It all started here, in this small workshop. A large block of marble, a few tools, and the sculptor’s hands. What was his name? I don’t know; I never heard his name. The only thing I remember about him is his hands. Hands that were strong yet gentle. As long as he worked, he would whistle a cheerful tune. One day, after quite some time, the whistling stopped. His hands set down the tools. «That’s it!» I heard him say. «It’s done.» «Done? What’s done?» I wondered, but then I understood. He had finished his work. He had taken a piece of marble and transformed it into a strong, proud lion roaring! And that lion was me!.
With these words, our hero, the famous Lion of Kythira, whose story we'll hear on the show «Short Stories» – «Stories and Fairy Tales for Children of All Ages» the Saturday, June 20, 2025 on 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. from Voice of Greece. A wonderful book for our little friends from the Kedros Publications which tells us the story and the countless adventures of the marble lion of Kythira’s travels, presented in a simple and understandable way for children by the children’s book author, archaeologist, and active member of the Ministry of Culture, Evi Pini.
The illustrations in the book were created by the archaeologist and designer Yiannis Naka who, through his illustrations, takes the book’s readers—young and old alike—on the marble lion’s long journey, all the way to its glorious return decades later to its home on Kythira! Kids, look at the end of the book for the historical record of the statue from the archives of the National Archaeological Museum, and be sure to check out the appendix as well «The Story of the Lion of Kythira: From Fiction to Reality». Here you’ll find a rich chronology of photos and information covering the lion’s most significant historical moments, as well as photos of our hero’s return to the Kythira Museum!
Young and old alike, tune in with us to ERT World Radio and let’s listen together to the story of our own legendary lion, the marble one «The Lion of Kythira»!
Production – Presentation: Maria Karagiannaki Iona
Broadcast: Saturday, June 20, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Greek time
WAYS TO LISTEN TO THE VOICE OF GREECE
- On the go, via the Voice of Greece app (available on the Google Play Store and App Store)
- Online on the Voice of Greece website and on ERTecho
- In Greece, on TV under the title ‘Voice of Greece’
- Worldwide via the ERTFLIX digital platform
- Via satellite in Europe via the Hotbird satellite at 13° E and the Hellas Sat 4 satellite at 39° E, and in Africa via the Hellas Sat 3 satellite at 39° E
CONTACT – THE VOICE OF GREECE
- Phone numbers: (+30) 210 606 6435, (+30) 210 606 6815
- Viber/WhatsApp: 693 007 8283
- Email: thevoiceofgreece@ert.gr
- Facebook: voiceofgreece.ert / Instagram: voiceofgreece_ert
