Greek folk singer Lakis Halkias was laid to rest at the First Cemetery of Athens following his death at the age of 83. Relatives, friends and prominent representatives from the artistic and political sectors gathered to say their final farewell to the musician.
The funeral service took place at 12:00 noon at the Church of Saints Theodoroi inside the cemetery grounds, with the ceremony held at public expense. The First Cemetery of Athens is the historic burial ground in the Greek capital traditionally reserved for distinguished public figures, artists and statesmen.
Halkias was recognized as an authentic performer of traditional Greek folk music. Prior to the funeral service, his body lay in state from 10:00 AM in the cemetery hall to allow relatives and members of the public to pay their respects. His wife, Aleka, arrived early at the chapel, visibly emotional, and wept over the coffin during the viewing.
In accordance with the family's wishes, attendees were asked to make donations to the Hellenic Society for the Protection and Rehabilitation of Disabled Persons, known as ELEPAP, instead of purchasing floral wreaths. ELEPAP is one of the oldest non-profit charitable organizations in Greece dedicated to supporting children with physical disabilities.
Epirote Music and Courtyard Tribute
The final farewell to Halkias was accompanied by traditional Epirote music in the courtyard outside the church. Musicians playing the clarinet, guitar and bouzouki performed traditional melodies and funeral dirges as the crowd offered a final round of applause.
Traditional Epirote music originates from the mountainous Epirus region of northwestern Greece. The clarinet, or klarino, serves as its core instrument, alongside mourning songs known as miroloja that are traditionally performed to honor the deceased.
Funeral Eulogy by Communist Party Leader
Dimitris Koutsoumpas, the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Greece, delivered a funeral eulogy during the service to honor the late performer.
Koutsoumpas said that mourners were saying goodbye with pain and sorrow, recalling the passion Halkias displayed during his concert performances. He described Halkias as a great singer, musician, authentic intellectual and complete artist who consistently served the tradition of Greek music throughout his career.
Koutsoumpas added that Halkias left behind a musical treasure as his legacy. He emphasized that the singer stood worthily alongside leading figures of 20th-century Greek music, including his father Tasos Halkias, as well as Vasilis Tsitsanis, Stelios Kazantzidis, Giannis Papaioannou and Sotiria Bellou.
Tasos Halkias was a legendary clarinet virtuoso in Greek folk music. Tsitsanis, Kazantzidis, Papaioannou and Bellou were foundational figures in the development of rebetiko and popular laiko music in Greece.
Tributes from Fellow Musicians and Colleagues
Members of the Greek musical community shared personal tributes during the funeral gathering, reflecting on Halkias's career and character.
Musician Manolis Karantinis described Halkias as an important artist and a rare figure of the kind who appears only once every 500 years. Karantinis highlighted that Halkias was cheerful, honest, a valued collaborator and a loyal friend. He expressed deep sadness over the loss, offered condolences to the family, and expressed his wish for people to continue listening to Halkias's recordings.
Singer Babis Tsertos also spoke about the loss, describing Halkias as one of the most important Greek singers and a key representative of a landmark generation. Tsertos recalled the honor of collaborating with him and praised his kindness, calling him one of the most polite individuals he had encountered in the music industry.
Political and Artistic Figures in Attendance
A wide range of public figures from Greek political and cultural life attended the funeral service to pay their respects.
Among those present were Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, politician Nina Kasimati, Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, and the Ambassador of the State of Palestine to Greece, Youssef Dorkhom. Journalist Anna Panagiotarea and Communist Party municipal official Nikos Sofianos were also among the attendees.
From the artistic community, attendees included composer Christos Leontis, singer Eleni Roda, singer Nadia Karagianni, and members of Halkias's extended family, including his brother.
