The Greek Orthodox community of Darwin in the Northern Territory gathered at the city’s Waterfront on Sunday, January 5, to mark the annual Blessing of the Waters ceremony as part of Epiphany celebrations.
A highlight of the day was the traditional dive to retrieve the Holy Cross. This year, Chris Townsend, a member of the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW, successfully retrieved the cross, earning congratulations and applause from the gathered crowd.
The ceremony was organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Northern Australia, and was attended by a number of officials including NT Minister for Trade, Business and Asian Relations, Robyn Cahill; NT Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby; Federal Member for Solomon, Luke Gosling MP; and the Country Liberal Party candidate for Solomon, Lisa Bayliss.
Large delegations from Cretan organisations across Australia and New Zealand were also in attendance as they were in Darwin for their annual convention. Organisations included the World Council of Cretans, the Cretan Federation of Australia and New Zealand, the Cretan Association of Northern Territory, the Cretan Association of Sydney and NSW, the Pancretan Association of Melbourne, and the Cretan Association of Tasmania.
As the weekend drew to a close, attendees departed with a sense of unity and pride in their shared heritage, strengthened by the spiritual and cultural significance of the cherished annual event.
Archbishop Anastasios, the 95-year-old head of the Albanian Orthodox Church, remains in critical condition after being airlifted to a hospital in Athens, Greece for treatment, Evangelismos Hospital confirmed on Sunday, January 5.
The Archbishop, who was initially admitted to a hospital in Tirana with a “seasonal virus” on Tuesday, December 31, was transferred to Greece on Friday evening due to complications.
According to the hospital’s medical report, “His Beatitude’s condition is assessed as critical by the attending physicians.” However, his condition was described as “stable despite his already complicated medical history” on Saturday, January 4.
It was later reported that he was also suffering from gastric bleeding.
Anastasios, who has led the Albanian Orthodox Church for over three decades, is credited with revitalising the Orthodox Church in predominantly Muslim Albania. His airlift to Athens was carried out on a C-27 Greek Air Force plane following a request from Greek emergency services.
In an expression of solidarity, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the hospital on Sunday, January 5, to receive an update on the Archbishop’s health.
The Greek government has announced four days of national mourning following the death of former Prime Minister Costas Simitis, with a state funeral planned to honour his legacy.
Simitis died early Sunday at the age of 88 at his vacation home in Agioi Theodoroi, Peloponnese. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead after being rushed to the hospital.
Simitis, who led Greece from 1996 to 2004 and served as the leader of PASOK, is credited with guiding the country into the Eurozone and shaping its modern political and economic landscape.
Current Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis praised Simitis as “a worthy and noble political opponent” and “a catalyst in public life,” highlighting his key role in Greece’s modernisation and European integration.
“He believed modernisation was a continuous process rooted in democracy, justice and opportunity,” Mitsotakis said, adding, “His legacy endures in Greece’s progress.”
Με θλίψη και σεβασμό αποχαιρετώ τον Κώστα Σημίτη. Τον άξιο και ευγενή πολιτικό αντίπαλο. Αλλά και τον Πρωθυπουργό που συνόδευσε την Ελλάδα στα μεγάλα εθνικά της βήματα: την ένταξη στην Ευρωζώνη και στο Ευρώ και την είσοδο της Κύπρου στην Ευρώπη. https://t.co/bpo1QwDcshpic.twitter.com/dXbCzGAH5x
Greece’s President Katerina Sakellaropoulou also bid farewell to Simitis in a statement, hailing his presence in “the public life of Greece” as pivotal to the “formation and continuation of a different political consciousness and culture in the Metapolitefsi period, with an emphasis on method, rationality, and commitment to the goal.”
“He envisioned, as Prime Minister, a Greece strong and equal in Europe,” she added.
The leader of PASOK-Movement for Change Nikos Androulakis expressed his condolences, praising Simitis’ contributions to national advancement.
“Costas Simitis and the work of his governments sealed one of the most creative periods of Greece,” Androulakis said, adding that “as prime minister, he opened new horizons for Greek society.”
