43 million Polish speakers, 43 million visitors to Greece, 43 million sq m in Denmark, and 43 million blog readers

Rynek Główny (Central Square) in the heart of Kraków’s mediaeval Old Town … Polish has 43 million speakers (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

I continue to be overwhelmed by the viewing and reading figures for this blog, although the figures have slowed down last month after record-breaking and overpowering statistics the previous month. These figures are about to reach 43 million this evening (4 July 2026), having passed 42 million ten days ago (24 June 2026), the 41 million mark two weeks earlier (9 June 2026), and the 40 million mark at the end of May (28 May 2026).

These viewing and reading figures are overwhelming and this blog continues to reach a volume of readers I never expected when I first started blogging 16 years ago. At the end of last year, this blog had 21 million hits (31 December 2025). So far this year, there have been more than 22 million hits or visitors in 2026 alone.

Half of all hits or reader figures have been within the past six months, with 21.5 million hits since 13 January 2026. I first began blogging back in 2010, and it took almost two years until July 2012 to reach half a million readers. Throughout this year and last, the daily figures continue to be overwhelming on many occasions. Of the ten days of busiest traffic on this blog, three were in May (1, 6 and 14 May 2026), three were the previous month (26, 29 and 30 April 2026), three were in March, and one was in February:

• 1,124,925 (1 May 2026)
• 525,719 (14 May 2026)
• 509,644 (29 April 2026)
• 344,003 (30 April 2026)
• 323,156 (27 March 2026)

• 322,038 (26 April 2026)
• 318,835 (6 May 2026)
• 318,307 (1 March 2026)
• 314,018 (28 February 2026)
• 301,449 (2 March 2026)

The daily average was over 187,000 throughout May, but that figure was distorted by the exceptionally high number of hits on three days. There were about 71,000 hits a day last month, with a total of 2,132,098 hits in June. Yet, ten years ago, in 2016, the daily average was around 1,000.

More than 43 million foreign travellers visited Greece in 2025

To put this latest figure of 43 million into perspective:

Polish is a West Slavic language primarily spoken in Poland and is the official language of the country, as well as the language of the Polish diaspora around the world. It is the sixth-most-spoken among languages of the European Union, and with a total or 43 million speakers, mainly in Poland and parts of Lithuania.

Around 43 million EU residents are foreign citizens. Almost 14 million of them are citizens of EU Member States other than the one in which they reside. The rest are citizens of non-EU countries. On average, 3.1% of the people who live in an EU country are from another EU country, and 6.4% have the nationality of a non-EU country.

The Paleogene Period (also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene) is a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period 66 Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Neogene Period 23.04 Ma.

Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) killed at least 43 million people in 2021, equivalent to 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths globally. Cardiovascular diseases account for most NCD deaths, or at least 19 million deaths in 2021, followed by cancers (10 million), chronic respiratory diseases (4 million), and diabetes (over 2 million).

A woman sued a casino in New York in 2017 when it told her the slot machine displaying a $43 million jackpot was faulty and offered a steak dinner instead. Katrina Bookman took a selfie showing the machine saying ‘printing cash ticket $42,949,672.76’ at the Resorts World Casino. But she was escorted out and was told the next day she could have only $2.25, and the courts later ruled in favour of the casino.

Foreign travellers who visited Greece in 2025 reached 43.31 million, representing an increase of 6.4% compared to 40.69 million in 2024. This rise contributed to total travel receipts of €23.63 billion, up 9.4% year-on-year.

43 million square metres is 43,000 sq km, which is total size of Denmark proper, excluding Greenland and the Faroe Islands, making it the 133rd largest country in the world by land area.

43 million minutes add up to 81 years, 9 months, and 22 days (plus 2 hours and 40 minutes), based on standard time conversions. In other words, if this blog was getting only one hit a minute, it would take almost 82 years, from late 1944, to reach today’s figure of 43 million.

I retired from active parish ministry over four years ago, on 30 March 2022. These days, though, about 100-120 people on average continue to read my daily prayer diary on this blog each morning. I imagine many of my priest-colleagues would be prayerfully thankful if the congregations in their churches totalled 700 to 840 or more people each week.

This evening, I am truly grateful to the real readers among those 43 million hits on this blog to date, and in particular I am thankful for the faithful core group of 100-120 people who join me in prayer, reading and reflections each morning.

Flags outside the Apollon Hotel in Tsesmes, near Rethymnon in Crete … around 43 million EU residents are foreign citizens (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Greek Festival brings Greek tastes to Stony Stratford on Sunday, with song, dance, food and a special historical focus

Patrick Comerford

The Annual Greek Festival in Milton Keynes takes place in Stony Stratford tomorrow afternoon (Sunday 5 July 2026) in the grounds of Greek Orthodox Church and the Swinfen Harris Church Hall on London Road, from 12:30 to 5.30 pm.

This year’s festival coincides with special services and liturgical celebrations marking is the 1,400 Anniversary of a significant event in the year 626 CE in Constantinople, present-day Istanbul.

