ELEFSINA At a distance of 20 klm from the center of Athens

lies the ancient town of Elefsina. It once was the sacred ground of the elefsinian rituals, connected with the life after death.

Today it lies in an industrial area of 20 klm2 and is inhabited by 30.000 people. It has a military airport, a busy port and can be visited by all means of transport.

Ancient ruins neighbor with colossal industries in the low (due to the airport) town while its people who are very fond of the town’s history, are keen cyclists.

Elefsina has St.George as its patron saint, and you can see Christian churches built on the ancient landmarks, a familiar to the Greek people co-existence for the last 16 centuries.

There are many nursery schools, 11 primary schools, 4 high-schools (called “gymnasiums”), 2 upper high-schools (called “lyceums”), 2 schools of technical education.

THE MYTH OF DIMITRA AND PERSEPHONE

The goddess of earth, Dimitra (seen on the left), had a beloved only daughter named Persephone (right). Persephone was abducted by Hades, the god of the afterworld, in charge of peoples’ souls. The desperate mother roamed the earth in search of her daughter. In her sorrow, she commanded the earth to deny vegetation and growth. The trees wouldn’t bare fruit, the flowers withered away and the mortals were in a desperate state of starvation. Zeus, father of gods and men, told his brother Hades to let his spouse, Persephone, see her mother for six months.

When mother and daughter joined, it was nature’s joy and celebration (spring and summer). When Persephone returned to the valley below, nature followed her mother’s grief (autumn and winter).

Homer, the most celebrated poet of antiquity, narrated the story in his “Hymn to the goddess Dimitra”

In order not to forget herself in the world above, Hades made his wife eat the fruit pomegranade, so that she would return. Today seeds of the pomegranade are put in the “kolliva”,eaten in memory of the deceiced.

TMS - My Dear Persephone

Girl, hold you in my arms so tightGirl, underneath the starry nightEverything may be alright - be alrightGirl, catch elusive love we mightYou're my brilliant star so bright you seeMy Dear PersephoneCould you listen to me please?Oh my Dear PersephoneOh my Dear Persephone

In her quest for her daughter, Dimitra, transformed into an elderly woman in mourning, was found by the daughters of a local family sitting on a rock.

She was taken in as the baby son’s nanny. Her true identity was revealed while she was about to make the baby immortal by holding him above the sacred fire.

Although irritated for being interrupted by the anxious mother, she showed her gratitude to the family by teaching the production of barley and the sacred rituals of afterlife (“mysteria”), so that mortals would never starve and would never again fear death. Triptolemos (seen above) became king of Elefsis.