European Parliament President Roberta Metsola mourned the passing of Simitis, stating, “Europe mourns with the people of Greece for the loss of former Prime Minister Costas Simitis.”
Metsola highlighted Simitis’ legacy, emphasising that he was “a deeply Europeanist and visionary politician,” whose impact remains significant in both the Greek and European political landscape. She also extended her sincere condolences to Simitis’ family.
The funeral of Simitis is set to be held at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral midday on Thursday, January 9 (local time).
I believe that at least once a year, right on cue, the corporate structure that society leans so heavily on is at risk of a mass collapse. And this, my friends, is due to the inescapable Euro-summer blues, which have your 9-to-5 desk jockeys contemplating life by the crystal-clear beaches of Greece.
After spending five weeks sipping on spritzers, soaking up the sun, and indulging in the spoils of Greece – from horiatiki salad to lemon-drenched octopus straight from the sea – they’re left counting down the months, days and minutes until their return, all the while toying with the idea that a one-way ticket back might solve all of their problems. But here’s the catch: it’s called a holiday for a reason.
Just as how you wouldn’t have six back-to-back piña coladas at 8.30am on a Monday morning at home, life in Greece is a little different in the off-season too. When it’s time for the scorching sun, tourist-filled tavernas, and beachside cabanas to pack up shop, the realities of life in Greece set in.
No one is more fit to speak on such a topic than born-and-bred Athenian, Zara Pirate, who now lives in Brisbane, Australia, with her husband and two beautiful children. The better part of her life in Greece was spent on the quaint and charming island of Hydra, where Zara’s life couldn’t have been more different from the norm.
Working at her family-owned bar, The Pirate Bar, her reality was less 9-to-5 and more 24/7. Where eight months of the year was spent slinging shots, planning white-themed parties, and running the family business with no days off, the remainder was spent retreating to Athens or another tropical destination.
“No one understands the feeling,” Zara tells The Greek Herald. “Everyone comes to the island to party, have a holiday, and celebrate, but we have to actually live there.
“We’d go through the winter when there’s no one, and it becomes like a ghost town. It’s so extreme – you go from the summer, where it’s partying and people everywhere, to nothing. There’s nowhere to go out to eat. It’s very dark, miserable, and cold.”
Before Hydra became her home base, Zara grew up in Athens, where she attended university. She recalls walking to class, bypassing streets to avoid tear gas from ongoing riots.
“Athens is a crazy city. There are people always fighting on the streets… it’s wild,” she says.
In addition to the day-to-day tear-gas dodging, the healthcare system in Greece is a bit laxer than what we’re used to Down Under.
“You have no idea how bad the healthcare system is in Greece. There’s no structure. I think it’s getting a bit better, but you always need to know people to get things done. To get a job, to get into a hospital, if you need a lawyer… you need to have contacts otherwise you cannot survive,” she explains.
Her life behind the bar saw her rub shoulders with people from many walks of life. While many of her patrons became friends, one in particular was set to change the trajectory of her life as she knew it. One day, during a conversation with a much-loved Australian regular, he mentioned that he had a son who would soon be visiting Hydra. Zara thought nothing of it at the time, as she was already in a relationship and her days consisted purely of work, work, and – guess what? – more work.
But one day, while scrolling through Facebook, she saw a picture of Blake – the aforementioned son of her regular – and asked her mother who he was.
“That’s the son that they’ve been telling you about,” her mother replied, to which Zara responded, “I’m going to marry that guy.”
When the couple first laid eyes on each other at The Pirate Bar white party, fireworks seemed like mere candles compared to the sparks that flew between them. After spending the remainder of Blake’s time in Greece together, they knew what they shared was more than a holiday romance and began a long-distance relationship. After two years of loving each other from afar, Zara moved to Melbourne, Australia.
While nostalgia tugs on her heartstrings with every visit back home, she speaks of Greece as you would of a high school sweetheart.
“When I think about it, of course I miss it. When I go back for holidays, we have such a good time, and then I think to myself: could we actually live here? Definitely not. I don’t know if I could go back. I miss the chaos, but living in that chaos… it drives me nuts,” she says.
