My Big Fat Greek Wedding": A Cultural Celebration, Not A Religious Affai

In the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Toula, a young Greek-American woman, falls in love with Ian, a non-Greek teacher. As Toula's family expects her to marry a Greek man, she struggles to get them to accept Ian while she comes to terms with her heritage and cultural identity. The film explores the cultural differences and clashes between the two families, with Ian eventually agreeing to be baptised into the Greek Orthodox Church to gain the approval of Toula's family.

Greek Orthodox faith

The Greek Orthodox Church is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian churches, each associated in some way with Greek Christianity. The broader meaning refers to the entire body of Orthodox (Chalcedonian) Christianity, sometimes also called 'Eastern Orthodox', 'Greek Catholic', or generally 'the Greek Church'.

The second meaning refers to any of several independent churches within the worldwide communion of (Eastern) Orthodox Christianity that retain the use of the Greek language in formal ecclesiastical settings. In this sense, the Greek Orthodox Churches are the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople and its dependencies, the Patriarchates of Alexandria, Antioch and Jerusalem, the Church of Greece and the Church of Cyprus.

The third meaning refers to the Church of Greece, an Eastern Orthodox Church operating within the modern borders of Greece.

Historically, the term "Greek Orthodox" has been used to describe all Eastern Orthodox churches, since the term "Greek" can refer to the heritage of the Byzantine Empire. During the first eight centuries of Christian history, most major intellectual, cultural, and social developments in the Christian Church took place in the Byzantine Empire or its sphere of influence, where the Greek language was widely spoken and used for most theological writings.

The Eastern Orthodox Church, officially the Orthodox Catholic Church, is also called the Greek Orthodox Church or simply the Orthodox Church. It is the second-largest Christian church, with approximately 230 million baptised members. It operates as a communion of autocephalous churches, each governed by its bishops via local synods. The church has no central doctrinal or governmental authority analogous to the head of the Catholic Church (the pope). Nevertheless, the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople is recognised by them as primus inter pares ("first among equals"), a title formerly given to the patriarch of Rome.

The Eastern Orthodox Church considers itself to be both orthodox and catholic. The doctrine of the Catholicity of the Church, as derived from the Nicene Creed, is essential to Eastern Orthodox ecclesiology. The term Catholicity of the Church (Greek Καθολικότης τῆς Ἐκκλησίας) is used in its original sense, as a designation for the universality of the Christian Church, centred around Christ. Therefore, the Eastern Orthodox notion of catholicity is not centred around any singular see, unlike the Catholic Church, which has one earthly centre.

The Eastern Orthodox Church is defined as the Eastern Christians which recognise the seven ecumenical councils and are usually in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the Patriarchate of Alexandria, the Patriarchate of Antioch, and the Patriarchate of Jerusalem.

The Eastern Orthodox communion is organised into several regional churches, which are either autocephalous or lower-ranking autonomous ("self-governing") church bodies unified in theology and worship. These include the fourteen autocephalous churches of Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, Georgia, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Serbia, Russia, Greece, Poland, Romania, Albania, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia. Each church has a ruling bishop and a holy synod to administer its jurisdiction and lead the Eastern Orthodox Church in the preservation and teaching of the apostolic and patristic traditions and church practices.

In the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Toula's family is strict in their Greek Orthodox faith. Ian, Toula's love interest, is not Greek and does not share the same religious beliefs. To get the family to accept him, Ian agrees to be baptised into the Greek Orthodox Church.

Cultural identity

The 2002 romantic comedy "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" explores the cultural identity of its protagonist, Toula Portokalos, a 30-year-old unmarried Greek-American woman who works at her father's Greek restaurant. The film centres on Toula's journey of self-discovery as she falls in love with Ian Miller, a non-Greek schoolteacher, and navigates the challenges of introducing him to her traditional Greek family.

Toula's cultural identity is shaped by her Greek heritage and the expectations associated with it. As a member of a large, loud, and intrusive Greek family, she is expected to marry a Greek man and have children. This is a common theme in Greek culture, as depicted in the film, where women are expected to learn how to cook, clean, and fulfil their roles as wives and mothers. Toula's father, Gus, embodies these traditional values and becomes emotional at the thought of Toula wanting to pursue her interests in computers and break free from the cultural norms imposed on her.

The film highlights the cultural differences between Toula's Greek family and Ian's American family, showcasing the clash between two distinct cultures. The Greek family is portrayed as warm, vocal, and expressive, with strong family bonds and unity. They embrace their heritage through their belongings, food, drinks, and even the father's love for the Greek language. On the other hand, Ian's family is depicted as quiet, modest, and more reserved, representing the stereotypical American upper-class family.

The cultural identity of Toula is further explored through her family's religious beliefs. Although Toula and Ian are not particularly religious, the film includes elements of the Greek Orthodox faith, such as a baptism scene where Ian gets baptised to gain acceptance from Toula's family. This highlights the importance of religion in cultural identity and the potential challenges when two people from different religious backgrounds come together.

