Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has sent a message to Australia’s Greek Community ahead of Orthodox Easter on Sunday.
“I send my warmest wishes to all those in Australia and around the world celebrating Easter in the Orthodox tradition,” reads Mr Morrison’s message.
Full message below:
For Christians, Easter is a time to celebrate the most important words of the Christian faith –– He is Risen!
Christians everywhere can draw strength and heart from these words.
They are a message of hope –– and of victory –– even over death itself.
As Prime Minister, I am so grateful to the Orthodox Christians of Australia and the churches for the understanding, unity and confidence you displayed over this past year. It has been a time when we have heeded that ancient message to “choose life” –– to protect, value and watch out for our family, friends, neighbours, community and country, as we all faced a once in a century pandemic.
Because of these extraordinary measures, we took a great stride in overcoming a virus that brought hardship, grief and loss to so many. We continue to journey along that path and today, we have confidence in a safe and effective vaccine.
The Gospels tell us that following His resurrection, Jesus greeted his followers with the words ‘Peace be with you’ This beautiful blessing, in the face of fear and uncertainty, is shared by faiths throughout the world.
So this Easter, I say ‘Peace be with you’, as we reflect and draw strength from our Christian faith, and look forward with a renewed sense of optimism and hope for our future.
I pray with Orthodox Christians everywhere that you have a safe, happy and holy Easter.
A fresh United Nations-led bid to seek to resolve decades of tensions in Cyprus began in Geneva on Tuesday, with Secretary-General António Guterres “realistic” about the chances of making progress, his Spokesperson said.
“The Secretary-General decided to organize this meeting following the consultations conducted over the past several months on his behalf by Under Secretary-General Jane Holl Lute”, Stephane Dujarric told journalists at the UN Palais des Nations, referring to the veteran UN and former US Government official who has been working to advance reconciliation.
"@antonioguterres decided to call this informal meeting following the consultations over the past several months. The purpose will be to determine whether common ground exists to negotiate a lasting solution to the #Cyprus issue within a foreseeable horizon," – @UN_Spokespersonpic.twitter.com/Zw4k7qRluB
“As we have repeatedly said, the purpose of the meeting will be to determine whether common ground exists for the parties to negotiate a lasting solution to the Cyprus issue within a foreseeable horizon.”
The development comes four years after Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders last met in Switzerland to discuss the future of the divided Mediterranean island.
That conference in the Alpine resort of Crans Montana, stalled after a week of discussions on six main issues, including security and guarantees, new territorial boundaries, and power-sharing.
US State Department welcomes start of Geneva meeting
The US State Department welcomes the start of the informal 5+1 meeting on the Cyprus issue, being held in Geneva from April 27 to 29, under the aegis of the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, a spokesperson said on Tuesday.
The US continues to support a Cypriot-led settlement to reunite the island on the basis of a bizonal, bicommunal federation that will benefit all Cypriots, as well as the broader region, it was added.
Yannis Lagos, a former leading member of Greece’s neo-Nazi Golden Dawn party was arrested in Belgium on Tuesday, hours after the European Parliament lifted his immunity, Greek police said.
Legislators overwhelmingly voted to strip Greek MEP Ioannis Lagos of his immunity in a secret ballot held on Monday. The European Parliament said 658 parliamentarians voted in favour of the move, and only 25 opposed.
The result of the ballot, which was was held following a request from Greek authorities, and Lagos’ subsequent arrest paves the way for Belgian authorities to extradite him to Greece.
Lagos was sentenced to a 13-year jail term in Greece, along with other leaders of the far-right Golden Dawn party, in October for charges including running a criminal organisation.
epa09163189 (FILE) – Yannis Lagos (L), member of the EU parliament and former leading member of far- right party Golden Dawn, arrives at the court in Athens, Greece, 12 October 2020 (reissued 27 April 2021). MEP Yiannis Lagos was arrested at his home in Brussels on 27 April 2021, Greek police said, hours shortly after his immunity as MEP was lifted. Lagos was convicted to 13 years in prison by a Greek appeals court in October 2020 for his membership in neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn, ruled to be a criminal organization. EPA-EFE/PANTELIS SAITAS
But the ruling could not initially be enforced in the case of Lagos, who had immunity because he was elected to the European Parliament in 2019. The 48-year-old has been living in the Belgian capital, Brussels, since being convicted.
