Greek Independance Day Parade. For the first time in the parade's history, the parade was postponed from its original date of April 15th due to a powerful nor'easter storm. The Holy Metropolis G.O.C. of America participated, as it does each year with representation of the parishes of the Cathedral of Saint Markella of Astoria and the church of Saint Isidoros of Bethpage in New York, the Greek School of Saint Markella and the Philoptochos Society. The Metropolis was pleased to present one of the 56 floats in this year's parade, made possible by the generous donation of a parishioner of the Cathedral of Saint Markella. The theme of the float was The Secret School or κρυφό σχολείο and the importance of the teaching of the Greek language for the preservation of Holy Orthodoxy and Hellenism.
In Greek history, the term Krif scholi or "Secret school" refers to underground schools for teaching the Greek language and Christian doctrines, provided by the during the time of Ottoman rule in Greece between the 15th and 19th centuries. These schools are often credited with having played a decisive role in keeping the Greek language and Greek literacy as well as our Holy Orthodox faith alive throughout the period of Turkish rule.
A popular nursery rhyme conveys the notion that these schools typically took place at night for greater secrecy:
My little bright moon,
shine on my way,
that I may go to school,
to learn to read and write,
and the teachings of God.