As for whether Australia now feels more like home, Zara answers, “No, definitely not. I miss home, I still miss home so much and struggle here a lot.”
If there is any takeaway from this story, it’s that the adaptability of human beings should not be underestimated and that change is a constant, so we may as well ride the wave. You never know where (or who) it will lead you to.
The Bulgari family, renowned for their global jewelry empire, is reconnecting with their roots in Paramythia, Epirus, by restoring the iconic Bulgari School, according to en.protothema.gr.
Originally funded by patriarch Sotirios Bulgari in the 1930s, the school has undergone a €2.5 million renovation, transforming it into a multi-purpose cultural hub that honors the family’s legacy and the region’s heritage.
The Bulgari School now stands fully renovated, ready to narrate stories from the past, honor the present, and pave the way for the future. Originally built between 1934 and 1937 with contributions from the Bulgari family and the Greek state, the school symbolized education and progress. Tragically, during World War II, it was used as a prison under the German Occupation, and 49 citizens of Paramythia were executed there—a history commemorated in the renovated memorial area.
The restoration project, supported by EU funding, included structural reinforcements, modern facilities, and accessible features. Visitors can now explore interactive exhibitions showcasing Paramythia’s history, the natural beauty of Epirus, and the Bulgari family’s journey to global prominence. A room dedicated to Bulgari’s 130-year history highlights their jewelry’s evolution, while archival materials and tributes to local literary figures celebrate the town’s cultural significance.
In August 2023, the Bulgari family made an emotional visit to Paramythia, expressing their commitment to the project. “Today’s meeting reaffirmed the Bulgari family and brand’s commitment to this significant project for Paramythia,” noted Souli Mayor Thanasis Danis after meeting Nikolaos Bulgari, according to protothema.
A grand reopening is planned for this summer, with star-studded events showcasing art, culture, and heritage. This celebration promises to draw worldwide attention, restoring Paramythia’s glory and solidifying the Bulgari School as a cultural beacon bridging the past and future.
An excavation at the Minoan Palace of Archanes on Crete in 2024 yielded a groundbreaking and rare discovery, according to ekathimerini.com.
Archaeologist Dr. Efi Sapouna-Sakellaraki has made strides in her ongoing research to further understand the three-story structure, which, along with Knossos, was pivotal to the advancement of Minoan civilization.
The excavation unveiled a unique gate sanctuary—the first ever found at a Minoan palace—situated just outside the main entrance. The site also revealed four altars and two sections of a stone platform, highlighting its religious importance.
These findings provide valuable insights into the spiritual practices and architectural innovations of Minoan culture.
The monastic community of Mount Athos has unveiled new measures to regulate the flow of pilgrims and safeguard the spiritual essence of this sacred site, according to iefimerida.gr
Effective January 1, 2025, tighter restrictions will limit visitor numbers and impose rules on group sizes and accommodation changes. Coenobitic monasteries will now host a maximum of 200 pilgrims per month. Group visits will be capped at five people unless they involve students or military personnel. Additionally, all visitors must obtain official invitations to access the monastic community.
To prevent unauthorized movement between monasteries, prior approval will be required for any accommodation changes. While some exceptions may be made during major religious festivals, these will need prior consent from the pilgrimage office.
The Holy Community, which oversees Mount Athos, has reaffirmed the longstanding prohibition on women visiting the site, maintaining a tradition upheld for centuries.
These new regulations aim to balance the rising interest in Mount Athos with the need to preserve its monastic environment and spiritual integrity. By managing the number of visitors and ensuring adherence to established guidelines, the measures seek to minimize disruptions while allowing pilgrims to experience the sacred atmosphere of the site.
I’ve been living in Athens, Greece for over two decades now. My son, aged 25, recently terrified me. He bought a motorbike. I tried pleading, blackmailing (“I’ll buy you a car!”), yelling, sternly pointing out Greece’s high road toll, particularly for motorcyclists – but to no avail.
In fact, friends and relatives – including his father and brother – scolded me.
