One More Happy Moment for Helleniscope: Andreas and Sophia’s Wedding

ΕΑΝ ΠΡΟΤΙΜΑΤΕ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΠΑΤΗΣΤΕ ΤΗ ΣΗΜΑΙΑ ΣΤΟ ΚΑΤΩ ΜΕΡΟΣ ΤΗΣ ΟΘΟΝΗΣ

The “Stamatakiss-me” wedding took place in Athens on July 15, and it was epic…

By Nick Stamatakis

As some of you have noticed, I was on vacation for two weeks in July. It was a time to remember, as I have already reported, with the visits to the ancient Temples of Poseidon in Sounion and Afaias in Aegina, along with St. Nektarios Monastery (link here)… And also the spectacular lighting ceremony of the Rock of Monemvasia… (link here).

But the highlight of my trip to Greece was the wedding of my first-born son, Andreas, to Sophia Pavlatos in Athens on July 15

The wedding was, in every sense, an epic production, due in no small part to the bride, who is both a professional photographer and an accomplished wedding planner.

The ceremony took place at the beautiful Faneromeni Church in Vouliagmeni, followed by a reception at “Island”, overlooking the Saronic Gulf, a spectacular setting for a truly memorable celebration.

Sophia even revived my previous play with our family name. About two years ago, I informally changed our last name to “Stamata-kiss,” borrowing the spirit of the late Rush Limbaugh, who famously introduced himself as a “lovable little fuzzball” to soften the edge of his often sharp commentary. Sophia transformed it into the wedding’s logo: “Stamatakiss-me.” It was clever, charming, and perfectly captured the spirit of the occasion.

God knows our family has had more than its fair share of life’s challenges. But lately, we have been blessed with an extraordinary wave of happy occasions, and the Stamatakis family is grateful beyond words.

Below is the speech I gave at the reception.

Coming from a family with roots in Crete and Karpathos (and Serifos), it would have been unthinkable not to compose a few special mantinades—the traditional fifteen-syllable Cretan poems whose origins many trace back to Homeric verse. These verses were written by me and some family/friends especially for Andreas and Sophia’s wedding. They appear at the end of the speech.

They are, of course, almost impossible to translate without losing much of their rhythm, wit, and cultural flavor—but several members of our family have made a valiant effort.  You can read the translation at the bottom…

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MY SPEECH AT THE WEDDING

Good evening, everyone.

We’re here tonight to celebrate the future. But moments like this also invite us to look back—and remember where we came from.

I was born just a few miles from here, in Kokkinia, a neighborhood of Piraeus built a century ago, almost entirely by refugees from Asia Minor.

Chased by the Turks who burned Smyrna, those families lost everything, yet rebuilt their lives with extraordinary courage and dignity. And in rebuilding their lives, they gave Greece so much of what we proudly call Greek culture today: their bouzouki music, their dances, their food, and their spirit.

Growing up among them taught me that our heritage isn’t something we inherit simply to admire.

It’s something we inherit to honor.

Our own family roots stretch from the rebellious mountains of Sfakia in Crete… to Serifos… to Karpathos… and, through Andreas’ mother, to Kalymnos.

Sophia brings her own proud Greek heritage from Cephalonia and the Peloponnese.

And tonight… those histories become one.

Looking back, Andreas has always been true to those roots.

When he was sixteen, he decided the best way to tell a girl he loved her was to take over the high school’s central microphone… and announce it to the entire school.

At twenty, he walked into my house carrying three rifles.

“Dad,” he said, “could you keep these here? Mom won’t let me.”

I looked at him and said,

“Son… do you realize you have roots in Crete, in Sfakia?”  Not that Kalymnos is less rebellious – but Sfakia has the reputation…

Then came graduation day at Stony Brook.

Instead of quietly receiving their diplomas, Andreas and his friend Dan, both top science graduates and members of the Honors College, were escorted out of the stadium by the university police after writing protest messages in chalk the night before that criticized the university president.

So yes…

Andreas has never been afraid to speak his mind.

But what makes me proudest isn’t the microphone… the rifles… or even the graduation protest.

A year later, while serving as an intern for Congressman Gus Bilirakis, Andreas joined me—and many dedicated members of our Greek and Pontian community—in helping achieve an early Congressional recognition of the genocides of the Greeks of Asia Minor and Pontus.

For me, that was never about politics.

It was about memory.

It was about honoring those who came before us. Those among whom I grew up.

Nikos Kazantzakis spoke of our ratsa—not race in the biological sense, but the living chain of ancestors whose courage, sacrifices, and spirit we carry within us.

As a father, I cannot imagine a greater privilege than seeing my son honor that ratsa.

And then…

Andreas made the smartest decision of his life.

He found Sophia.

Now, Sophia isn’t exactly the quiet or submissive type either…

—which, frankly, makes her a perfect match for Andreas.