In conclusion, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" provides a heart-warming and amusing portrayal of Toula's cultural identity as a Greek-American woman. It delves into the complexities of cultural expectations, family traditions, and religious beliefs, offering a thoughtful exploration of the challenges faced by individuals navigating their cultural identities in a diverse society.

Family heritage

Toula's family embodies strong Greek heritage and cultural traditions. They own a Greek-themed restaurant, "Dancing Zorba's", and their home is adorned with Greek statues and a large Greek flag painted on their garage door. They embrace Greek cuisine, music, and dancing, and proudly display their Greek Orthodox faith. The family is large, loud, and intrusive, with well-defined roles for each member. For example, Toula's father, Gus, is the head of the household and the provider, while the women are expected to cook, clean, and marry Greek men to bear Greek children.

Toula, on the other hand, yearns for more than the traditional path expected of her. She wants to pursue an education, have a career, and choose her own partner, regardless of their cultural background. When she falls in love with Ian, a non-Greek teacher, she must navigate the challenges of introducing him to her family and gaining their acceptance.

The clash between Toula's Greek heritage and Ian's American background creates comedic moments and cultural insights. The film explores the differences in family dynamics, traditions, and beliefs between the two cultures. Ian's family, for example, is depicted as quiet, modest, and introverted, in contrast to Toula's exuberant and expressive Greek family. The film also highlights the importance of food and gift-giving in Greek culture, as well as unique Greek traditions like spitting for good fortune.

Ultimately, the film celebrates Toula's family heritage and cultural roots. It showcases the warmth and charm of Greek traditions and the importance of family. Despite the challenges, Toula and Ian successfully incorporate Ian into Toula's family, with Ian even converting to the Greek Orthodox faith through baptism. The film ends with a touching speech by Toula's father, Gus, emphasising that their cultural differences do not matter, and the two families come together in a joyful celebration of their union.

Greek traditions

The film My Big Fat Greek Wedding showcases several Greek traditions, including:

Family-Centred Culture

The Greek family in the movie is portrayed as very family-centred, with strong family values and a strong connection to their Greek heritage. They have Greek statues outside their house and a huge Greek flag painted on their garage door. Their home and restaurant are decorated with a Greek theme, and they eat Greek food and drink Ouzo. The father expresses a great love for the Greek language, and the family spends a lot of time together, often gathering for family dinners and holidays.

Intrusive and Loud Behaviour

The Greek family is depicted as loud, intrusive, and expressive. They use their bodies to express themselves, kissing on the cheeks when greeting each other. They are vocal and not afraid to express their opinions and feelings. This is in contrast to the American family in the film, who are portrayed as more quiet and reserved.

Strong Family Roles

In the Greek family, the father is the head of the household and the provider, while the women's main role is to cook, clean, and take care of the family. The daughter, Toula, is expected to find a Greek husband and have children, which creates conflict when she falls in love with a non-Greek man.

Greek Orthodox Faith

The Greek family in the film follows the Greek Orthodox faith, which plays a significant role in the story. To gain the family's acceptance, Toula's non-Greek fiancé agrees to be baptised into the Greek Orthodox Church. There is also a scene where the women's wedding rings are worn on the right hand, which is a tradition in the Greek Orthodox faith.

Spitting for Good Fortune

One unique Greek tradition mentioned in the film is the act of spitting on a person for good fortune. This tradition is seen as unorthodox by the American family in the film.

Greek stereotypes

The 2002 romantic comedy film "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is a celebration of one Greek-American woman's ethnic heritage. The film follows a 30-year-old frumpy and meek Greek-American woman, Fotoula "Toula" Portokalos, who works in her family's Greek restaurant in Chicago. She falls in love with Ian Miller, a non-Greek school teacher, and struggles to get her large, loud, and intrusive Greek family to accept him.

The film relies on stereotypes to communicate the differences between Greek and American cultures. The Greek family is portrayed as warm, with strong family bonds and unity, always taking the opportunity to have fun and enjoy each other's company. They are vocal, expressive, and affectionate, greeting each other with hugs and kisses. The father, Gus, is particularly emphatic about his Greek heritage, constantly mentioning how the Greeks invented many things, including philosophy and astronomy. He is also very traditional and expects Toula to marry a Greek man, make Greek babies, and feed everyone. The mother, Maria, is more open-minded and supportive of Toula's aspirations.

In contrast, Ian's family is portrayed as a traditional American strict upper-class family. They are quiet, modest, and introverted, and their reactions to the Greek family's spontaneity and abundance of people, loud music, endless food and drinks, and boisterous guests show their discomfort with the Greek culture.

The film also plays on Greek stereotypes through the character of Angelo, Toula's cousin, who is described as having two modes: "loud and louder." The Greek family's strong affinity for ouzo, a Greek alcoholic drink, is also a stereotype portrayed in the film.

While the film relies on stereotypes, it is important to note that not all Greeks may fit these stereotypes, and the portrayal may not be entirely accurate. However, the film is a celebration of cultural diversity and acceptance, and it sends a positive message about balancing different cultures and accepting one's background, culture, religion, and family.

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