Being a police officer is not an easy task, and sometimes it takes special strength and divine intervention to survive.

For the past 20 years, the Victoria Police and Australian Federal Police employees as well as their family and friends have made time in their busy schedules to acknowledge the feast day of Saint Artemios (20 October), the protector saint of the Greek police.

This year was no exception, and 20 police officers attended the service that is co-hosted by Father Chris Dimolianis and the Victorian Hellenic Police Association (VHPA).

READ MORE: ‘Police Day’ celebrated in Greece 

VHPA President Andrew Markakis and VHPA Vice President Efti Anastasiadis attended the service and presented two plaques in recognition of the outstanding service to the VHPA to Father Chris and Australian Federal Police Officer Pamela Damokas.

“This service is important for me and my Hellenic colleagues to attend as we receive a blessing from Father Chris during the church service to hopefully keep us safe and out of harms way,”  Markakis said.

READ MORE: ‘We have approximately 400 Greek Australians working for Victoria Police’