This year, Melbourne celebrates the 80th Battle of Crete anniversary early due to the pandemic.
Australia’s Cretans don’t get to visit Greece in 2021, hence, this weekend the Pancretan Association of Australia and New Zealand, the Cretan Brotherhood of Melbourne and Battle of Crete Commemorative Council organised a series of events.
The honorary guests for this year’s commemorative events were Archbishop of Australia Makarios and General Consul of Greece in Melbourne Emmanuel Kakavelakis.
The celebrations began on Saturday at the Cretan Village’s ballroom at 90 Cathies Lane in Wantirna South with Sifis Tsourdalakis, Paddy Montgommery, Anthony Iliou, George Sevastakis and the ‘Dyo Patrides’ outfit.
Today, Archbishop Makarios performed a liturgy at St Efstathios in South Melbourne followed by a march, a commemorative service and a wreath laying ceremony at the Shrine of Remembrance attended by military, church, local and political officials.
Another wreath laying ceremony is set to take place at Domain Gardens ahead of a formal dinner in honour of the Anzac and Veterans at Kritiko Spiti.
Furthermore, on Monday Archbishop Makarios will give a speech at Axion Esti Church in Northcote, on ‘The Role of the Church in the Battle of Crete 1941 – 1945’.
