The unveiling of the Greek-Australian Memorial in the Northern Suburbs of Victoria took place on Sunday, May 26, dedicated to the Battle of Crete and the ANZACs. The ceremony, held at the Parish of the Transfiguration of Our Lord in Thomastown, was attended by a delegation from the Armed Forces of Greece and numerous dignitaries.
The day began with a Memorial Service at the Church, led by Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta. The service honoured the souls of those who fell during the Battle of Crete, marking the solemn beginning of the event.
Following the service, attendees gathered in the church forecourt for the official unveiling of the Memorial. This memorial, featuring a marble plaque dedicated to the ANZACs, is part of the 83rd Anniversary commemorations of the Battle of Crete.
The unveiling was held in the presence of Vice-Admiral Christos Sasiakos, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the National Defence of Greece; Captain Pavlos Angelopoulos; Lieutenant Commander Stylianos Mitsiotis; Military Attaché of Greece in Canberra, Colonel Ioannis Fasianos; Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis; President of the World Council of Cretans, Nikolaos Markogiannakis; President of the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, Emmanuel Mountakis; and representatives of Cretan associations and the Cretan Youth.
At the conclusion to the ceremony, the chanter of the Parish recited the Ode for the Fallen. Students from Saint John College and Oakleigh Grammar, as well as from the Aetolian College, sang the national anthems of Greece and Australia.
The unveiling of the Memorial was a moving tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of those who fought in the Battle of Crete and served in the ANZAC forces, strengthening the bonds between Greece and Australia.
