Sunday 12 October 2014

99 HOLY FATHERS FESTIVAL 2014

This year’s 3 day festival of  the 99 Holy Fathers in Azogires had a different touch . Real live cretan music  from an 80 year old musician called Manolis Ntaountakis and his friend Mpompolakis Giorgos  ,  played with their hearts and not for their profit , something that made a huge difference. 
People danced  until the mid morning hours as if they were children  , I can say that for the first time in over 20 years I felt the blessing of the (99) Holy Fathers  and their presence amongst the worshipers  , as soon as the evening Church service finished  they all came up the, musicians were already playing they dint even stop for water .

We even had the Honor for one of Chanias finest politicians  to be in our presence ,our very own George Kontaxakis  A man who never looked at politics for his own profit but dedicated his life serving the public ,he  always cares about the people and that’s what makes him different from the rest  .
The next morning we all went down to the Monastery  to take part in one of the most holy and most mystical church ceremonies in southwest Crete , then we had everyone up n the cafĂ© for coffee  The  afternoon arrived and bus after took the people away,it was time to clean up all the tables back to the people who lend them to us .

The following day the villagers gathered at the Church of the miracoulous St, John the Hermit in the Neighborhood of Koukoutsiana  , st John was the leaderof the 99  and He has been our family’s protector  for over  300 years ,afterall he did live in our neighborhood , my Father cooked steaks for everyone my uncle pavlos and his Wife Katina laid out the tables made salads and cut cheese ,we ate we drank  and started to sign Rizitika songs  traditional Cretan songs that have their origins in the deep Minoan Period of Crete  we all went home with our stomachs full and our hearts filled with  joy  for the first time in my 20 years festival experience i did not feel tired  .
That evening we had the last Norwegian Group of the year From Liliput Reisen and we had a great time dancing,   farewell to all and hope to see you next year was the last thing I said to them with a tear hiding behind my eye lids cause I will miss doing this job , for story telling is my true passion . 
The following day I had to go to Chania for a very important event in Cretes history but that’s another story for another time . I leave you all now cause  I must recover also from the heavy drinking and  3 days of  Rizitika singing  may the 99 always walk on your path of life .