Australian Ambassador to Greece, Arthur Spyrou, has payed tribute to the Anzacs and Greek soldiers who fought side-by-side during WWII with a special wreath laying ceremony on Sunday.
Ambassador Spyrou first attended a ANZAC Day ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Syntagma Square, where he laid a wreath and heard the Last Post ring out across the square.
He was joined by the Greek Deputy Minister of National Defence, Alkiviadis Stefanis, and the Honorary Consul of New Zealand, Ioanna Gouvatsou. Both laid wreaths as well.
This was followed by a visit to the Phaleron War Cemetery, where 172 Australians and 215 New Zealanders are buried. The three dignitaries paid their respects to all those at the cemetery who lost their lives fighting in the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign.
“The spirit of the ANZACs lives on. Their determination and sacrifice, their courage and mateship have become part of Australia’s national identity. We remember them and thank them,” Ambassador Spyrou wrote on Twitter.
On the dawn of April 25, 2020, neighbourhoods turned silent as Australians commemorated the fallen on ANZAC Day from home.
Many in the Dolls Point and Greater Sydney community would remember the touching tribute made by Greek Australian boy Rocky-Dimitri (Spiliopoulos) Holt, who stood outside his house with his family and performed the Last Post.
Published on The Greek Herald’s Facebook page last year, the video has been seen over 30,000 times and placed a warm feeling in the hearts of all Australians.
The Greek Herald caught up with Rocky-Dimitri to see what he has planned for people this year, and how his cornett skills have improved.
“When I started I could only play a few notes, but now I’m playing advanced songs a few years ahead,” nine-year-old Rocky-Dimitri said.
“I’m also learning another instrument, the baritone.”
Earlwood Bardwell Park RSL on Sunday morning. Photo: Supplied
Performing the Last Post is a hundred year old tradition that is seen as one of highest honours bestowed upon the next generation of cornett and trumpet players. The Greek Australian boy has been learning to play the cornet for the past four years and is looking to constantly improve his skills, sitting the Grade Four cornet exam soon.
Rocky-Dimitri and his family know well of the commitment and sacrifices made by soldiers during war, revealing previously that their Greek ancestors were one of the 42,000 men who fought to protect Crete and Greece in WWII.
“My great-pappou Spilio, from my pappou’s side from Arcadia, fought in the Alvaniko Polemo,” Rocky-Dimitri said last year.
Photo: Supplied
“My great-pappou from my yiayia’s side in Crete was also involved in WWII. Unfortunately I never met them but my mum and yiayia and pappou have told me some stories.”
While March 25 honours the members of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) who served in the Gallipoli Campaign, it is also a time to remember all veterans who served their country in WWI, WWII and all conflicts leading to today.
Rocky-Dimitri was recently invited to join the St George Brass Band, an award-winning community band that performs in various locations across Sydney. The nine-year-old performed with the band at the Earlwood Bardwell Park RSL on Sunday morning, 25 April. He also be played The Last Post in front of his school on 22 April.
Photo: Supplied
“This is a great experience for him to really improve and go into competitions with them and so it’s going to be a very exciting year for him, for his growth and learning,” Rocky-Dimitri’s mother, Heidi Holt, said to The Greek Herald.
Mrs Holt is a music teacher who Rocky-Dimitri said inspired him to play, wanting to be “just as good as her”.
“He enjoys it. I think with music, you still have to enjoy it. You might have goals set, but you have to enjoy what you’re doing,” she said.
The music and piano teacher also operates a music school in Ramsgate entitled ‘The Music Space’, which recently underwent new renovations. Holding an Open Day last Sunday, Heidi wanted to say thank you to her existing families and encourage them to bring more family members and friends to celebrate with them.
The classes will be instructed by Manolis Michalakis, who has written over 18 books about the method of teaching guitar and bouzouki.
For Australian’s who are looking to give back to former ANZAC soldiers and Australian veterans, they can do so by donating to the ANZAC Appeal online at anzacappeal.com.au. Donations support Australian veterans and their families in need.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios has released a message for Anzac Day, discussing the friendship forged between Greece and Australia.
