First of all, my illiterate forbears who lived in the mountains of the Pelopponeses actually were great lovers of learning, albeit they did not get much back in the 18th century.However, my great-great grandfathers on both sides were the postmasters of their village and were the only ones to have an education there. My great grandfather was literate and I still have his medical book from 1818. So, perhaps the desire to learn is what made my mother convert to Protestantism ( and the influence of her Yankee upbringing) . I am interested in Greek culture of the past, but it is so far removed from the modern Greek that I would not feel comfortable in their world. I feel more at home at German speaking Mennonite services since I used to be fluent in that language, and am more comfortable in that type of culture. I do not speak Greek which is an essential component in becoming a part of the Greek ORthodox community. I also do not agree with their theological perspectives, and am very happy as a bible believing Baptist. I did not want to get into this on posts, but Greek ORthodoxism , and that is the only Orthodox church I am qualified to comment upon, is a very ritual heavy, hierarchical church which does not encourage its congregants to read the Bible or to discuss it at any length. To them that is the business of the priests and arch bishop who for all intents and purposes are perceived as more holy than the ordinary person and therefore,more qualified to embrace to things of God. The people simply go hear the liturgy.
There are some practices that are similar to pagan rites that were simply given a Christian name. For example, during Easter some (not all) Greek Churches have a parade where the women dress an effigy (presumably of Christ) in flowers etc. It is then carried through the streets in a solemn procession by these women. This rite is identical to the service for the pagan god, Tammuz. Female worshippers in those pre Christian times dressed an effigy of Tammuz ( one of the many manifestations of Osiris, the god who came back from the dead) and carried it in a weeping procession through the streets. This was to symbolize his death and of course at the end there is some kind of party to symbolize his resurrection. The same party occurs at the end of the modern Greek Orthodox processional. Interesting from an anthropological perspective, I think.
Of note, the Mennonites ~ some (all?) are Apostolic in structure. That means that the people do what their leaders tell them to do.
The "form" is different than what the Orthodox do, but the impetus is the same.
I can imagine someone raised in the Orthodox tradition skipping right on by that part!
Guys don't do that.
There's no doubt some underlying connectivity there ~