“Leave him alone / You’re making things worse / He’s rebellious anyway / He’ll be okay with his helmet / For God’s sake he was in the Special Forces and parachuted off planes and helicopters, scaring him with death statistics won’t help, etc.”
So, I’ve shut up but am still terrified and pray every day. You see, the road toll in Greece is high. Too high.
According to an article in Kathimerini in October 2024, “In 2023, Greece recorded 637 road deaths or 61 deaths per million residents… Preliminary 2024 data show little change in fatality rates… Motorcyclists are particularly vulnerable, representing 38% of all fatalities, compared to 18% across the EU.”
I grew up in Australia where we had those wonderful Transport Accident Commission (TAC) ads, chiefly showing speed and alcohol as road accident causers. The first ad was in 1989, and is graphic. It’s set in a hospital where a drunken driver
causes his passenger-girlfriend serious injuries. Her mother attacks him, and it’s all very emotional and shocking. All of this in a one-minute ad, reminding us that a car is not a toy.
Then these ads kept coming – and they worked. There were also numerous billboards along roads and highways with catchy phrases such as: “Speed kills.”
According to the Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport Research Economics, in 1970s Australia, there were an average of 3,613 road deaths per year, with a decrease in the 1990s of 1,957. In the last five years until October 2024, deaths have averaged 1,150 annually. This is a significant decrease considering Australia became more populous since 1970. So, I insist that TAC ads since 1989 played a major part in challenging driver attitudes, leading to saving lives on the road.
My husband, an Aussie (who also lives in Greece), worked here for many years in an advertising agency and at one point was commissioned to brainstorm for ads about safe driving. He mentioned and showed his colleagues our TAC ads. He narrates, to this day his Greek colleagues’ attitudes.
He said many showed shock, turning away from the screen, comments like, “Oh no. We would never accept this in Greece. We would turn off our TV’s or change channels” in reference to the graphic but realistic images and content of the TAC ads.
The only driver ‘education’ here seems to be the road toll of the past few years being recognised on the nightly news.
There are ‘newer’ factors leading to Australia’s (and probably Greece’s) road toll. According to Australia, post-COVID the road toll has been increasing due to “Impatient drivers used to empty lockdown streets” (The Australian Automobile Association 2023).
Interestingly, Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV’s) have also been playing a part in increased road toll fatalities, as Prof Stuart Newstead, Director of Monash University’s Accident Research Centre, says in a 2023 article in The Guardian.
Speeding and alcohol were and still are the big killers in both Australia and Greece. In my 25 years in Greece, I have only twice seen breath tests being conducted by police. Insofar as policing here for speed, well, the authorities are trying – but certainly not hard enough; not as hard as in Australia in fact.
At night from around 11pm to 3am, I hear cars speeding on main roads here – and motorbikes. I also see them when I’m on the road. It is mainly young people who basically ‘rally’ – themselves, or with other cars. I just get so angry and frustrated, but then my husband brings up his favourite adage of disbelief, “what do you expect when you have driving schools named ‘Learn to Rally’,” and I swear, this is true.
Unfortunately, occurrences of paying for one’s driver’s license, an age-old practice, still exist here in Greece. Apart from young drivers, this has something to do with the older Greek drivers who aren’t all paragons of road safety.
Not to mention drivers using mobile phones while driving, regardless of age. And there’s the issue of not using seat belts that still applies to many. How many times have I seen youngsters in the front seat of cars standing up and moving around to look closer through the windscreen, while mum or dad drive on carefree. And there’s the surely unworthy cars, or three-wheel mini trucks, loaded with rolled up carpets or flattened cardboard boxes on the back, that just cruise on by – on the national highway. It pains me to bring up these realities.
My family and I live here, in Greece, so I posit: What is wrong with us Greeks on the road in terms of reckless driving? I get that it gets really hot here, so many motorcyclists don’t wear helmets but prefer to hang them off their elbow while driving their bike, or that some parents are in a hurry or whatever and so stick their kids on Vespas without a helmet, sometimes even three people on one motorbike, but why?