Sophia, thank you for loving our son and for becoming such a wonderful part of our family.

When Sophia adopted my earlier “novelty”,  playing on our family name and changing Stamatakis into Stamata-kiss, in creating the wedding logo, I laughed immediately.

I thought it was the perfect reminder that, despite hundreds of years of stubborn, rebellious ancestors… the Stamatakis family is still capable of producing a few hopeless romantics.

Andreas and Sophia,

May your life always be filled with love, laughter, courage, kindness, and purpose.

Never forget where you came from.

Always honor those who came before you.

Have Faith in God.

And always leave the world a little better than you found it.

Please join me in raising a glass…

To Andreas and Sophia. Cheers / Να μας ζήσουνε και καλούς απογόνους!! 

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MANTINADES FOR THE WEDDING

Από της Κρήτης τη φωτιά, της Κάρπαθος τ’ αγέρι,
και της Σερίφου τις πλαγιές, της Κάλυμνος τ’ αστέρι.
Τέσσερις τόποι σμίξανε κι εγίνανε ένα αίμα,
της λεβεντιάς της ελληνικής να δώσουνε το νάμα.

Δεν κληρονόμησες χρυσά, μήτε παλάτια, γιε μου,
μονάχα πίστη κι ανθρωπιά, καμάρι της ψυχής μου.
Με φως μεγάλωσες, παιδί, κι αντρώθηκες με αξία,
και βάδισες τον δρόμο σου με νου και παρρησία.
Δεν έσκυψες ποτέ μπροστά στo άδικο του κόσμου,
κι ό,τι κι αν έκρυβε η καρδιά το έφερνες εμπρός σου.

Της ξενιτιάς τα πέλαγα σας φέραν στην Ελλάδα,
κι ο νόστος έγινε φιλί στου τόπου μας την αύρα.

Του νόστου ο δρόμος δεν γυρνά μονάχα στην πατρίδα,
γυρνά εκεί που η μια ψυχή στην άλλη βρίσκει ελπίδα.

Σμίξαν Αιγαίο κι Ιόνιο σαν ήρθε η Σοφία,
κι οι θάλασσες στεφάνωσαν δυο σπίτια μ’ ευλογία.
Δυο ελεύθερες καρδιές, δυο μοίρες γίναν μία,
και χτίζουνε το σπιτι τους με αγάπη κι αρμονία.

Παιδιά μου, τώρα που ο Θεός σας ένωσε για πάντα,
κρατήστε την αγάπη σας σαν το πιο ακριβό στεφάνι.
Στις δύσκολες τις ώρες σας να γίνεστε ένα χέρι,
σαν το καράβι που περνά με μπουνάτσα και μ’ αγέρι.
Να μη σας πάρει ο πλούτος νου, μήτε η κακή συνήθεια,
μονάχα να ‘χετε οδηγό αγάπη και αλήθεια.

Να ‘χετε αγάπη και σεβασμό βαθιά αναμεσά σας,
σημαία πάντα το δίκαιο, την Ελλάδα στην καρδιά σας.

Η ευχή μου να ‘ναι σύννεφο, βροχή να σας δροσίζει,
κι η αγάπη σας σαν τον αϊτό, ψηλά να φτερουγίζει.

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AN ATTEMPT AT TRANSLATING THE “MANTINADES”

A Father’s Blessing
A W E D D I N G B L E S S I N G

From Crete’s fierce fire, from Karpathos’ sea breeze,
From Serifos’ rugged slopes, from Kalymnos’ guiding star.
Four homelands came together, their blood became as one,
To pass the noble spirit of Greece from father unto son.

You inherited no wealth, my son, no gold or grand estate,
But faith, humanity, and honor—treasure of my soul.
You grew in light, matured with grace, your character stood tall,
And walked your path with wisdom, courage, answering duty’s call.
You never bowed before the wrongs this troubled world could bring,
And what your heart believed within, you brought it in your life.

Across the seas of distant lands, your journey led you home,
Where longing turned into a kiss upon Greece’s welcoming wind.
For homecoming is not merely the road that leads once more to land;
It is the place where one soul finds its hope within another’s hand.

The Aegean met the Ionian when Sophia came your way,
And seas themselves bestowed their blessing on two homes that day.
Two hearts set free, two destinies were joined as one in love,
Now building their own home with peace and harmony.

My children, now that God has bound your lives forevermore,
Hold fast to love as life’s most precious wreath forever worn.
When trials come, stand hand in hand, united through the storm,
Like ships that sail through calm and gale, steadfast, safe, and warm.

May neither wealth nor empty pride lead either heart astray;
Let love and truth remain the stars that guide you every day.
May love and deep respect abide forever in your home;
Let justice be your banner high, and Greece live in your hearts.
May my blessing be a gentle cloud whose rain brings you delight,
And may your love, like an eagle’s soaring wings, forever climb the
heights.