hospitality = philoxenia (philo=love and xenos=stranger)

Nowadays, when a stranger knocks on a Greek door, in many places of Greece he is treated as in ancient times, as if he were Zeus himself honoring your house, the King of the gods, the patron of travelers, Xenios Zeus.

In ancient Greece, people were often forced to travel long distances either by carriage or on foot. Since there were no inns, they inevitably sought the help of the locals in the area where they wanted to rest. It was the moral duty of the people to open their door and give a warm welcome to the person passing by.  In fact, Zeus often came down from Olympus, transformed himself into a mortal, and knocked on the door to ask for hospitality. If anyone refused the hospitality of Zeus, and thus of any visitor, it was considered an insult and was punished by the gods.

Hospitality was a sacred act accompanied by a whole process of taking care of the guests. From Homer we learn in details about the procedure of hospitality.
First, the stranger would convey wishes to the host.  As soon as he had crossed the threshold, the servants led him to the bath to bathe him and anoint him with musk perfumes and essential oils.Then he went to the table with the host, who offered him a place of honour. The stranger washed his hands in the bowl of water offered to him by the slaves. Dinner was served in silence. Only when they were ready to begin eating did the conversation begin and the host would inquire about the identity and purpose of the guest’s arrival.

After the meal, the host was to entertain the guest for as long as the guest wished. So the visit probably did not last just a few hours, as it does today.  At the end of the visit, the host presented gifts to the guest as thanks for the good company he had provided and bid him farewell with warm wishes. In this way they mutually committed themselves to a “friendship” that would also accompany their descendants.

Today, times and people have changed. In Greece, however, some things remain the same. Nikos Kazantzakis in his work “Reference to Greco” mentions: “The stranger is still in Crete the unknown God and all doors and hearts open before him”.  In Crete, Kefalonia, and many other parts of Greece, guests receive special care. The hosts give them the best room to rest, prepare a wonderful meal to please them, and insist on hosting them in their homes, regardless of social and economic status, for as long as needed and even longer.

It is no coincidence that every corner of Greece seems like an open embrace for every foreigner. Even at its roughest peak, you will find people who consider it an honor to host you, while it seems non-negotiable to them to arrive at their house and sit down even for a while for a spooned dessert and a coffee made with love.  People with ears to listen to you, hands to hug you, and a smile to warm your heart.  Not because of obligation to the gods, but because it was handed down to us by our grandparents, and it’s a way to keep our tradition alive and honor our ancestors.

Giovanna☀️