Is it an Ottoman 400 year remnant thing, that “God will provide”? I.e. it’s all about fate, so why bother with common sense on the road? Is it the ‘thrill’ of risk taking or anti-authority rebelliousness expressed in driving like maniacs?
Yeah, yeah, there’s some bad roads, but people are killing themselves even on the best of modern roads here too, so what is it? Isn’t careful driving a sign of a civilised society? We hail from the Ancient Greeks for God’s sake. Shame on us, I think, almost in tears at this point.
I spoke to Professor George Yannis, a renowned, international Transportologist – Director of the Dept. of Transportation Planning and Engineering, at the National University of Athens who has lived in Greece most of his life.
He said: “Enforcement, education, awareness-raising, infrastructure improvement and institutional changes are needed and don’t exist today. Greece is being back in this sensitive area regarding road fatalities where many lives could be saved…The most important aspect is to monitor speeding but our sparse enforcement doesn’t seem to be getting through to drivers, resulting in no change to their dangerous behaviour, which is why all these crashes are happening.”
Shame that we can’t self-control, or self-police, and that such a freedom loving people are so undisciplined and destructive, killing each other on the roads. Of course, even careful drivers have accidents, but let’s get a grip and drive properly – bottom line.
Growing up in China, Frank Hu followed a traditional Asian diet. Now the chair of the Department of Nutrition at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, Dr. Hu researches the benefits of extra virgin olive oil and the traditional Mediterranean diet and enjoys a fusion of Asian and Mediterranean cuisines.
Between his youth in China and his remarkable career as a professor and researcher at the School of Public Health and the Medical School, Hu and his wife found time to travel in Europe and “became very passionate about the Mediterranean diet” and culture. Hu points out that the traditional Mediterranean and Asian diets are both healthy, plant-based diets that include plenty of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, nuts, fish, and herbs and spices. Of course, there are also differences. The Med diet features olive oil, olives, red wine, and coffee, while the Asian diet highlights soy, green tea, and seaweed.
Hu likes to “combine the different elements. Now we use olive oil for everything, and I cannot live without coffee, but I consume a lot of traditional Asian foods,” mainly prepared with extra virgin olive oil. His meals range from Greek salad and al dente pasta to fish and “modified traditional Chinese dishes like tofu and chicken with olive oil and Mediterranean herbs and spices.”
While he extols the flavor and health benefits of extra virgin olive oil, Hu believes that with olive oil consumption traditionally low in areas where olive trees do not grow, such as Asia, other oils such as soybean and canola can be used as part of culturally-appropriate, affordable healthy eating plans.
“There’s no one-size-fits-all diet. All the good ones can be adapted. You can mix and match elements to create your own fusion diet to improve healthy aging and longevity, increase your lifespan and your healthspan, and live better as well as longer, with fewer disabilities and better mental health.” He appreciates the “global trend of increased consumption of healthy, plant-based foods, no matter where they come from.”
These are the words of a true expert on healthy eating, an acclaimed professor and researcher at Harvard and a member of the National Academy of Medicine. Hu’s many honors include awards from the American Heart Association and the American Diabetes Association. Among other prestigious positions, Hu served on the 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee for the USDA/HHS.
Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award in Public Health at the 3rd Cretan Lifestyle Conference at Amirandes Resort near Heraklion, Crete, Greece, Hu delivered a keynote speech in which he explored the question “Is olive oil unique among plant oils for reducing morbidity and mortality?” Although in a sense the answer is “yes,” since olive oil clearly offers benefits for both human and planetary health, the issue is a bit more complicated, especially for people living outside the Mediterranean region.
Most studies on olive oil consumption have been done in Europe, but Hu and his team published the first results about the U.S., where olive oil consumption is low. They were able to study its effects only because they had a large sample size: 61,181 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (1990 to 2014) and 31,797 men from the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1990 to 2014). Researchers found that even moderate consumption of olive oil, just over ½ tablespoon per day (>7 g), was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), a lower risk of developing diabetes, and a lower risk of all causes of mortality during the duration of the study.
