In his 2025 Easter message, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis highlighted the enduring message of Orthodox Easter as a journey “through pain and hardship, to light and hope.”
He reflected on the global and national challenges of the past year, saying, “This year, Easter finds troubled humanity seeking peace. And our societies are being tested.” Despite these difficulties, he affirmed that Greece continues to push forward.
“The state stands by society. Supporting the economy and households. Strengthening our country and our democracy,” he said.
Mitsotakis called on the public to embrace the Easter message not only as a religious milestone but also as a symbol of collective strength and resilience.
“We draw strength from the message of the Resurrection. Which is, above all, a victory of life, of truth, of love,” he emphasised.
The Prime Minister encouraged all Greeks to celebrate Easter with compassion, saying, “Let us celebrate Easter with our loved ones. But also with those who need us by their side.”
He concluded with a message of unity and hope: “With unity, we are stronger. With faith, we endure. Happy Easter to all!”
Archbishop Makarios of Australia has released his official Easter message for 2025, addressing the Orthodox faithful across the country. In this year’s message, the Archbishop reflects on the growing challenge of loneliness in modern society and encourages people to find strength and meaning in their faith during difficult times.
You can read Archbishop Makarios’ full Easter message below: By God’s mercy, Archbishop of the Most Holy Archdiocese of Australia, Primate and Exarch of All Oceania, to the God-loving Bishops, the gracious clergy, the monastic communities, to the Presidents of the honourable Administrative Committees and Philoptochos Associations, to the teachers and students in the Schools, to those who work in the philanthropic institutions and to all the Christ-loving plenitude of the Orthodox Church in Australia, grace and peace from Christ our Saviour who gloriously rose. Most honourable Fellow Bishops and my beloved children, One of the greatest scourges of our time is loneliness, which affects millions of our fellow human beings without exception. Young and old, rich and poor, unknown and famous, leaders and those who are led—all of us, at some point, have experienced loneliness. Of course, the harshest kind of loneliness is not when you are physically alone, but when, despite being surrounded by many people, you still feel alone. The deepest type of loneliness is when you are with someone, but you cannot speak freely, or when you simply say “I’m fine” so that no one will ask you anything more. The deepest loneliness is when you are in a relationship but do not feel the sense of “fellowship” or “togetherness”. You feel like you are there only to fill voids and meet needs, without, however, experiencing a sense of fullness. But above all, the harshest kind of loneliness is when you live your daily life without God. Loneliness without the risen Christ—the Conqueror and Victor—is truly the most painful and comes with many side effects. Chief amongst them is depression. When we believe in the Resurrection of Christ, we live a paradox. According to the hymnographer: “The miracles are revealed to those who worship the mystery [of the Resurrection] with faith”. With Christ’s Resurrection, everything changes and gains meaning. Loneliness is transformed into a state of peace and stillness that does not disturb, disappoint, or depress. And most importantly, loneliness—when lived with faith in the Risen Christ—frees you from the external and perishable influences of this world and helps you experience the imperishable. To this resurrected way of life, I invite you all. Live your loneliness in the company of Christ.
Stefanos Tsitsipas has made a shock exit from the quarter-finals of the 2025 Barcelona Open, retiring just 16 minutes into his match against French player Arthur Fils due to a lower back injury.
The match, held on Thursday evening at the Real Club de Tenis Barcelona, came to an abrupt end with Tsitsipas trailing 2-0 in the opening set. The Greek appeared visibly uncomfortable on court and called for medical attention before ultimately deciding to withdraw from the match.
Fils, currently ranked world No. 14, said he was expecting a much tougher encounter.
“I was ready to battle for a few hours because he’s a champion,” the Frenchman said in his on-court interview. “We played six minutes and now it’s over. I think it’s his back – I just hope he gets better soon.”
The early retirement is a disappointing turn for Tsitsipas, who was seeking to build on strong form after reaching the final in Monte Carlo. The 25-year-old has now been a four-time finalist in Barcelona but is yet to win the tournament.
Tsitsipas, currently ranked world No. 16, will now turn his focus to recovery ahead of the French Open, which begins next month in Paris.
