Adelaide turned white and blue over the weekend, with scores of Greek Australians gathering for commemorations of OXI Day, featuring a march in the city centre by members of the Greek Presidential Guard.

On Friday 28 October a service was held at St George Church, Thebarton, in the presence of Greece’s Deputy Defence Minister Nikos Hardalias and the Evzones.

The church service at St George was open to the public. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Earlier in the week, the Greek Presidential Guard attended a church service at St Dimitrios Church Salisbury honouring the Saint’s nameday. Here, at St George on Saturday. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.

The liturgy was followed by the unveiling of a memorial in honour of the 200th year anniversary of the independence of the Greek state, honouring ‘the fallen in the name of freedom’.

Energy and Mining Minister Tom Koutsantonis in front of the newly unveiled monument at the St George church premises. Photo: Greek Ministry of Defence
Bill Papastergiadis (seen first from left) President of Melbourne’s Greek Community, was among interstate visitors who attended the South Australian OXI Day events. Photo: Greek Ministry of Defence

Events began on Saturday morning with the Evzones conducting a half-hour march attracting local Greek Australians as well as bystanders, some witnessing for the first time the impressive procession of Greece’s elite Presidential Guard in official uniform.

Young and old gathered to see the half-hour march of the Evzones in Adelaide’s city centre. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
For some young Greek Australians, it was the first time seeing the Evzones from close distance. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Outside St George Church, Adelaide, crowds gathered for the OXI Day commemoration events. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
The march started from the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Frome Street and ended at the War Memorial. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.

At around 9am the march concluded in front of Adelaide’s War Memorial marking the beginning of the Service of Remembrance honouring OXI Day and the fallen in various wars. A ‘trisagion’ and a wreath laying ceremony followed.

Attendees at the War Memorial on Saturday witnessed a changing of the Guard at 10am, 11am and 12 noon. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Members of the Guard stood in honour of the sacrifice made by the fallen in front of the War Memorial as dignitaries laid wreaths. Here, South Australian MP Tom Koutsantonis. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
The Greek Deputy Defence Minister Nikos Hardalias captured by photographers during the War Memorial wreath-laying ceremony. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.
Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos

Greece’s Deputy Defence Minister Nikos Hardalias referred to the sacrifice of the ANZACs who fought side by side the Greeks in conflicts and the ‘leventes’ Evzones who travelled so far for the commemorations.

“I feel honoured and proud. I feel honoured, because this year I had the chance to commemorate OXI Day, one of the most important Greek national anniversaries, in a country whose gallant soldiers fought side by side with ours in many conflicts including the second World War. And I feel proud, because today I see the leventes members of the Hellenic Presidential Guard, our Evzones, so far away from home standing proudly to honour the heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice,” he said.

Greece’s Deputy Defence Minister Nikos Hardalias (first from right) met with the Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas earlier in the week as part of his visit to Australia. The meeting focused on issues that concern the Greek community and the diaspora, as well as challenges faced by Greece in the Aegean and the war in Ukraine. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.

The day culminated with a sit down dinner event which commenced with the Presidential Guard marching from their hotel down Frome Street, Rundle Street, East Terrace through to Vardon Street, followed by a ‘welcome to country’ service performed by an Aboriginal elder.

On Tuesday, members of the Presidential Guard unit are scheduled to visit Perth, with WA Premier Mark McGowan and Perth Lord Mayor Basil Zempilas expected to welcome them in person.

The visit of the Evzones in South Australia was made possible with support from the Foundation for Hellenic Studies and the state government. Photo: Jamieson Noutsatos.