Greece’s Education Ministry said Friday that it will extend the period during which schools and universities will have to remain closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The ministry extended the closure to May 10 following a recommendation by the expert committee advising the government on its response to COVID-19.
Asked to comment on speculation that schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year, Education Minister Niki Kerameus told Skai TV on Friday that no such recommendation has been received by the ministry until now.
Greece closed schools of all levels, universities and other educational institutions on March 6, ten days after the first coronavirus patient tested positive.
In Australia, Greece, and other Greek-populated countries in the world, the
main question in conversation at this time is how do we celebrate a Greek Easter
in isolation? How do we do make every tradition the same as the previous years?
The answer is, we don’t keep it the same. We improvise, we adapt, and we overcome. By no means necessary has Easter been “cancelled” this year. In fact, it’s begun more intimate than ever before.
This year families will be celebrating Greek Easter differently, yet it doesn’t mean we can’t make it as fun and connected possible. Greek Easter will never be experienced like this again in the foreseeable future, so it’s important to document this week with photos, look back on it and 20 years and think how about how Greeks didn’t let this virus stop our Easter traditions.
Family Baking For The Weekend
For Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday coming up soon, we hope to see families baking their Lazarakia and Koulourakia. Baking Koulourakia is a great family activity and there are many ways you can make it even more special this year. Maybe have every member of your family design a special Koulourakia, crafting an original cross or one with the first letter of your name.
While we can’t go to church and collect our palm crosses this year, why don’t you try weaving them yourselves! There are many guides online that can show you how to design your very own cross to share with your family.
Holy Week Traditions
This Easter Thursday, the Greek community should be making a collection of κόκκινα αυγά larger than has been seen in the last 30 years. Now is the best opportunity to show your children how to make their own red eggs. When you make your first batch, take a photo of your first red egg sitting on the home’s Iconostasis.
Also on Easter Thursday, don’t forget to bake your own Tsoureki for the family. While people won’t be gifting them to their cousins this year, they are still an essential piece of food to have for your lunch tables on Easter Sunday.
While we can’t attend the Anastasi in church at midnight on Easter Saturday this year, people can wish all of their cousins and extended family ‘Christos Anesti’from home! Organise a Zoom or Skype call with all of your family members as you watch the midnight mass through live streams on TV and the Internet. If you can’t do that, then simply watch the service with your close family members and enjoy a warm bowl of mayiritsa soup.
The Greek Herald hopes to see glimpses everyone’s special Easter celebrations this week and we hope that our readers take part these intimate family traditions.
In these unusual days, we need optimism and laughter to give another perspective as to what we are experiencing.
For #KeepItGreek, The Greek Herald will turn your computer or Smart TV into a home cinema and will choose a Greek comedy from the old Greek cinema every week.
The older ones will remember the Greece of the past, the younger ones will learn it through the legendary movie scenes.
This week, Thanasis Vengos is ‘Katafertzis’ in the classic Greek comedy “O Katafertzis“. In the film, a miserable young man who will be found entangled in endless misunderstandings and chased by his girlfriend’s brother and boss.
Αυτές τις ασυνήθιστες ημέρες χρειαζόμαστε αισιοδοξία και γέλιο, που μπορεί να δώσει μια άλλη προοπτική στα όσα βιώνουμε.
Ο Ελληνικός Κήρυκας θα μετατρέψει τον υπολογιστή σας ή την Smart Tv σας σε Home Cinema και θα επιλέγει κάθε εβδομάδα μια ελληνική κωμωδία του παλιού ελληνικού κινηματογράφου.
Οι μεγαλύτεροι θα θυμηθούν την Ελλάδα του παρελθόντος, οι νεότεροι θα την μάθουν μέσα από τις σκηνές των ταινιών.
Ο Θανάσης Βέγγος είναι ο «Καταφερτζής». Ένας κακομοίρης νεαρός που θα βρεθεί μπλεγμένος σε άπειρες παρεξηγήσεις και κυνηγημένος από τον αδελφό και τον προϊστάμενο της κοπέλας.
The Victorian Government have pledged their commitment in ensuring women and children escaping domestic violence have a safe place to go, investing $40.2 million in crisis accommodation and specialist services.
Minister for the Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams and Minister for Housing Richard Wynne today announced the Victorian Government will be making this investment for people suffering or at risk of family violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
“For some women, the biggest fear during this pandemic won’t be coronavirus – it will be the fear they can’t escape a violent partner. That’s why this funding is so important – it will give them and their children a safe place to go,” Minister for Prevention of Family Violence Gabrielle Williams says.
“We’ve worked with our specialist family violence services to identify and deliver exactly what they need to help Victorians escaping family violence throughout the coronavirus pandemic. No one will be left behind.”
The Government announced that it will invest $20 million in short-term accommodation for family violence victim survivors who do not feel safe isolating or recovering from coronavirus at home.
“This extra accommodation will mean any Victorian experiencing family violence throughout this pandemic will have somewhere safe to stay when they need it most,” Minister for Housing Richard Wynne says.
