The Symbol of the Greek Letter Omega Is Widely Used Because of the Multiple Meanings It

Omega

The symbol of the Greek letter omega is widely used because of the multiple meanings it can convey. The Omega, the final letter of the Greek alphabet, represents ending, especially as part of a famous quote from the Bible:

“‘I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,’ saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” –Revelation 1:8

The alpha and omega on this and the top panel represent the cycle of beginnings and endings, which the Hilltop community has endured throughout the years.

As a Greek letter, the symbol commemorates the Greek Orthodox community, which meets at St. Nicholas Church on Yakima Avenue. Every year, St. Nicholas’ traditional festival brings people of all nationalities together to experience the food, music, and dance of Greece. The artwork displayed in the Greek Orthodox church is similar in many ways to the work of the Ndebele artists. In a 1996 article in the Tacoma News Tribune, volunteer Sophronia Tomaras described the iconic artwork found in the church. She characterized the work as “stylized, with no shadows…more representative than realistic. Icons are just Scripture in line and color.” In many ways, this description could apply to the stylized geometric abstractions of the Ndebele artwork.