See full message below:
Today, the Australian nation proudly commemorates Anzac Day, paying tribute to the thousands of men and women who fought for the high ideals and sacrificed themselves on the altar of freedom, peace, and human dignity.
Personally, having been born in a place, whose modern history is linked with the heroic struggles of the ANZACs, I had the good fortune to realise, from a very young age, the universal character of the values they defended. Moreover, these universal values formed the solid foundation on which a true friendship was built between the peoples of Greece and Australia.
I also had the opportunity, through primary sources, to discern and understand the virtues embodied by the heroic ANZACs, such as selflessness, solidarity, courage and self-denial. With these virtues, they did for us what we would never dare ask of them.
Today, as we bow with respect before their memory, the least we are obliged to do is reaffirm our commitment to the values and ideals for which they fought and be inspired by their virtues, in order to continue the great legacy that they bequeathed to us. Lest we forget!
TV presenter and RN Drive host Patricia Karvelas has spoken out about her difficult childhood, her pathway into journalism and her negative social media experience in a ‘tell-all’ interview with ABC News.
The Greek Australian journalist described her childhood as the “typical, Melbourne, immigrant family” story, with her parents migrating from Greece in the late 60s. Living in “two worlds”, Karvelas said she was raised with very little. Her and her older sisters, Sue and Voula, were the first generation in their family to go to university.
When Karvelas was eight years old, her parents died suddenly and she was raised variously by her maternal grandmother and two sisters, who are 11 and eight years older.
“As a little kid she was so full of life and energy and I was worried she’d become quiet and introverted,” Voula Karvelas recalls.
“But she kept bottled up whatever was hurting or worrying her and stayed vibrant and vivacious.
“Aside from the actual loss itself and all the grief, the negative side of it was her not having a stable place to live.
Patricia Karvelas, pictured with her sister Voula, started broadcasting on community radio when she was at high school. (Picture: ABC News/Voula Karvelas)
“She lived with grandma, then Sue and then me and she was constantly changing schools. But she always just tries to find the positive in change and adapts.
“I imagine she’d be really good as an astronaut, or something like that — the oxygen would be cut, they’d lose communication with earth and she’d be like, ‘OK, that’s happened, let me think, let me think’. And we just move forward.”
Patricia Karvelas says the deaths of her parents had a profound impact on shaping the person she is today.
“My childhood wasn’t easy, but I don’t want to be the victim, and I’ve always believed you can make good things out of anything so for me, it drove me,’ she says.
“I’m very certain that I would not have achieved the things I have if it wasn’t for that drive because I, from a very early age, thought if I don’t make something of myself, I don’t think I’ve got a safety net here that’s going to keep picking me up.
Patricia Karvelas, with former prime ministers Malcolm Fraser and Kevin Rudd, after winning the inaugural Wallace Brown Press Gallery Young Journalist of the Year award in 2008. (Photo: ABC News/Patricia Karvelas)
“So, from a very young age, I’ve never ever had a week where I haven’t earnt an income. I’ve always been supporting myself and pushing myself and, I often say this when I do school talks, I was never the smartest kid in the room or the prettiest kid in the room, but I was always the hardest working.
“I wasn’t handed anything and most of the doors that have opened for me have been because I kicked them down, but I also had a great system, free education, that helped me step up and if it wasn’t for that I wouldn’t be here.”
Voula Karvelas says her little sister had a keen interest in politics and ideas, inspired by her Greek heritage.
Propelled by a fierce sense of fairness and belief in equal opportunity, she briefly considered becoming a lawyer “defending oppressed people” but journalism offered the chance to make a broader difference in the world.
“For me it was only ever going to be journalism,” Karvelas says.
Patricia Karvelas on air on Melbourne community radio station 3CR in the 1990s. (Photo: Voula Karvelas/ABC News)
“I have always loved telling people’s stories and I see journalism as having an impact on changing people’s lives.
“Powerful journalism is making the country the best place it can be by telling the stories of unfairness, and hopefully trying to shift the things that are wrong, holding people to account, being part of big social change.”
Patricia also spoke in her interview with ABC News about the social media criticism faced online, which surfaced when she went publicly open about being gay.