Below is a detailed list of the allocation of the remaining crisis investment funds:
$20.2 million – Allocated to help Victorian family violence services meet the expected increase in demand during the coronavirus pandemic.
$10.4 million – Provided to help more women and children escape family violence and get access to safe accommodation and related support, with $5.1 million given for more flexible support packages across the state.
Just under $5 million – Allocated towards new technology and protective equipment for up to 120 family violence and sexual assault organisations, so they can adapt their services and keep their staff safe, while protecting and supporting victim survivors and their families.
The package also includes targeted funding for Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisations to meet additional demand for family violence case management and crisis support.
This investment is in addition to the $6 million provided by the Commonwealth Government to help meet the needs
of Victorians experience family violence during the coronavirus pandemic.
For help and support, and to find out more, visit safesteps.org.au or call safesteps 24/7 on 1800 015 188.
The Hellenic Police (ELAS) recorded a total of 2,104 violations of a government lockdown aimed at curbing the spread of the coronavirus on Wednesday, ELAS said Thursday.
The majority of the violations (793) were recorded in Attica, with 274 in Thessaloniki, 170 in Central Macedonia and 157 in Western Greece.
Between March 23, when the lockdown was introduced, and Wednesday, police said they recorded 26,855 violations. Authorities also arrested a total of 374 owners or managers of businesses operating despite restrictions forbidding them to do so between March 12 and Wednesday.
Police prepare for Easter travel restrictions
Greek authorities want to prevent citizens from leaving for their villages to mark Easter holidays. Photo: Tornos News
Greek Police are intensifying inspections at road tolls, ahead of the Holy Week for Orthodox Easter beginning next week, protothema.gr reports.
Officers were stationed at two major road tolls in Attica checking whether drivers had the necessary movement permits, as the Greek authorities want to prevent an exodus to the countryside in light of Easter week, in efforts to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.
Greeks traditionally leave the Attica basin in great numbers during the Easter holidays and head towards their villages to celebrate. However, this year authorities are determined to clamp down hard on “undisciplined” citizens who do not comply with the strict coronavirus lockdown measures.
Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borissov said on Thursday that Bulgaria’s Orthodox churches and temples will be open for traditional Palm Sunday and Easter services despite the coronavirus outbreak, saying many people were desperate and in low spirits.
However, Borissov also urged Bulgarians to stay and pray in their homes. Services at major churches would be broadcast live on state television.
“A difficult decision but I am ready to bear the reproaches,” Borisov told a news conference. “The bishops told me that there are many people who are in low spirits, desperate. So I just cannot issue such an order (to close churches).”
Services on Palm Sunday and especially Easter normally draw thousands to churches all around the Balkan country.
Interior Minister Mladen Marinov said police will maintain a heavy presence around churches to keep order and ensure social distancing.
Bulgaria has declared a state of emergency until May 13 and imposed a ban on groups of more than two adults congregating together. As of Thursday, it had 611 confirmed cases of the new coronavirus and 24 deaths.
The Orthodox Church will not distribute willow branches, as it customarily does, on Palm Sunday, Lovech Metropolitan (Bishop) Gavriil said, describing the move as “no small compromise”.
Orthodox Christians carry an icon of the Virgin Mary during a parade marking Easter near Bachkovo monastery
Gavriil said Easter services will start outside churches and the Holy Synod, the church’s top executive body, recommended that worshippers wear protective masks.
The Bulgarian Orthodox Church has been criticised on social media for keeping its houses of worship open in spite of the coronavirus crisis.
Many Bulgarians also pointed fingers at the church for keeping the practices of people kissing icons in churches, and using shared spoons during communion services.
Newly elected President of Greece Katerina Sakellaropoulou expressed her support for the Greek diaspora and the Archbishop Elpidophoros of America in a tweet on Friday morning.
The president also expressed gratitude towards her followers on social media, as she was able to express the importance of the American Archbishops initiative to all members of the faithful.
“I expressed my support for the expatriates who are being severely tested by the pandemic,” Sakellaropoulou says in her tweet.
Επικοινώνησα με τον Αρχιεπίσκοπο Αμερικής @Elpidophoros και του εξέφρασα τη συμπαράστασή μου προς τους ομογενείς που δοκιμάζονται έντονα από την πανδημία. Επεσήμανα επίσης την ιδιαίτερη σημασία της πρωτοβουλίας του να επικοινωνεί καθημερινά με τους πιστούς μέσω των social media.
Like Australia, Holy Week services conducted in the USA will be broadcast via TV and the Internet. The American Archbishop asked the President to convey his personal congratulations to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis for implementing effective polices that have helped Greece flatten the curve.
Mitsotakis on Tuesday also sent a message of support to all diaspora Greeks, giving extended sympathies to COVID-19 victims in the United States.
“We have won the first battle. And every day we are winning the second one. Through the government’s bold and swift decisions. Through the mobilisation of the state. And with the responsible behaviour of all citizens, in cities and villages,” he underlined, adding that his thoughts are with the Greeks, wherever they may be, and especially with those living in the USA.