Award-winning British author Peter Barber writes books about… Greece. So far, he has published five books about his second, or first, home! These include: ‘A Parthenon on our Roof’ (2022), ‘Musings from a Greek Village’ (2023), ‘A Parthenon in Pefki’ (2024), ‘Musings from a Pandemic (2024) and ‘The Parthenon Paradox’ (2025).
His five books to date foremost reflect his love for his Greek wife, Alexandra (Alex); a love which quickly evolved into a love for Greece. In his books, these themes reflect Peter’s deep appreciation and awe of Greece and her traditions using humour to narrate his experiences in getting to know Greek culture, part of which is Easter of course.
“Amazing … an incredible custom which I love,” is how Peter describes Greek Orthodox Easter, while adding “I didn’t realise the true meaning of Easter until I came to Greece.”
As for Easter in the United Kingdom, Peter says it generally involved “Easter eggs and hot cross buns,” and that it’s mainly a public holiday. So, Peter and Alex, who spend time in both the UK and Greece, prefer celebrating Easter in their “village,” which is Pefki, on the island of Northern Evia, Greece.
This has led him to conclude that “religion and culture are not separate in Greece.”
“Nobody stays home, and everyone, the entire village celebrate it,” he says.
As an example, Peter enthusiastically refers to following the Epitaphio (representation of Jesus’ tomb), with a band present and everyone holding candles. He goes on to talk about the Anastasi, “the famous Easter Resurrection service,” which is “magical.”
“As midnight approaches, we join the entire village at the church. At exactly midnight, the priest calls out “Christos Anesti!” (Christ is risen!), and the Holy Flame – flown in from Jerusalem, because Greece doesn’t do things by halves – is passed from person to person. Within moments, the entire church courtyard glows with candlelight. Church bells ring, fireworks explode overhead, and everyone embraces, exchanging wishes of health and happiness,” Peter explains.
His first Easter in Greece many years ago was not all smooth sailing, or should I say, smooth skewering, though. This wasn’t due to his first exposure to the traditional offal soup eaten at Greek Orthodox Easter – mageritsa – regardless of his description of swallowing it bravely “without turning too green!”
With a shy smile yet characteristic wit, Peter refers to his first Greek Orthodox Easter as an “Easter experiment.”
“When Alex first told me about Greek Orthodox Easter, I imagined a quiet, spiritual affair – perhaps a candlelit church service followed by a dignified meal. What I got was an explosion of fire, feasting, and enough chaos to make a British Christmas look like a library reading,” he says.
But things got really hairy, or hairless, when something went horribly wrong… “the lamb debacle.”
Peter, newly wed then to Alex, felt it was “time for me to prove my worth as a Greek son-in-law.” He headed to the meat market where he was glad the lambs on sale were skinned, otherwise, “if I’d had to do the deed myself, we’d have ended up eating sausages!”
He then narrates his hilarious experience, which begins with him securing the lamb on the spit and lighting the fire, whereby… “everything was going perfectly – until the lamb began to cook… and as it shrank, it became floppy. With each rotation, the middle sagged, bounced, and eventually thumped down onto the fire. No problem, I thought. A little wire around the middle should hold it in place. Big mistake. An hour later, with a sickening crack, the lamb snapped in half. The wire had cut through it, and both halves tumbled into the flames.”
He continues: “I tried to rescue the now-burning remains, suffering mild third-degree burns in the process. As I stared at the charred mess in front of me, I realised I had just ruined the most important meal of the year. Embarrassed, I went downstairs to break the news to Alex and her mother. But instead of outrage, they were grinning.”
He says they reassuringly told him that this happens and that it wasn’t a problem as they could salvage the lamb and cook it in the oven, which they did.
“Apparently, I had just unknowingly passed the ultimate Greek Orthodox Easter initiation test… I had experienced something far more valuable – what Greek Orthodox Easter is really about,” Peter concludes.
“Family, laughter, resilience… and, of course, the unwavering knowledge that no matter how bad things seem, there’s always a way to make them work. Even if it involves a half-burned lamb and a lot of improvisation.”
High Commissioner of the Republic of Cyprus in Australia, Antonis Sammoutis, sends his heartfelt wishes to Australia’s Greek and Cypriot diaspora ahead of Orthodox Easter.