While the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius was away on an expedition, a besieging army of Avars appeared outside the walls of Constantinople, also known as Βασιλεύουσα (Basileuousa) or Queen of Cities. The siege dragged on for several months and the outnumbered Byzantine troops were at the point of reaching desperation.

Despite all the odds, the people of the city kept faith, and the clergy processed through the city, with senior officials and many people, walking along the great walls of the city with an icon of The Mother of God and praying for a miracle.

The answer to their prayers seemed to come when a great storm brought huge tidal waves and the destruction of most of the enemy fleet, causing the besieging forces to retreat.

In a spontaneous response, clergy, officials and people poured into the Church of Saint Mary in Vlachernae (modern day Ayvansaray) on the Golden Horn. There they prayed all night standing up, hence the title Akathistos Hymn, giving thanks to Virgin Mary for the deliverance of their city. The Greek title akathistos literally means ‘not sitting’, because the hymn is sung while all remain standing.

The late Metropolitan Kallistos has written about the Akathistos Hymn as one of the greatest marvels of Greek religious poetry, with a richness of imagery that is the despair of any translator. The Akathistos Hymn has 24 main stanzas, alternatively long and short: each long stanza bears the title ‘Ikos’ and ends with the refrain ‘Hail, Bride without bridegroom’, while each short stanza is termed ‘kontakion’ and ends with the refrain ‘Alleluia’.

The Akathist Hymn is one of the most well-loved services of devotion in the Orthodox Church. Many scholars agree that the Akathist was composed by Saint Romanos the Melodist, who died in the year 556.

The original church in Constantinople has a rich and varied history but only a small shrine remains. The Ecumenical Patriarch made special reference in the Ecumenical Patriarchate Yearbook to this year having a focus on Panagia Vlachernae.

The Greek Orthodox Church in Stony Stratford is dedicated to Saint Ambrose and Saint Stylianos. It also houses a chapel dedicated to Saint Mary of Vlachernae, the only such chapel in north-west Europe. Because of this, the Greek community is dedicating this year’s Paniyiri or Annual Greek Festival to commemorating this historic event.

A number of church services have been held since Wednesday (1 July), including Holy Vigils on Wednesday and Thursday, the Paraclete Canon to the Most Holy Theotokos last night, and Solemn Vespers from 6 pm this evening. The celebrations tomorrow (Sunday 5 July) begin with Matins, followed by a Solemn Divine Liturgy, starting at 9 am and ending with a blessing from the Holy Water of Our Lady of Vlachernae in Constantinople.

The festivities continue this afternoon with the Panigyri or Greek Festival 2026 from 12.30 to 5.30 pm. There will be live Greek music, traditional dances, food and drink, desserts, salads, souvlaki, ecclesiastical items and coffees, including Greek coffee and frappé – which is a Greek invention – all bringing a Hellenic and Mediterranean air to the heart of Stony Stratford.

Diavazo Greek Books are bringing with their specially selected range of Greek books, offering an insight into Greek culture and life. The teachers and pupils from the Greek School with also will be present, ready to have a friendly chat about Greek lessons for children and adults at all levels. The school is also having its summer celebrations next Thursday (9 July), with films, a barbecue and family fun from 5 pm.


Greek dancing at last year’s Greek Festival in Stony Stratford (Patrick Comerford)

Daily prayer in Ordinary Time 2026: 58, Saturday 4 July 2026

‘Neither is new wine put into old wineskins’ (Matthew 9: 17) … old wine in old barrels in a winery in Vryses in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Patrick Comerford

We are in Ordinary Time in the Church Calendar and tomorrow is the Fifth Sunday after Trinity (Trinity V, 5 July 2026).

Usually, the Greek community in Stony Stratford opens its pop-up café at Swinfen Harris Church Hall, London Road. Το Στεκι Μας, Our Place, on the first Saturday of the month. This weekend, instead, the annual Greek Festival, Paniyiri, takes place tomorrow (5 July 2026), from 12:30 to 5, with live music, dance, barbeque food, traditional Greek cakes, and stalls with Greek products.

Before today begins, I am taking some quiet time this morning to give thanks, to reflect, to pray and to read in these ways:

1, reading today’s Gospel reading;

2, a short reflection;

3, a prayer from the USPG prayer diary;

4, the Collects and Post-Communion prayer of the day.

‘No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak’ (Matthew 9: 16) … an exhibit in the Patch Work Collective exhibition in Liberty, London (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Matthew 9: 14-17 (NRSVA):

14 Then the disciples of John came to him, saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast?’ 15 And Jesus said to them, ‘The wedding-guests cannot mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them, can they? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. 16 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. 17 Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.’

‘Neither is new wine put into old wineskins’ (Matthew 9: 17) … an old wine at sunset at the Sunset Taverna in Rethymnon in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Today’s Reflection:

The Gospel reading in the Lectionary for the celebration of the Eucharist today (Matthew 9: 14-17) follows the account of the calling of Saint Matthew, and is set at the banquet in Matthew’s house, to which Jesus goes, despite the criticism of local religious leaders (see Matthew 9: 9-13).

