Homewood recently was imbued with the same Olympic fervor and blue and white flags that flutter throughout the ancient city of Athens, Greece, welcoming the world this month as the host to the XXVIII Olympiad. On Aug. 7, Homewood Mayor Barry McCulley and the Homewood City Council authorized a flag raising ceremony on the steps of the Homewood City Hall as part of the festivities proclaiming Greek Olympic Days in Homewood.

The large crowd that braved the heat and mid-summer sun to attend the ceremonies included many members of the sizeable Greek-American community in the Birmingham area.

John Krontiras, local businessman and owner of Nabeel's Market and Cafe in Homewood, presided over the ceremonies. A Greek-American from Patras, Greece, Krontiras spoke on the sgnificance of the Olympics returning to the country were the games originated over 2,700 years ago.

Father Paul Kostopoulos, Dean of the Holy Trinity-Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Cathedral, offered his prayers and fervent wishes that the games would serve to unite a world increasingly torn by religious and sectarian strife.

Fire chief John Bresnan, standing in for Mayor McCulley who had an illness in the family, read the proclamation passed by the Homewood City Council designating the Greek Olympic Days.

An honor guard of Homewood Fire Department personnel raised the American and the Greek flags. An Olympic banner over City Hall will remain until the final ceremonies, marking the closing of the Olympic games.

[ Reprinted with kind permission of the Over The Mountain Journal, August 26, 2004 ]