“I think it’s really important for young people to have proud leaders, but I am very cautious about it being my only identity, because there are many parts of me,” she says.
“I have to bring my full self on air because I think if you’re hiding a part of yourself your work is not as good, so I made a very conscious decision that if I was to bring my full self that means that occasionally people would hear the female pronoun when I refer to my family, they will hear ‘my partner, she’s cooking dinner’.
“And I’d say that a couple times a week, I’ll get 10 text messages from gay people thanking me — I don’t do it to get a thank you — but they are thanking me for not being ambiguous about that because too often people have been ambiguous, not because they’ve done the wrong thing, but because they’ve been worried that the audience won’t be okay with it.
“I reckon we have to respect that the audience in 2021 is smart enough that they can cope, they do cope and they are very respectful largely.”
The tradition of making and selling lambades during Greek Easter is one of the few Greek customs that continues to grow as the next generation of youth celebrate this religious period.
Lambades are candles traditionally bought by the godparents, who visit their godchildren prior to Easter. Decorated with jewellery, colours or iconography, the lambades are lit on the midnight Holy Saturday service.
Usually made by elderly members various Greek communities across NSW, the Cretan Youth Committee this year took it upon themselves to carry out this special tradition as we enter the Easter week.
Terry Saviolakis.
Terry Saviolakis, President of the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW, said the Youth Committee originally had plans to make and sell the lambades last year, but were interupted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We’re planning to buy new traditional costumes and they were also planning a trip to Crete, which obviously all got postponed,” Saviolakis said to The Greek Herald.
The association sold the lambades outside the Ashbury Senior Citizens Centre, which has long been the location of their ‘clubhouse’ and is where they go dancing every Friday night.
Greek Orthodox Easter will be celebrated on May 2nd this year as people express their happiness in being able to celebrate in person, after being forced to commemorate the religious tradition from home last year.
Saviolakis said the community had great success selling them outside the Centre on Friday and at the Cretan Association dance, which had over 300 attendees. The President added that he has enjoyed the Youth Committee taking up a larger role with the Cretan Association.
Cretan Association selling Lambades. Photo: Supplied.
“They have actually this year taken on our kitchen once a month as well, so they do smaller events and are basically wanting to get the youth involved in a little community,” Saviolakis added.
Alexander Mountakis is the Youth Committee President for the Cretan Association and has been working hard to bring the Easter spirit alive following the restrictions imposed during the COVD-19 pandemic last year.
“We don’t really do much for Easter, and I spoke with Terry as well, everyone likes to buy lambades so why don’t we try it out…. And it’s a good thing for the youth to get together and bond more as well,” Mountakis said to The Greek Herald.
Mountakis revealed that the Youth Committee is also planning to hold a taverna night in June to help bind the community closer.
“We need to preserve our culture and we need to stick together. In my opinion, we’re not together enough and we need to bond and meet new people, all of this helps preserve our culture for the future,” Mountakis added.
Xenophon Castrisos’ life was brought to light many years ago when the State Library of Queensland released an iconic image of him from their archive.
In the image, the Greek Australian, who was an aerial photographer with the Royal Australian Air Force at the time, can be seen shirtless, wearing a soldier’s helmet and intently reading The Greek Herald, then known as The Hellenic Herald, on a battlefield during WWII.
Of course, the photo has struck a cord with us this OXI Day so we just had to share his story.
Xenophon Castrisos in Greek national costume.
According to the State Library of Queensland, Xenophon Castrisos (Castles), who’s full name was Xenophon Haralambous Castrisos, was born in Lourenco Marques (now Maputo), Mozambique on January 1, 1912.
He was the son of Maria Castrissios, nee Freeleagus, nephew of Christy Freeleagus, the Greek Consul for Brisbane, and grandson of Kosma Anthony Freeleagus of Kythera.
Castrisos was naturalised on September 26, 1941. He enlisted with the Royal Australian Air Force on December 31, 1941 in Brisbane and served as a leading aircraftman in the 12th squadron. He was discharged on December 21, 1945.
Port Adelaide forward Mitch Georgiades revealed his intention to stay at Port Adelaide for the foreseeable future as the he picked up his second NAB AFL Rising Star nomination last weekend.
