The radio program “Historical Walks” on Voice of Greece presents a three part special exploring the deeper meaning of Christmas, through historical, theological and cultural reflection. At its core are the Nativity of Christ and the timeless values of love, freedom, sacrifice and peace — values that remain urgently relevant in today’s world.
LOVE – SACRIFICE
20 & 27 December 2025
In the first two episodes, “Historical Walks” looks beyond folklore and festive surfaces in search of the true spirit of Christmas. What does the theological phrase “the Word became flesh” really signify? Why does God become human? How are love, freedom and sacrifice woven into the heart of the Christmas message?
Special attention is given to the ways Christmas is experienced and celebrated around the world. The programmes explore both the shared elements and the distinct traditions of Orthodox and Catholic Christianity, as well as the musical expressions through which the Christmas experience takes shape. Hymns from many countries and in many languages accompany the broadcasts, revealing unity through diversity.
PEACE
03 January 2026
The third episode is devoted to Christmas as a feast of peace, in a world marked by war, conflict and deep division.
The discussion focuses on the role of the Church in the contemporary world, the significance of the recent meeting between Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew and Pope Leo XIV, and the long historical path of relations between Orthodoxy and Catholicism, from the Great Schism to the present day. The programme also reflects on the hopes and the limits of today’s inter-Christian dialogue.
Our guide throughout this journey is His Eminence the Metropolitan of Peristeri, known in the secular world as Grigorios Papathomas — a church leader with a distinguished academic background. He studied Theology and Law in Athens and pursued postgraduate, doctoral and postdoctoral studies in Paris. With a long academic career in Greece and abroad, his voice is marked by thoughtful clarity and a contemporary perspective, bringing theology into dialogue with culture, history and humanity’s enduring existential questions.
Tune in to Voice of Greece for three radio encounters that connect history with the present, theology with culture, and music with the shared human experience.
Produced and presented by Marilena Katsimi
Broadcast schedule
Part I: Saturday, 20 December 2025, 13:00–14:00 (Athens time)
Part II: Saturday, 27 December 2025, 13:00–14:00 (Athens time)
Part III: Saturday, 03 January 2026, 13:00–14:00 (Athens time)
