Greek Australian students meet the famous ‘Evzones’ – the Greek Presidential Guard

The Presidential Guard at St John’s College. Photo: Supplied

The Greek schools in Melbourne were honoured to be joined by members of the famous Greek Presidential Guard, known as the Evzones, who made time to participate in the Anzac Day ceremonies held at Oakleigh Grammar, Alphington Grammar and St John’s College.

The Evzones led a procession into the Oakleigh Grammar’s Anzac Day Commemoration Assembly attended by Middle and Senior School students and staff and Father George Adamakis, where they took centre stage, presiding over the moving commemoration, led by Principal Mark Robertson.

On Wednesday, St John’s College welcomed the Greek Presidential Guard for another memorial service dedicated to the Anzacs, where Senior School drummers marked the beginning of the the assembly. Along with the Evzones there were other special guests in attendance, such as Bishop Evmenios of Kerasounta, Father John Frangos, Father Jim Grivas, Victorian Bicentenary Committee President Antonis Tsourdalakis, Major Vasileios Sakelaropoulos and Sergeant Major Efthimios Theodorou.

Major Sakelaropoulos and Sergeant Major Theodorou addressed the assembly about the uniform, the role and the importance of the Presidential guard.

Finally, on the day before they depart for Greece, the Evzones joined the students at Alphington Grammar for their own ceremonies.

The Victorian government sponsored a contingent of the Evzones to visit Melbourne from Greece to take part in the official Anzac Day Parade, a visit that was delayed by a year to mark 200 years of Greece’s independence.

neoskosmos.com