Georgiades, who was nominated in round nine last year, received the round five honour after his three-goal performance against Carlton on Saturday night.
In his 11th senior game, the 19-year-old also gathered a career-high 15 disposals and took five marks in his side’s 28-point win over the Blues.
In a media appearance on Tuesday, Georgiades said he has no intention to go back to his home town in Western Australia.
Mitch Georgiades during his media appearance. Photo: Josh Money/Twitter
“It was the best thing for me to get out of Perth and experience life elsewhere. Port Adelaide is home for me,” Georgiades said.
“All the boys and staff, the whole community, have made me feel welcome and I have loved every minute of it.”
The Greek Australian was praised by Melbourne champion Garry Lyon on the weekend for his great score involvements, as well as hits points on the board.
“He takes his opportunities … it’s a really good body of work for a second key forward,” Lyon said on Fox Footy.
“As important for me is he‘s playing on Liam Jones, who’s been in absolutely incredible form as a defender. Liam Jones has had two possessions.
“He‘s been having 15 and 13 intercepts over the last couple of weeks; he’s got his hands full with Georgiades, which speaks to me of a player who’s moving really well, who’s moving his defender around, he’s not static or an easy target.
Georgiades is signed with Port Adelaide until the end of 2023.
The Holy Monastery of St Nectarios in Croydon Park, Adelaide, was filled with photos of Greek Presidential Guards on Friday evening, as ‘The Evzones Collection’ Photo Exhibition was officially launched with a cocktail event in the presence of special guests and dignitaries.
Photo: The Greek Herald/Argyro Vourdoumpa
A part of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia’s official national program to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution, Nick Bourdaniotis’ photo collection aims to portray the daily lives of Greece’s Elite Soldiers and honour their rich history and tradition.
L to R: Bishop Silouan of Sinope, Nick Bourdaniotis, Consul General of Greece in Adelaide George Psiachas, Photo: TGH/Argyro Vourdoumpa
Following an inspiring intro by Australian of German descent, Fr Jeremy Krieg who embraced Orthodoxy later in life, in his address the Consul General of Greece in Adelaide referred to his childhood memories when his parents used to dress him up as an ‘Evzon’ and commended on Mr Bourdaniotis’ photographic skills.
L to R: Consul General of Greece in Adelaide, Fr Jeremy Krieg, Nick Bourdaniotis. Photo: TGH / Argyro VourdoumpaPhoto: The Greek Herald/Argyro Vourdoumpa
Bourdaniotis expressed his excitement for bringing ‘The Evzones Collection’ to Adelaide and among others he thanked the Exhibition Director George Karantonis and curator Eirini Alligiannis for their efforts.
Bishop Silouan of Sinope conveyed Archbishop Makarios’ wishes to the attendees and raised the importance of the event.
L to R: Steve Georganas MP, Tom Koutsantonis MP and Deputy Lord Mayor Mary Couros with Exhibition Curator Eirini Alligiannis
“This is a flagship event and a cornerstone to all of the events that have taken place and that will follow,” said the Bishop.
The list of attendees included but was not limited to Minister for Innovation and Skills, David Pisoni MP representing the Premier; Tom Koutsantonis MP representing the Leader of the Opposition; Federal Member for Adelaide, Steve Georganas MP; Acting Lord Mayor, Mary Couros; Acting Assistant Commissioner Lynden Dunstan, representing the Police Commissioner Mr Grant Stevens; Lieutenant Colonel Dave Edmonds; President of the Greek Ex-Servicemen Association of SA Christos Tsoraklidis and Andrew Andrews, member of the Executive Committee of The Foundation for Hellenic Studies, a not for profit entity that facilitated the first ever visit of the Evzones to Adelaide four years ago.
Photo: TGH/Argyro Vourdoumpa
The evening concluded with a first ever joint performance by the Pontian Brotherhood and Cretan Association of SA.
Photo: TGH/ Argyro Vourdoumpa
During the exhibition, which ends on Sunday, April 25, a photo was being silent-auctioned while the funds raised will go to the Central Philoptochos of the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide.
