On Saturday, November 9, the Greek and Philhellene community in Western Australia gathered in honour of the feast day of Saint Nectarios, the Wonderworker of Aegina, and to commemorate the Greek National Day, known as “OXI Day” – October 28, 1940.
The morning began with an official Doxology at St Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church in Dianella, graced by the presence of the new Consul-Designate of Greece in Perth, Eleni Georgopoulou.
An official reception followed were local students gave powerful performances, captivating the congregation as they honoured Greece’s legacy of resilience. Their songs, dances, and recitations reminded all present of the significance of OXI Day – a day when Greece courageously resisted invasion and stood as a beacon of freedom.
Later that afternoon, students, staff, and members of the community participated in a solemn wreath-laying ceremony at Kings Park War Memorial. Here, they paid tribute to the fallen heroes of the ’40s, those brave individuals who sacrificed so much for Greece’s sovereignty and dignity.
The ceremony served as a moment of reflection and reverence, encouraging all attendees to draw strength from the sacrifices of the past and to embrace these values in their own lives.