However, it now appears he will be forced to serve jail time; a Greek police source confirmed to the AFP news agency that he was arrested in Brussels on Tuesday under an international arrest warrant.
The marathon trial of the Golden Dawn chiefs, including founder Nikos Michaloliakos, was seen as one of the most important political events in Greece’s modern history.
The jail terms capped a stunning downfall for the leaders of a party that was the country’s third most popular in 2015.
The crackdown gathered pace after the murder of 34-year-old anti-fascist rapper, Pavlos Fyssas, who was stabbed to death by a Golden Dawn supporter in front of a cafe in the western Athens suburb of Keratsini in September 2013.
Michaloliakos and the other convicted Golden Dawn members are already in jail, except for Christos Pappas, who was widely acknowledged as the organisation’s second-in-command.
Pappas disappeared following the court ruling last October and is now officially a fugitive.
Greece has lifted its quarantine requirement for travelers from another seven countries provided they have been vaccinated or tested negative for Covid-19, Greek Travel Pages (gtp) reports.
According to an updated Covid-19 aviation directive (NOTAM), as of April 26 and until May 3, travelers from Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Thailand, Rwanda, Russia and Singapore, will be able to enter Greece without having to undergo the seven-day mandatory quarantine after arrival only if:
a. they have a negative PCR test performed less than three days (72 hours) prior to their trip (this includes children traveling from abroad, aged five and over), or
b. they have a vaccination certificate issued by a public authority in the English language, stating that 14 days have passed since the completion of their full vaccination for Covid-19.
🇬🇷: From 26 April-3 May, individuals from all 🇪🇺countries as well as 🇦🇺 can enter 🇬🇷without having to quarantine as long they can provide: – a negative PCR test conducted less than 72 hours before travelling – proof of their vaccination certificate 👇https://t.co/oTSyIa3klC
It is reminded that Greece last week lifted its quarantine rule for travelers from all EU member states and the members of the border-free Schengen area, the United States, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia and Israel, provided they have been vaccinated or tested negative for Covid-19.
Rules for all international travelers
PLF remains mandatory
The submission of the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) by all passengers of international flights to Greece remains mandatory. The rule also applies to Greek citizens and permanent residents of Greece who travel abroad on flights (outbound travel).
Rapid Covid-19 test
All passengers (regardless if they come from a country on the exempt list for quarantine) may be requested to take a rapid Covid-19 test upon entry (depending on the data provided on the PLF forms). If a passenger is selected for a rapid test and is positive for the coronavirus then he/she must quarantine for a total of 14 days.
The Youth Committee of the Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW hosted a networking meeting at the Cretan House in Marrickville on April 22, with other Sydney Greek youth clubs and association members.
The aim of the meeting was to network and create a dialogue between the different Greek youth clubs of New South Wales, as well as discuss the possibility of collaborating in the future.
Present at the meeting were, Alex Mountakis and Ari Paraskakis representing the Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW, Leah Plakias from the Panipirotiki Enosi of NSW, Andrea Conomos and Despina Sideris from the Sydney University Greek Society, Katerina Andrews and Georgia Galanos representing the Kytherian Association of NSW, Peter Tsenkas from the Kalymnian Association of NSW and Kosta Papoulidis representing Pontoxeniteas Sydney.
“At the meeting, we discussed possible events such as Greek dancing workshops… where we can teach youth Greek dances from different areas, as well as a youth night possibly this year. It will be good to meet new people and preserve our culture,” Alexander Mountakis, President of the Youth Committee of the Cretan Association of Sydney & NSW, tells The Greek Herald.
“So I think we all bonded and we’re definitely going to host another meeting pretty soon to discuss things further. We all brought very good ideas to the table.”
An opportunity to travel the world for free? Sign me up!
This is exactly what Travel Guides trio Dorian (24), Kev (28) and Teng (25) did after seeing a Nine Network casting ad posted to Facebook, while on the hunt for cheap flights to Bali.
“We thought it could be fun to maybe make a video and audition tape and send it in and we’ll never hear back from them,” Dorian said to The Greek Herald.
