25th of March Greek National Day celebrations in the Holy Diocese of Adelaide
With the blessing of His Eminence Archbishop Makarios, the Holy Diocese of Adelaide held official celebrations for the 25th of March Greek National Day on Sunday of the Veneration of the Holy Cross, 23rd of March 2025.
The formalities began, most appropriately, with prayer – with a Hierarchical Divine Liturgy and Doxology service at the Archiepiscopal Church of St Sophia (Holy Wisdom of God), Bowden. The service was presided by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Adelaide, who conveyed the blessings of His Eminence, and spoke about the significance of the Independence Day and also of the Holy Cross, whose veneration coincided with the day’s celebrations. The service was attended by the Consul General from Greece in Adelaide Dr Alexandra Theodoropoulou, our State’s civil and military authorities, representatives from all three branches of the Australian armed forces as well as representatives from many of the Greek cultural associations organisations.
After the Liturgy and Doxology service, the Inter-Communities Council (ICC) of the Holy Diocese of Adelaide hosted the memorial trisagion service – presided by His Grace – in the traditional location at the National War Memorial on North Terrace (in the Adelaide CBD). Faithful gathered from Greek Orthodox parishes and schools all over Adelaide to remember the heroes who had fallen in the struggle for freedom and independence. His Grace addressed the attendees with a call for us to honour those who fought bravely to overthrow the Ottoman rule to secure freedom for the Faith and Nation.
This was followed by the wreath laying, with wreaths being laid by various Federal, State and Local Government representatives – including the Minister for Transport Tom Koutsantonis (representing the Premier, Mr Peter Malinauskas), Minister for Small Business Andrea Michaels, Federal Member for Adelaide Mr Steve Georganas, and Lord Mayor for the City of Adelaide Dr Jane Lomax-Smith. These were followed by representatives from the social institutions and schools of the Archdiocese, and many of the other Greek cultural organisations. The final wreath was laid by Dr Vladimyros Devrelis, as president of the hosting organisation. The Australian Army band honoured the fallen with a performance of the Last Post and Reveille, also playing both the Australian and Greek national anthems. The formalities were closed by the Consul General for Greece in Adelaide, Dr Alexandra Theodoropoulou, who gave a speech in which she rejoiced in the fact that today “Athens has come to Adelaide” – the Greeks in the city proudly keeping this heritage alive.
After the formalities the faithful took the short walk to the nearby Torrens Parade Ground where the fourth annual Greek Independence Day festival was held again in the shade of some significant eucalypts. It was an opportunity to showcase traditional Greek dance, song and poem performances by children of several of our Orthodox colleges and Greek schools.
The ladies of the Central Philoptochos lovingly prepared calamari plates. calamari yiros, falafels, Greek coffee and frappe for the attendees – as well as the obligatory loukoumades and delicious fresh fruit platters. The festival continues to grow in popularity and was again blessed with perfect weather this year, with the organising committee continuing to improve and expand the event. We pray that God may bless their efforts to showcase our Faith and our traditions for all those who live in this state.
