Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis delivered a message of national strength and optimism from the Aegean island of Tinos during celebrations marking the Dormition of the Virgin Mary. Speaking on behalf of the Greek government, Gerapetritis issued a clear warning to those who scheme against Greece while attending annual religious and military commemorations.
Representing the government, Gerapetritis laid a wreath at the port of Tinos during a memorial service marking 86 years since the torpedoing of the Greek cruiser Elli. The ceremony took place as part of remembrance events for the warship, which was attacked in the harbor on August 15, 1940.
Commemorating National Power
Addressing the public from Tinos, Gerapetritis described August 15 as a major day for both Orthodoxy and the Greek nation. He said a message of faith, hope, and optimism was being sent to all Hellenism from the island, which he described as the noble lady of the Aegean and the home of the Virgin Mary.
Gerapetritis emphasized that Greece remains committed to the core values of democracy, freedom, and human dignity. He underlined that the nation stands at the peak of its power, supported by the courage of the Greek people and the enlightenment of the Virgin Mary.
Focusing on national power, the minister issued a direct warning to those who harbor ill intent against the country. He noted that while friends of Greece are aware of its strength, adversaries must also remember it, adding that Greece is destined to achieve greatness through its deep history.
Annual Memorial and Regional Context
Gerapetritis concluded his message by offering holiday wishes to all Greek men and women from the Aegean Sea, which he called the sea of Hellenism, according to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency.
Tinos, an island in the Cyclades group in the Aegean Sea, is the primary destination for Orthodox Christian pilgrims celebrating the Dormition of the Virgin Mary each year. The August 15 holiday holds deep religious and historical significance across Greece, blending spiritual observances with official state commemorations.