“All of a sudden we heard back from him three days later.”
The three good mates are former Target co-workers and budget travellers who share a love of junk food, computer games, music and movies. The trio made their first appearance in season 2 of the show and have continued their travel adventures this coming season (Season 4).
Travel Guides trio Dorian (24), Kev (28) and Teng (25) Photos courtesy of the Nine Network.
Despite referring to themselves as “the three Asian boys”, Dorian comes from a Greek Australian family, with his yiayia arriving in Australia in the mid-to-late 60s and settling down in the Melbourne suburb of Oakleigh.
Despite his proud Greek heritage, Dorian never had the opportunity to visit Greece until he was sent there in 2019, unknowingly, by the Travel Guides producers.
“The thing that I love most is we never know what to expect, because we’re not told what country we’re going to go to until we rock up at the airport and we don’t know what activities we’re going to do until we rock up in the morning to film,” Dorian said.
“I was meant to go (to Greece) I think three times and always had to cancel last minute.”
In the series return, the trio, along with the other Travel Guides, take off on a Greek island-hopping holiday. Starting in the ancient capital, Athens, they hop aboard the ferry to the party island of Mykonos and the traditional island of Milos.
The Acropolis in Athens, Greece. Photos courtesy of the Nine Network.
Most Greek Australian families know that when they plan a trip to Greece, a visit to see the relatives is a high-end priority. However, under a tight schedule of only a week in Greece, Dorian said there was no time to visit his extended family.
The “three Asian boys” have collected many fans throughout the show’s airing, but none bigger than Dorian’s mum.
“Mom is our biggest fan,” Dorian said.
“I sort of can’t go to any supermarkets or anything without mum having told the people at the checkout that I’m going to be on the show tonight.”
“My whole family was super stoked. Obviously they wish we could have met relatives, but there just wasn’t any time and we weren’t in the right places, unfortunately.”
Travel Guides trio Dorian (24), Kev (28) and Teng (25). Photos courtesy of the Nine Network.
To kick off the Greek holiday, the Travel Guides checked out the historical sites of Athens and, putting their own twist on history, they go for a few Olympic records of their own, with varying levels of success.
Leaving Athens they head to the party island of Mykonos, to which when Dorian was asked about the differences in the party scene between Greece and Australia, the Greek Australian said it “doesn’t compare”.
Back on the ferry, the travellers head for more stable shores. The best-kept secret in the Greek Islands awaits them on Milos, where white volcanic cliffs curve like marble into vivid blue seas.
But the party has also followed them to this traditional paradise, where it’s one of the biggest festival days of the year and the whole island has gathered to celebrate with bells on.
The Fren family. Photos courtesy of the Nine Network.
Dorian revealed to The Greek Herald that Greece has been his favourite visited location on the show so far, with Athens’ history and beauty being a lifetime highlight.
“It’s the heart of everything, so much history there,” Dorian said.
“The people sort of reminded me of Oakleigh times 20; People calling out to each other on the street, walking around with their coffee, sitting at the cafes all day.”
“My least favourite moment was probably boarding a plane to leave.”
The fourth season of Travel Guides will premiere on Wednesday, April 28, on Channel 9.
The Greek Orthodox church is privileged to have such beautiful Easter traditions that are rich in history and full of symbolism. These traditions are what make the holiday truly special.
Here are five of the most important Greek Easter traditions you should know about.
Tsoureki and dying eggs red:
Tsoureki and dying eggs red.
One of the most important Easter traditions is the baking of Greek-style sweet brioche bread, called Tsoureki. It is made so that there are three braids, these are done to represent the three aspects of the Holy Trinity. On the same day, eggs are dyed red, the colour symbolizes the blood of Jesus. Both the Tsoureki and red eggs are made on Holy Thursday but can only be eaten on Easter Sunday.
Epitaphios:
Good Friday service at Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church in Lowell. From left, Theona Tully, 13, of Chelmsford, Kennedy Apostolou, 10, of Chelmsford, and Savannah Rios, 12, of Lowell, walk around the Epitafio. Photo: SUN/Julia Malakie.