Full message in English:
Dear compatriots,
It is with great joy that I once again extend my warmest wishes to our diaspora this Easter, wishing you all the very best in your personal, family, and professional lives.
Easter signifies a passage. Just as in the Old Testament it symbolised the journey from slavery to freedom, in the New Testament it represents the transition from Death to Life, from Crucifixion to Resurrection, from Suffering to Redemption. It symbolises the sacrifice of the Lamb and Christ’s boundless love for humanity—love that led Him to Golgotha and the Cross. Our Holy Tradition and Church guide us in preparation for this sacred celebration, through fasting and the solemn services of Holy Week. Only through such preparation can we truly experience this radiant feast, the centre of our faith and life—the miracle that gives meaning to all things and guides our steps as individuals and as Greeks, as a people of the Lord.
It is a particular blessing this year that Christians across the world—both Catholic and Orthodox—celebrate Easter on the same day, sending a powerful message of unity and concord. At the same time, our thoughts and concerns turn to the very cradle of Christianity, in Palestine and Syria, where Christians continue to face violence and danger, longing for a new beginning and praying fervently for more peaceful days. Our minds also turn to war-torn Ukraine, where Cain continues to raise his fratricidal hand against Abel. Of course, we cannot forget our small homeland, Cyprus, and the churches in the occupied north where no liturgies can be held. Yet this year, after nearly eight years of stagnation and disappointment, a small glimmer of light has reappeared—just enough to reignite hope that our own Resurrection may not be so far away.
Dear friends,
On Holy and Great Saturday, in churches across our communities—in the City, in Greece, in Cyprus, and in every corner of the world where Hellenism exists, from America to Australia—millions of faithful will gather outside our churches, chanting Christ is Risen. The churches will overflow, unable to contain the crowds. This, in itself, is our most powerful response during difficult times—at a moment in history where alienation, cultural erosion, and assimilation often feel overwhelming.
When the bells ring out joyfully and call us to worship, we will all symbolically become one again—in the name of Faith and Love—to celebrate Holy Easter with all the strength of our souls, lighting a flame of hope in our hearts that will burn brightly all year long.
Christ is Risen! Wishing you a joyful and blessed Resurrection,
Greece’s Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister for Greeks Abroad, Ioannis Michail Loverdos, has issued a message to Australia’s Greek diaspora ahead of Orthodox Easter.
Full message in English:
Dear compatriots,
Holy Pascha is the greatest celebration of Christianity and the most sacred moment in the Greek Orthodox tradition. For us Greeks, faith in the Resurrection of Christ signifies salvation, renewal, and life itself. For this reason, wherever we may be—across all corners of the earth—we celebrate Easter with splendour.
The message of the Resurrection resonates even more powerfully and reaches the entire world thanks to you, the Greeks of the diaspora, who, even while experiencing these Holy Days far from the homeland, carry Greece deep within you. You preserve our customs and traditions, promote our language, and keep alive our Greek Orthodox heritage.
The radiant Resurrection of our Lord is an inexhaustible source of hope and unity for Hellenism and all Greeks, spreading the message of life’s triumph across the globe.
I wish that the light of the Resurrection shines in all our hearts and fills us with strength and optimism.
Christ is Risen! Wishing you and your families good health, joy, and prosperity. Happy Easter!
Greece has taken a significant step toward greener shipping with its first-ever delivery of bio marine fuel, carried out by the Motor Oil Group and its subsidiary, Coral Marine. This marks a major milestone in the country’s efforts to cut emissions and support the maritime industry’s transition to more sustainable energy sources, according to ekathimerini.com.
The delivery was made to the cruise ship Celestyal Discovery at the Port of Lavrio in southeastern Attica. It represents Greece’s initial venture into using a marine fuel blend that includes biofuel—an innovation expected to reduce the ship’s CO2 emissions by around 21%.
The eco-friendly fuel consists of conventional oil refined at Motor Oil’s facilities, combined with biofuel produced at the group’s Verd plant. The biofuel is made from used cooking oil sourced from within the Greek market, highlighting a circular approach to sustainability.
Some people don’t need to raise their voice to be heard. Nor do they need to crowd a display window with bright, sugary creations to make an impression. One of those people is Stelios Parliaros — Greece’s most poetic pastry chef, who has spent decades refining his craft not through spectacle, but through sincerity, grace, and soul.