The Evzones Collection’s next stop will be in Sydney.
Palm Sunday (Κυριακή των Βαϊων), also known as the Triumphal Entry, is one of the Orthodox Church’s Great Feasts. It is held on the Sunday before Pascha (Πάσχα). On this day, the Church celebrates Jesus’ arrival into Jerusalem in the days before the Jewish Passover.
Biblical Story
The biblical description of Palm Sunday is mentioned in all four Gospels (Mark 11:1-10 Matthew 21:1-11; Luke 19:28-38; and John 12:12-18). Palm Sunday celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem on the back of a young donkey after the miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead.
The people of Jerusalem welcomed Jesus by waving palm branches and praising him. Hundreds of people yelled, “Hosanna to David’s Son! Blessed is he who comes in the Lord’s name! In the highest heaven, Hosanna!”.
Jesus rode in on a donkey, directly fulfilling the Old Testament prophecy of Zech. 9:9. “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zech. 9:9
It was popular in Biblical times for kings or important people to appear in a procession sitting on a donkey as it represented peace, so those who rode them demonstrated that they came with peaceful intentions. This demonstration was a reminder that Jesus is the Prince of Peace.
Palm Sunday also commemorates Jesus’ last week on Earth. Palm Sunday is celebrated with Saint John Chrysostom’s Divine Liturgy. The Matins service comes before this. Palm Sunday also calls us to recognize God’s law and kingdom as the ultimate purpose of the Christian life.
Greek Orthodox Traditions of Palm Sunday
Although it is still Sarakosti (40 days of Lent), Greeks around the world eat fish on Palm Sunday. The Greek Orthodox Church nevertheless permits the consumption of fish, oil, and wine, but not dairy products, eggs, chicken, or red meat.
Usually, the classic dish that Greek Orthodox people consume is Bakaliaros with skordalia, a dish that contains fried cod fillet with a creamy garlic mash.
On this Sunday, in addition to the Divine Liturgy, the Church observes the Blessing and Distribution of the Palms. A basket containing the woven palms shaped like crosses is placed on a table in front of the icon of the Lord, which is on the Iconostasion.
The palm tree branches represent Christ’s triumph over the devil and death. People who attended the liturgy can take one and put it in their homes near the icon of Jesus.
The NSW Liberal Party recently announced that they have preselected Peter Poulos for the vacant Legislative Council position.
Born and raised in the St George area, Peter attended Bexley North Public School and Sydney Technical High School, in the area which he still calls home with his wife Vicki and their three young children.
“I grew up in a small business family, which lost almost everything in the Keating recession, this has been a driving force in my advocacy for all small businesses. I will fight to continue cutting red tape, to help small business to grow and prosper creating more local opportunities,” Peter Poulos said.
After graduating from the University of New South Wales with a Bachelor of Commerce, Peter went on to work in the finance sector.
Having served as a Rockdale Councillor for twelve years, and Deputy Mayor for a year, Peter has been dedicated to delivering services and infrastructure needs of the local community – ensuring an improved financial position that allowed the Council to deliver town centre improvements, new and upgraded playgrounds and foreshore improvements.
“The Berejiklian Government has been doing an outstanding job in leading our state through the challenges of pandemic recovery. I look forward to making a contribution to this important work in the Legislative Council and the Parliament’s committee system,” Mr Poulos said.
“The Government’s record of strong economic management and ongoing investment in our health and education systems, as well as our infrastructure, has placed us well to respond to community needs during these unprecedented times.”
Peter said he is “incredibly excited” to be a part of the Government that, “has more than quadrupled infrastructure funding, with record capital spending of $107 billion over the next four years.”
“It has added thousands more police officers, teachers, nurses and midwives, and has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on St George, Sutherland, Liverpool and Shellharbour hospitals to deliver better health outcomes for our community,” Peter adds.
“I will focus on helping to ensure that we continue building roads and rail lines that our community needs, that will mean less time commuting and more time at home with your loved ones.
“I want to thank the Party Members for placing their trust in me, and giving me this opportunity to contribute to the success of the Berejiklian Government and build on the legacy of the Hon John Ajaka.”
