Seventh episode: Birth and death the Athenian way

Greek Orthodoxy and its customs. Athenians remain attached to the traditions of the Orthodox Church. Prize-winning poet American poet A.E. Stallings walks us around the First Cemetery – a beautiful sculpture park that reveals the Athenian way of death. And we visit Papios, a shop selling kollyva or food for mourning the dead. Sofka calls up her koumbara (Georgina Solo, the mother of her goddaughter) to discuss why what anthropologists call ‘spiritual kinship’ is so important. Greek baptisms often involve a level of drama and UK cellist Chris Humphrys revisits the church where he experienced full immersion as an adult. Why are name days more significant than birthdays and what part do priests play in removing the evil eye?