Epitaphios is a wooden bier structure that holds the icon of Jesus Christ. This icon is taken through the main roads of the village for everyone to see. Members of a local band play music and people who follow the procession sing Greek religious hymns and light candles. The wooden bier is always decorated with the most colourful flowers that have a symbolic meaning. Most common colours are red, which symbolize the blood, purple symbolize the mourning of Jesus and finally white, which symbolize purity. This ceremony takes place at night, on Good Friday.
“Lambada” – the Easter candle:
A lambada.
Candles are the most significant part of the Greek Easter. In most Greek families, Godparents buy for their Godchildren a decorated Easter Candle, called the Lambada. These candles are usually decorated with jewels or small toys that are attached to the candle with a colourful ribbon.
The midnight service:
On Holy Saturday, people participate in the Resurrection Liturgy.
At midnight on Holy Saturday, people meet in the church with their candles to participate in the Resurrection Liturgy. At exactly at midnight, the church goes completely dark and the priest lights a candle. This candle represents the eternal flame of Jesus. The priest then shares the flame and people begin to light up each other’s candles. Whilst this is happening, church bells start to ring and the sky is lit up with fireworks. Tradition says the first person who has their candle lit up by the Priest will have luck all year. People after the midnight service come back home with their candle still lit to mark a cross on top of their doorway, which is a sign of a blessing.
Roasting Lamb (Souvla):
Easter Sunday is the day where the whole family meets early to prepare the spit-roasted lamb, this day as any big Greek celebration, is full of traditional music and dance. The lamb’s significance goes back to the old testament, where Abraham is asked to sacrifice his son to God. There are many different ways how to prepare the Lamb usually, the preparation it depending on the region, but the most common way is to rub the lamb with olive oil, garlic, lemon and then sprinkle it with spices like dried oregano, salt and pepper.
A new exhibition showing at Brunswick Town Hall, Coburg Library and Brunswick Library celebrates the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, tying into a year-round program of activities planned globally.
The exhibition, which runs until April 30, focuses on the works of Greek artists in the Moreland Art Collection, including George Matoulas, Anastasia Bekos and Mark Babtsikos.
Moreland Council is also commissioning a new work of art for the Moreland Art Collection by a local artist of Greek heritage to celebrate the bicentennial anniversary.
Image: Anastasia Bekos. The arrivals, 1991. Oil on Canvas. 69.5 x 105 cm.
Moreland Mayor, Cr Annalivia Carli Hannan, said the Greek Bicentenary exhibition is an important celebration of Moreland’s rich cultural diversity and commemoration of a significant event in Greece’s history.
“Thursday, March 25, 2021 marked 200 years of Modern Greece. People of Greek heritage make up 6.1% of Moreland’s population, this is an important event we’re proud to celebrate by bringing people together through art and culture,” Cr Carli Hannan said.
Image: John Werrett. George, Effy, Jenny and John Apostolakos, 1993, Photograph 36 x 28.5 cm.
Image: John Werrett. Maria, Peter, Lillian and John Zoumboulakis, 1993, Photograph 36 x 28.5 cm.
One notable feature of the exhibition is Street of Surprises, Photographs from Sydney Road, Brunswick, a photo-series by John Werrett documenting faces Werrett encountered on Sydney Road in 1993. The series highlights the population of Greek business owners and residents in Brunswick and their contribution to the area.
An activation of Werrett’s series will see reproductions of the portraits installed along Sydney Road.
Information about the Streets of Surprises portraits can be found via the Counihan Gallery’s social media pages using the #StreetofSurprises hashtag or by visiting the Brunswick Town Hall from Wednesday, March 10.
Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kostas Vlasis, has sent a hopeful message to the Greek diaspora to mark Greek Orthodox Easter this week.
In his message, Mr Vlasis wishes everyone a joyous Easter and expresses his hopes that this Easter will be a new beginning for everyone.
“The word Easter means passage. Passage to a new day, a new beginning. May this Easter be the end of the ordeal and the beginning of a new course for all,” the Deputy Foreign Minister writes.
Full message in English:
Dear compatriots,
I am very happy because the great feast of Orthodoxy, Easter, gives me the opportunity to contact you once again, the Greeks who live and work abroad, and who always have Greece in your heart and in your soul. Your advancement and progress in the field that each of you has chosen, makes us very proud.
