https://professors-phds.com/2022/02/15/41932/
by Despina Skenderis*, member of IHA
Over the many years that I have lived here in the United States, I have found out that many people do not know much about ASIA MINOR or they are rather confused about the few things they know.
Many Americans of Greek descent have told me that the little they know about “Asia Minor” is from conversations at home since it has never been taught or mentioned in any of their classes at school.
I will mention one rather interesting incident that happened in the late 1990s. It was during the month of December when Andy Rooney of “60 Minutes” talked about who Santa Claus was. He said that Santa was Saint Nicholas…a TURKISH bishop!
Needless to say that I immediately protested electronically and urged friends to do the same.
a. In Islam there are no…bishops, and b. the land Saint Nicholas was born in in 270 AD, was NOT Turkish at the time. The area was Greek.
Well, two weeks later Mr. Rooney apologized for his error on the air, in a rather arrogant way, being upset with “Greek-American viewers who complained”, as he said.
Oddly enough though, years later, on Dec. 6, 2009, I came across an article written by the Catholic News Agency stating the SAME thing! Quote: “On Dec. 6, the faithful commemorate a Turkish bishop in the early church,” etc., etc. I have brought with me some copies of that article for anyone who would be interested to look at…Two weeks later, and after many of us protested, the article on their website was corrected!!
Tonight, I will not narrate history. Rather, I will refer to historical events as I talk about the Asia Minor Greek heritage, what we have inherited from the Greeks of Asia Minor, via names and stories from as far back as the antiquity.
So, let’s start at the…beginning!
