Greece's elite Presidential Guard, the Evzones, begin their Australian tour tomorrow, Thursday 22 October, with a public...

Greece's elite Presidential Guard, the Evzones, begin their Australian tour tomorrow, Thursday 22 October, with a public Guard of Honour at the Martin Place Cenotaph in Sydney from 1pm to 2pm AEDT. The ceremony is open to all and will honour Australian and Greek servicemen and women, with a particular focus on those who served in the Greek and Cretan campaigns of World War II. The Sydney program is hosted by the Hellenic Club Sydney with support from the NSW Government. Nikolas Hatzistergos, president of the Hellenic Club Sydney, called the visit deeply meaningful, saying that hosting the Guard again during the club's Centenary Year is truly special. On Saturday 24 October, the Guard attends the Hellenic Club Sydney's ticketed Centenary Gala Ball at the Hyatt Regency. Sunday 25 October brings two major public events: Divine Liturgy at St Spyridon Church in Kingsford at 9:30am, followed by the flagship event of the Sydney leg at 1:30pm, a ceremonial march from Elizabeth Street to the ANZAC Memorial in Hyde Park with a flag-raising hosted by the Kalymnian Association of NSW. All are welcome and Greek flags are encouraged. On Wednesday 28 October, OXI Day itself, the Evzones travel to Canberra for the first official Evzones visit to the national capital. The day opens with Divine Liturgy at St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church in Kingston at 8am, followed by a wreath-laying at the Australian War Memorial at 2:30pm. At 6:30pm the Guard marches from Matilda Street through the Hellenic Club carpark for a Guard of Honour at the club entrance. Organisers recommend being in position by 6:15pm. A ticketed OXI Day dinner follows at 7:45pm in Kivotos, with Canberra landmarks lit in blue. The tour closes on Thursday 29 October with an 11am Doxology at the Cathedral of the Annunciation of Our Lady in Redfern, officiated by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, followed by a wreath-laying ceremony. The visit marks 86 years since Greece refused Mussolini's ultimatum on 28 October 1940. In 1941, some 34,000 Australians and New Zealanders fought alongside Hellenic forces in Greece and on Crete. Some 1,686 Anzac servicemen from both world wars are buried in Greece. #OXIDay #Evzo...