Whilst thousands of children will be waiting excitedly on Christmas Eve for Father Christmas to arrive, 88 year old Marco and Thelma Economidis will be celebrating the precious gift of love.
The couple, who have never had an argument, will celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary on December 24, 2009.
“Their ability to love and submit to one another has impacted on so many people,” says granddaughter Alexandra Bekiaris.
“What they’ve got is compassion for one another, understanding and patience. It is so rare that you hear these stories about people not arguing or raising their voices at each other because it is not very common in society today.”
Greek migrants Marco and Thelma met in Australia whilst working in a Clifton Hill shoe factory in 1939. They were married shortly afterwards at the Greek Orthodox Church in East Melbourne.
“They were only 18…and he just kept looking at her and she just kept looking at him and it was really cute,” recalls Alexandra .
“Now things haven’t changed. She would give me a kiss in the morning and at night for 70 years, he would always say.”
Marco Economidis founded the Heidelberg United Soccer Club and has been a life member since.
The couple have four children; George, Chris, Mary, and Alexandra’s mother Kathleen. They also have nine grandchildren and eight great grand children.
ABS statistics show that the average duration of total married life (for people who got married in 1985-1987, and 2000-2002) is approximately 32 years.
The longest marriage in the world was that of Indian couple, Philipose and Sosamma Thomas, who married in 1918 for 86 years and 128 days.
Marco and Thelma have received a congratulations from the Queen for their platinum wedding anniversary.