Easter is his moment. A time that awakens childhood memories, flickering candlelight, family gatherings, and the gleam of chocolate eggs waiting patiently behind glass until a child’s eager hand shatters their shell with joy. It is the most tender, most symbolic season of the year — a season of renewal, reflection and rediscovery.
In a deeply personal interview with The Greek Herald, Stelios Parliaros shares his philosophy on the Easter chocolate egg, viewing it not simply as a sweet treat, but as an artistic expression, a keeper of tradition, and a quiet rebellion against commercial trends.
He recalls a time when everything was made by hand. “When I started out in 1979, working at Papaspirou Patisserie, we made everything ourselves — nothing was standardised. Everything was artisanal.” That spirit of craftsmanship, he says, is now rare. “Today they stick on a ready-made ornament and call it done. Back then, it took skill. It was an art.”
Parliaros still handcrafts his signature Easter creations — ducks, bunnies, classic egg shapes — all from high-quality milk chocolate. “When we were young, we’d never seen milk chocolate. The eggs were always dark. Now, the chocolate is finer, more delicate, but also harder to handle. It melts quickly. It’s not for everyone.”
Despite the passage of time and change in tastes, Parliaros remains firmly rooted in authenticity. “Innovation should come from memory, not in opposition to it,” he says. And in his view, authenticity requires resisting trends like the popular “Dubai Chocolate” — a pistachio-laced praline currently flooding the market. “I refuse to make it,” he says. “It doesn’t speak to me. It’s not creation. It’s imitation.”
Parliaros’ Easter egg creations are, instead, closer to high art. Collaborations with fashion house Deux Hommes have turned his eggs into couture pieces — complete with fabric embellishments, feathers, bold textures and Indian-inspired fabrics for this year’s collection. “We even have playful lines for kids — lions, footballers, little characters. There should be something for everyone.”
Every collection takes around nine months to develop — from concept to execution — with a clear theme each year. One year, it was the flower children of the ‘60s. Another, delicate feathers and Italian lace. “I work with one of the last remaining craftsmen in Greece who can still make these traditional egg decorations, the way we remember from Constantinople. We begin each year together, making something special.”
While chocolate eggs were once just for children, today, Parliaros says, 80% of buyers are adults — giving them as gifts, pairing them with handmade candles, or sending them to corporate clients. “Our candles are another story,” he adds, explaining collaborations with monasteries in the Peloponnese, where nuns create unique, hand-painted designs with crosses, stones, reds and golds.
“I don’t like offering something mass-produced. I want it to be unique.”
This attention to detail, he explains, extends to his ingredients. “I choose only natural, edible materials. No artificial colourings. It has to be safe. Sometimes I import things myself. It takes imagination — but I don’t go to extremes.”
The rise in ingredient costs is a concern. “Everything’s more expensive — sugar, sunflower oil, butter. It all went up with the war in Ukraine. Prices are slowly dropping now, but many suppliers aren’t passing that on. It’s also a marketing issue. People want cheap, but cheap comes at a price. When you see a chocolate egg for €1.50, don’t you wonder what’s in it?”
On Australia and authenticity:
Asked about his connection to Australia, Parliaros lights up. “I first visited 20 years ago. I was lucky to meet chef George Calombaris — he became a family friend. He invited me several times. We did culinary events and presentations together. I also have friends in Melbourne. Australia is a country I could have lived in, if I were younger.”
He sees promise in Australian patisserie. “There’s interest, progress. But like in Greece, everyone copies the French. I studied there myself. But I’ve always believed we should create something our own. My desserts don’t resemble the French. Nor the new generation, who copy them exactly. In Greece, you go to a hotel and they serve you macarons instead of traditional amygdalota. Let the French make macarons. We should rediscover our own roots.”
“I carry the East within me. I carry Romiosyni, the flavours of our place. And wherever I travel — Australia or elsewhere — I always return with an idea, a new ingredient, an inspiration. To make it my own. To turn it into something authentic. That’s what matters.”
In the hands of Stelios Parliaros, the chocolate Easter egg becomes more than a confection. It becomes memory, craft, resistance, and art — a celebration not just of Easter, but of identity itself.