Using data from the same studies, Hu reported that “compared with those who never or rarely consume olive oil, those in the highest category of olive oil consumption (>7 g/day) had 19% lower risk of total and CVD mortality, 17% lower risk of cancer mortality, 29% lower risk of neurodegenerative mortality, and 18% lower risk of respiratory mortality. Substituting 10g/day of other fats, including margarine, butter, mayonnaise, and dairy fat, with olive oil was associated with reductions in the risk of total and cause-specific mortality.”
Hu pointed out that such an olive oil substitution can also substantially reduce the risk of getting cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. He emphasized that the type of fat we eat is more important than the amount of fat, with trans fat associated with the worst health outcomes, saturated fat not as bad but also associated with an increased risk of CVD and premature mortality, and unsaturated fats associated with reduced health risks. Hu added that the Mediterranean diet with extra virgin olive oil has been linked to improved cognition. Higher olive oil intake is also associated with a 28% lower risk of fatal dementia. Interestingly, this remained true even for those who do not consume a high quality diet overall.
So there is extensive evidence that olive oil has significant health benefits. There is also good evidence that other plant oils, such as soybean oil, sunflower oil, and canola oil offer cardiovascular benefits, including reducing LDL cholesterol. However, olive oil appears to have the strongest inverse association with mortality among all dietary fats. Does this mean that olive oil is superior to other plant oils in preventing chronic diseases and early death? Hu cautions that the statistical difference is not significant enough to draw a definitive conclusion on this claim. Results are also variable, he reports, in different intervention trials on other beneficial effects of olive oil. Some studies find that olive oil improves biomarkers regarding blood sugar control and insulin levels, while other studies do not indicate such benefits.
Hu suggests that there could be several reasons for the unclear general picture: some trials were very small, the duration of interventions was often quite short, and there are wide variations in doses and types of olive oil and in what is given to control groups for comparison. It is like comparing apples and oranges. When researchers do not distinguish between extra virgin and refined olive oils, but only assess total olive oil consumption, we cannot expect the same result as we would see in a study of the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil (which is more often used in Europe than in the USA).
While olive oil’s superiority to saturated fat is clear, Dr. Frank Hu asserts that much larger, longer, carefully designed studies are needed to clarify several points of comparison between olive oil and other vegetable oils, as well as olive oil’s effects on human health. However, he believes it is already obvious that extra virgin olive oil (the healthiest grade of olive oil) comes out ahead of other dietary fats in various ways: it is rich in heart-healthy oleic acid, it contains unique polyphenols with anti-inflammatory benefits, it is more eco-friendly than most plant oils, and it has deep historical and cultural roots in Mediterranean societies.
As Hu reminds us, “olive oil is a hallmark of the traditional Mediterranean diet; it has been known as liquid gold since ancient times.” If we removed olive oil from the Med diet, he says, the diet’s famous health benefits would be much reduced. Moreover, “olive trees are Mother Earth’s gift to humanity. They play an important role in preservation of natural resources and biodiversity, since they can grow in difficult conditions and don’t require much water.” For our own good and for the planet, Hu recommends a healthy diet rich in extra virgin olive oil whenever possible, while emphasizing the importance of cultural adaption in dietary practice.
*Originally published on Greek Liquid Gold: Authentic Extra Virgin Olive Oil (greekliquidgold.com). See that site for recipes with olive oil, photos from Greece, agrotourism and food tourism suggestions, and olive oil news and information.
The Hellenic Ornithological Society announced the extinction of the slender-billed curlew, a migratory bird that once relied on northern Greece’s wetlands during its annual journey between Europe and Africa.
According to ekathimerini.com, the species was first recorded in Greece in 1857 on the island of Corfu.
Over the years, there were 104 documented sightings, primarily in the Evros and Axios deltas and Porto Lagos.
“A slender-billed curlew observed in Messolongi on May 3, 1999 (by J.Y. Guillosson) marks the last recorded sighting of the species in Greece,” the society reported.
This marks a significant loss, as the slender-billed curlew is the first globally recognised bird species to go extinct across mainland Europe, North Africa, and West Asia, according to BirdLife International.