Mitsotakis called on Greeks abroad to abide by social distancing and sanitation measures, which has been proven to contain the spread of the deadly virus.
Hundreds of Greek people will be heading to The Sydney Fish Markets this Easter weekend in the hope of finding the freshest seafood for their Palm Sunday meal.
This year, they can expect beefed up security and extra long waiting times as the government imposes new restrictions to help stop the spread of the coronavirus.
“Every single person who wants to go to the fish market this weekend will have to have an infra-red temperature check before they are allowed on site,” a statement released by NSW Police reads.
“There will only be 400 people in the whole fish markets at any one time, while obviously adhering to the social distancing rules.”
In previous years, hundreds of people have packed into the stores of seafood retailers at The Sydney Fish Markets. Source: Tenterfield Star.
Now if you still plan on heading into the markets, many of the seafood retailers have made adjustments to their stores ahead of the upcoming weekend.
People outside Faros Seafood in Marrickville maintain their social distance. Source: Faros Seafood.
In fact, Greek-owned seafood retailer, Musumeci Seafoods, and De Costi Seafood have both put limits of only 100 people allowed inside the store at one time.
Faros Seafood in Marrickville is also continuing to provide fresh seafood to its loyal customers, with people standing in long queues outside asked to stand two metres apart. They’re also taking orders via the phone.
But one question still remains. What about those vulnerable people in the Greek community who are unable to physically visit the fish markets in the first place?
The elderly have all been told to stay at home amid the coronavirus pandemic and yet they are the most likely candidates to cook a special fish meal for Palm Sunday.
Fear not because here are some more Greek-owned fish markets offering home delivery alternatives:
The Greek government has put a halt to plans by several municipalities to deliver the Holy Fire to citizens’ homes on Easter Saturday night.
Deputy Minister of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, Nikos Hardalias, said home delivery of the Holy Fire is not allowed.
Deputy Minister of Civil Protection and Crisis Management, Nikos Hardalias, said the home delivery initiative would not be allowed because it ‘poses a risk of spreading the coronavirus.’
“We cannot allow such a thing because it is dangerous,” Mr Hardalias said.
“If other municipalities want to take similar initiatives, there is a real risk that would invalidate our efforts so far.”
The home delivery initiative first took off when Giannis Konstantatos, Mayor of Elliniko-Argyroupolis municipality in eastern Athens, asked his followers on Facebook to leave lanterns outside their homes for ‘municipality teams’ to light with the Holy Fire.
“On Holy Saturday, with absolute respect, I will transfer the Resurrection Light from the airport to the churches of our city. Then, without having to leave your home for the church, municipality teams will transfer the Holy Light to every neighborhood, to every home,” Mayor Konstantatos wrote.
Το Αναστάσιμο Φως στο Σπίτι σας!Το Μεγάλο Σάββατο με απόλυτο σεβασμό θα μεταφέρω το Αναστάσιμο Φως από το αεροδρόμιο…
Several other municipalities quickly jumped on board including the Municipality of Epidaurus, the Municipality in eastern Peloponnese and the Municipality of Xanthi.
Following these announcements, Mr. Hardalias said he had contacted the President of the Municipalities Union (KEDE), Mr. Dimitris Papastergiou, to convey to him the intention of the Government.
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia has today announced the creation of a ‘COVID-19 Community Relief’ program aimed at giving assistance to people struggling to acquire basic living essentials during the coronavirus pandemic.
The program has been launched in collaboration with the Archdiocesan District of Northcote, Melbourne, and will be directed and overseen by the Very Reverend Archimandrite Evmenios Vasilopoulos, Archiepiscopal Vicar of Northcote.
“We created this program in response to the dramatic effects the coronavirus is having on all people, specifically upon those who have lost their jobs and their salaries, as well as our resident international students,” a statement from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia reads.
Very Reverend Archimandrite Evmenios Vasilopoulos will direct the new relief program. Source: The Transfiguration of Our Lord.
“Now we invite all people within our community, as well as all businesses that have the ability to assist in this unifying initiative, to contribute by donating food, clothing, personal hygiene and sanitary products.”
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios went on to thank parishioners in advance for their efforts, their support and prayers “towards the common initiative of love towards our fellow human beings.”
How to donate:
If you live in Melbourne, the following Parishes will function as centres for the collection and distribution of those basic essentials:
Archiepiscopal Church of the District of Northcote (7 Hartington Street, Northcote, Victoria 3070.)
Parish of St Paraskevi (22 Marsden Crescent, St Albans, Victoria 3021).
Parish of the Presentation of Our Lord (23-29 Victoria Street, Coburg, Victoria 3058).
Parish of the Transfiguration of Our Lord (45 Poplar Street, Thomastown, Victoria 3074).
If you live in other states and territories, the statement said financial contributions can also be made by directly depositing into the following bank account:
