On Friday 25 April 2025, in the presence of the Minister of National Defence Mr Nikos Dendias, as representative of the Government, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff General Dimitrios Choupis and the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Athens Concert Hall event for the celebration of the Great Martyr Saint Georgios, Patron Saint of the Army, was conducted.

The event was honoured by the presence of:

• The Deputy Minister of National Defence Thanasis Davakis.

• The MP of Athens South Constituency Chatzidakis Dionysios, as representative of the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament.

• The Reverend Archimandrite of Varnavas Theocharis as representative of His Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens and All of Greece Mr Ieronymos Β, as well as members of the Holy Synod.

• Representatives of the Parliamentary Parties.

• The Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff Vice Admiral HN Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras.

• The Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff Lieutenant General (Pilot) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis.

• The Chief of the Hellenic Police Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios.

• Major General Anastasios Pappas, Attica Coordinator, as representative of the Chief of the Fire Service.

• The Chief of the Hellenic Port Authority – Coastguard Vice Admiral Tryfon Kontizas.

• The former Minister of National Defence and Honorary Chief of HNDGS Admiral (ret.) HN Evangelos Apostolakis.

• The Honorary Chief of HNDGS General (ret.) Manousos Paragioudakis.

• The Honorary Chief of HNDGS General (ret.) Dimitrios Skarvelis.

• The former Minister of Citizen’s Protection and Honorary Chief of HAGS General (ret.) Charalambos Lalousis.

• The Honorary Chief of HAGS General (ret.) Konstantinos Ginis.

• The Honorary Chief of HAGS General (ret.) Georgios Kambas.

• The Honorary Chief of the National Guard General Staff General (ret.) Georgios Basiakoulis.

• Members of the Supreme Military Council.

• Defence Attachés.

• Representatives of the Supreme Panhellenic Federation of Reserve Officers and the Reserve Officers Associations from various Regions of Greece.

• Active and retired Officers of the Armed and Security Forces, representatives of local bodies and distinguished benefactors.

The event included audio-visual material dedicated to the “Future Army” as well as the “The Army as a Second Family”, promoting the anthropocentric and modern orientation of the Army. Poems of Odysseas Elytis and of the Greek-Spanish lyrical poet Lorentzos Mavilis were recited, while excerpts were read from the memoirs of General Ioannis Makrygiannis, by Mr Leonidas Kakouris, attributing a historical and spiritual depth to the whole event.

Subsequently, a musical feature took place, with the participation of the Higher Army Support Military Command’s military band and later of the Contemporary Music Orchestra of ERT, who accompanied the singers Ms Tzina Fotinopoulou and Mr Michalis Dimitrakakos.

The event was concluded with the award of commemorative gifts to everyone engaged, by the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff.

#ΕλληνικόςΣτρατός, #HellenicArmy