With the Blessings of Archbishop Makarios of Australia, Bishop Bartholomew of Charioupolis, the Archiepiscopal Vicar of Canberra conducted a memorial service and laid a wreath on behalf of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia and Archbishop Makarios of Australia for those who fell in the Battle of Crete and the Greek Campaign.
Attending the service were the following people: the Chief of Staff of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS), Lieutenant General Georgios Kyriakou. The Ambassador of Greece Georgios Papacostas, Antonis Sammoutis the High Commissioner of Cyprus, the High Commissioner of New Zealand Her Excellency Dame Annette King, Colonel Ioannis Fasianos, Defence Attaché from the Embassy of Greece in Canberra, Andrew Satsias President of the Hellenic Club of Canberra, John Loukadellis, President of the Parish and Community of St Nicholas Canberra and Georgia Alexandrou, President of the Cypriot Community of Canberra.
A special honor for all was the presence of Corporal Les Cook, a 100-year-old World War II Veteran.
At the conclusion of the service Bishop Bartholomew conveyed the gratitude of Archbishop Makarios to Mr. Cook for his service to our blessed country of Australia.
Moreover, Bishop Bartholomew welcomed Kyriakou to Canberra and offered his assistance and hospitality whilst at the Nation’s Capital.