Easter, the celebration of the brilliant Resurrection of the Lord, is for us Greeks a day of ascension. After the martyrdom of the Passion, death is defeated and the Cross becomes a symbol of hope.
Greece’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Kostas Vlasis.
It is this hope that has kept us united and strong over the past year, one of the most difficult years in recent years. Last year we were forced, due to the pandemic that hit the world, to celebrate isolated from our loved ones, away from the all-night services and the observance of local customs that we Greeks especially honour and maintain. It was, however, our duty to do so for our fellow human beings, but also for ourselves. In this difficult time, the hope of victory has kept us afloat.
This Easter, it is time to reap the fruits of this sacrifice. We look forward to spring with optimism and look forward to the summer that will bring us all closer, as we will again have the opportunity to travel and visit our favorite places.
During these Holy Days, our minds can only be on those who faced the unequal battle with the invisible enemy of the pandemic and did not succeed. Unfortunately, the numbers worldwide show that there are many. But we are also grateful to all those on the front lines, to the hospitals, to the medical structures, to the laboratories, giving hope to the sick patients and to all of us who now have the coveted vaccine available, as a passport to a new beginning. With a sense of responsibility, I urge you all to continue to adhere to the safeguards so that we do not bend now that the end of this adventure is near.
Dear compatriot friends,
The word Easter means passage. Passage to a new day, a new beginning. May this Easter for all be the end of the ordeal and the beginning of a new course.
I wish you all a Happy Resurrection with health and joy to you, your families and your loved ones, wherever they are.
On this day in 1941, Nazi Germany kicks off the Battle of Greece on their tour of the Balkans at the height of WWII.
Nazi Germany invaded Greece in April 1941 following a complicated timeline of escalating tensions between Mussolini’s Italian Army and the Hellenes.
Greek populations were decimated and around 900 villages were destroyed in part of the Axis’ four-year occupation of Greece.
History:
World War II began on the 1st of September 1939. The Axis alliance, formed between Germany, Italy, and Japan, were beginning to destabilise the European order.
German soldiers march into Athens [CC-BY-SA Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-164-0357-29A / Raunch] via timesofisrael.com.
Meanwhile, Greece was extending its defence with the British army.
Greece was collateral damage in the wider scope of damage wrought by the Nazi Germans in their quest to invade the Soviet Union and safeguard its Romanian oil supply.
The Nazis begun their quest for the strategic strong-hold of Athens on the 27th of April 1941 to support Mussolini’s 6-month [October 1940 – April 6, 1941] stalled and failing invasion of Greece.
By June 1941, Greece was entirely under Axis occupation.
The Nazis allied with the Italians, and 58,000 British troops allied with the Greeks.
Women protest against shootings, which led to more than a month of street fighting in Athens (May 1941). Photo: Dmitri Kessel/The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty.
Protests and attacks ensued and the formation of a right-wing Nazi puppet regime in Athens followed.
Half of Athens’ 2.5 million population received food from the International Red Cross during this period. The other half would suffer from starvation.
In September 1943, after the Italian collapse, the Germans turned their attention to the Jewish population of Athens and the rest of formerly Italian-occupied Greece.
Athens celebrates liberation (October 1944). Photo: The Diplomatic and Historical Archive Department, via Flickr, uploaded 16 October 2007.
German troops began their evacuation on 12 October 1944, and by November, had withdrawn from mainland Greece through Yugoslavia. The Nazis surrendered a few months ahead of the end of WWII after wreaking havoc for almost four years.
About 85% of Greece’s pre-war Jewish population were murdered. A bulk of which suffered the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp, including about 800 from Athens alone. Athens lost over half of its Jewish inhabitants as a result of the occupation. 11-12,000 survived.
A woman weeps during the deportation of the Romanite Jews of Ioannina (25 March 1944). Photo: Bundesarchiv, Bild 101I-179-1575-08 / Wetzel / CC-BY-SA 3.0.
Furthermore, ¼, or 45,000, of the Allies were captured or murdered. Over 40,000 civilians died of starvation in Athens; tens of thousands more died in reprisals.
