It is with great honor that I accepted the invitation to attend and greet, in this solemn place, a remarkable cultural event, which reveals with absolute respect to tradition and local history the unknown folk poet, Konstantinos Papazacharias, illuminating aspects of his life and work.
Tonight's event is an initiative of the Cultural Association "Romiosini" of Paralimni, which in cooperation with the Gymnastic Association "Kimon" Xylotympos and the support of the Holy Monastery of St. Marina and St. Raphael, attempt to highlight a great spiritual figure of Cypriot folk poetry that until recently remained unknown to the general public.
The genuine interest and serious study achieved by the Cultural Association "Romiosini" and especially by the Artistic Director Mr. George Kyprianou, as well as the painstaking effort to delve into the work of the poet Constantis Papazacharias, led to an invaluable collection of information, which in turn inspired the organizers to act collectively and create the artistic tribute presented tonight.
Through the theatrical composition of texts, the setting of poems from the poet's unique collection entitled: "Spiritual Property", as well as the use of unpublished texts and other testimonial material, the work and the poetic figure of a man who, with his source talent, left his literary imprint on our Cypriot literary tradition is projected.
Konstantinis Papazacharias was born and raised in Xylotympou. He was the child of a priest and served the art of singing with love and devotion. The acquaintance and influence he received from our national poet Vassilis Michaelides, combined with his deep study of Byzantine music and his affinity for letters, is reflected in the way he elaborates our linguistic treasure. In his poems, the Cypriot dialect, the katharevousa, the archaic and the demotic language coexist in a unified and harmonious way.
His rich subject matter touches on moments of everyday life, folklore and religious tradition as well as social and personal concerns. All these elements highlight the poet's psyche, his ethos and his character's code of values.
The organizers' project is considered truly praiseworthy, which is why it enjoys the acceptance and support of the Government, on the one hand because it is a quality intellectual work, which enriches our cultural heritage, and on the other hand because the whole effort gives the opportunity to record and get to know the important work and reflections of our own intellectual creators.
The partnership of the Cultural Association "Romiosini" Paralimni and the Gymnastics Association "Kimon", the willingness to cooperate but above all the commitment to work together in order to unfold to every recipient the unknown poet of Life, Love and Immortality, Constantis Papazacharias, I believe that will soon be confirmed on stage.
Both Societies have recorded their own history over the years and their contribution to the spiritual development of the country is considered invaluable. Their elaborate cultural activities have established themselves in the consciousness of the public who love and appreciate our traditional origins, identity and culture. A multi-faceted musical ensemble of instrumentalists, choral soloists and narrators accompany tonight's artistic tribute, aiming to achieve the best possible result.
I wish to express my warmest congratulations to all the contributors for their participation and contribution to the event. In particular, I would like to congratulate the President and Artistic Director of the Cultural Association "Romiosini", Mr. George Kyprianou for his talent, patience and perseverance in passionately serving our historical tradition, but especially because all of his intellectual work over time is a selfless contribution to the development of culture in our country.
In the certainty that for another year the result will touch our souls and hearts, I wish you every success for the future!
(RM/NG/EXP)
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