Quite often in the Gospels we find Jesus facing criticism from the Pharisees, the Scribes or both groups working together. But we seldom find Jesus facing criticism from the disciples of John the Baptist, still less from the disciples of John seemingly on the same side of the Pharisees.

The critics in the preceding verses (Matthew 9: 9-13) asked why Jesus was eating with sinners and outcasts. Today they go one step further and ask why he is eating at all. They point to the example of John the Baptist and his disciples who fasted regularly.

In Jewish practice, the only day of the year when fasting is expected is Yom Kippur or the Day of Atonement. However, John’s disciples, and perhaps also some Pharisees, may have observed additional fasts that were not prescribed by the Law in the hope that their extra piety would help hasten an early coming of the Kingdom.

Jesus answers their question in two ways. First, he says that people do not fast when they are in the company of the bridegroom. That is a time for celebration. By implication, of course, Jesus is the groom. As long as he is around, it would be inappropriate for his disciples to fast. However, he says a time will come when the groom is no longer with them, and then there will be reason enough then to fast.

His second answer is more profound and it takes the form of two examples.

In the first example, Jesus says It does not make sense to repair an old piece of clothing with a patch of new cloth. The new cloth, being much tougher, will, under stress, only cause the older cloth to tear.

In the second example, Jesus says it is not wise to put new wine into old wineskins. Wine was kept in containers made of leather. Because new wine was still fermenting and expanding, it was put in new leather bags that could expand with the wine. The old bags would be stretched already, and new wine would only cause them to burst. Then both the wine would be lost and the bags ruined.

What does Jesus mean by these images?

What message is Jesus giving to his critics?

Are his ideas like new wine or new cloth to you?

People like the Pharisees tried to fit Jesus’ teaching and his ideas into their ways of thinking, but that did not seem to work.

The new cloth and the new wine, then, are the spirit of the Kingdom as proclaimed by Jesus, a radically new understanding of how God is to be loved, and how God loves us.

Jesus does not measure religion by external actions like fasting or other demands and expectation such as washing hands before eating. Instead, religion is a matter of the inner spirit and how we reflect that in the way we live our lives, as he teaches in the Sermon on the Mount.

How do I try to squeeze new wine into old wineskins?

What prejudices and hang-ups that were external and extraneous expressions of Church life in the past am I still clinging onto in my interior life, and that hinder my acceptance of other people today?

Who are today’s equivalent of Matthew, an outsider called to be part of the inner circle with Jesus yet I am uncomfortable to find beside me in Church and at the Eucharist?

‘No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak’ (Matthew 9: 16) … a patchwork hanging in Wade Street Church, Lichfield (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Today’s Prayers (Saturday 4 July 2026):

In my prayers this morning, I am remembering all those who are being in the Diocese of Oxford at this time, including the Revd Virginia Kagunda, who will be ordained in Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, this morning. Her first services in Wolverton are tomorrow, when she will preach in both Saint George’s Church, Wolverton, and Holy Trinity Church, Old Wolverton.

In my prayers today, on the Fourth of July, I must, of course, also include the United State and its people, not just today, but remembering its past and praying too for the future the US and its people now face. In Pray with the World Church, the prayer diary of the Anglican mission agency USPG (United Society Partners in the Gospel), the theme this week, from 28 June to 4 July 2026 (pp 14-15), has been ‘Living Stones’. This theme was introduced last Sunday with a reflection by the Very Revd Lydia Kelsey Bucklin, President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School, inspired by the 250th anniversary being marked in the US.

The USPG prayer diary today (Saturday 4 July 2026) invites us to pray:

God of mercy, as the United States marks 250 years, lead your Church to repent of its complicity in colonisation and enslavement. Help us build a future that values human dignity over war, and mercy over borders, with Christ as our cornerstone.

The Collect of the Day:

O God, the protector of all who trust in you,
without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy:
increase and multiply upon us your mercy;
that with you as our ruler and guide
we may so pass through things temporal
that we lose not our hold on things eternal;
grant this, heavenly Father,
for our Lord Jesus Christ’s sake,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

The Post-Communion Prayer:

Eternal God,
comfort of the afflicted and healer of the broken,
you have fed us at the table of life and hope:
teach us the ways of gentleness and peace,
that all the world may acknowledge
the kingdom of your Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

Additional Collect:

Gracious Father,
by the obedience of Jesus
you brought salvation to our wayward world:
draw us into harmony with your will,
that we may find all things restored in him,
our Saviour Jesus Christ.

The Collect on the Eve of Trinity V:

Almighty and everlasting God,
by whose Spirit the whole body of the Church
is governed and sanctified:
hear our prayer which we offer for all your faithful people,
that in their vocation and ministry
they may serve you in holiness and truth
to the glory of your name;
through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Yesterday’s reflections

Continued tomorrow

‘Neither is new wine put into old wineskins’ (Matthew 9: 17) … new wine at lunchtime in the Captain’s House in Panormos, near Rethymnon in Crete (Photograph: Patrick Comerford)

Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version, Anglicised Edition copyright © 2021, National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.