South Australia’s Greek community gathers to celebrate Mother’s Day 

After two years of COVID hiatus and restrictions, Adelaide’s Greek community came out in full force today, Sunday May 8, to celebrate Mother’s Day with traditional delicacies, live music and dancing. 

Flowers were offered to mothers, grandmothers and mother figures after the Sunday service at St George Greek Orthodox Church in Thebarton and other Parishes across the state, while special lunches were held by several organisations among them the Cyprus Community, the Pontian Brotherhood, the Pan-Laconian Society “Leonidas” and the Greek Society of Evia.

Speaking to The Greek Herald, Cypriot High Commissioner to Australia, Martha Mavrommatis, said it’s important to “celebrate each and every motherly figure in our lives who has helped us, guided us, shaped us, loved and nurtured us.”

“My thoughts today are with the mothers of missing Cypriots, mothers who send their children to war and those mothers in Ukraine and in conflict zones.” 

“Best wishes to all mothers, grandmothers, sisters and aunties and to all the women who make the world a better place,” Ms Mavrommatis said and congratulated Cyprus Community President, Andreas Evdokiou, the Ladies Auxiliary, the Committee and volunteers for organising a successful event that attracted more than 300. 

On the other side of town, in Pennington, Pontian Brotherhood of SA honoured mothers of members and non-members alike with a special lunch and free flow of bubbles under the tunes of the Pontian Lyra. 

“We have a tradition and we like to spoil our mothers with a glass of champagne and chocolates. We want to make a day for them as well as to remember the mothers who are no longer with us,” said Pontian Brotherhood of SA President, Nazareth Chisholm. 

At the Pan-Laconian Society’s centre in Plympton Park, attendees had the opportunity to enjoy bouzouki music from Con Dalagiorgos and traditional food prepared by the association’s volunteers.

“Mother’s Day is an opportunity to say ‘thank you’ formally and give our ‘Spartiatisses’ mothers a day off,” said President of the Pan-Laconian Society of SA, Dina Houssos. 

Speaking about the importance of the community-based events, Ms Houssos said “it’s an opportunity to keep the family roots alive”.

“All associations were affected by the pandemic but with events like this we will persevere and will keep our Greek culture at the forefront”.