Culture

Throughout the year Oakleigh Grammar students are invited to represent our school community in different events. Students give up their Sundays or even their school holidays to attend these events proudly.

Term 2 started with Oakleigh Grammar students being fully involved in the Greek Community!

This year, the parishioners of Sts Anargiri Church had the privilege to welcome the Greek Presidential Guard (Evzones). The Presidential Guard attended the St Anargiri Greek Orthodox Church in Oakleigh to celebrate Holy Friday, where His Eminence Archbishop of Australia Makarios officiated, assisted by the His Grace Bishop of Sozopoleos Kyriakos and His Grace Bishop of Kerasounta Evmenios.  

Selected Oakleigh Grammar students had the honour to be invited and to be part of this significant celebration. Students attended the emotional procession of the Epitaphios on Holy Friday night. A group of students were part of the Byzantine Choir chanting Hymns and chanting the Lamentations. Junior and Middle students dressed up as Myrrhbearers. Senior students accompanied the tomb and walked around the church with reverence and contemplation where the male students had the great opportunity to carry the Epitaphio (tomb).  

On Sunday 15th of May, the Pontian Coordinating Committee for the Commemoration of the Greek Genocide organised the annual Memorial Service for the victims of the Greek Genocide of Pontus. Oakleigh Grammar School was invited to take part in this year’s memorial service. The event took place at the Holy Cathedral of St Eustathios followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Australian Hellenic Memorial. Middle School Captains and Year 11 SRC Representatives represented our Oakleigh Grammar. On behalf of our school community Year 11 students, Elena Georgiades and Duncan Bain laid a wreath showing their respect to those who lost their lives during the period 1916-1923.

Another special event for our School was the Anzac Day ceremony on the 27th of April where Oakleigh Grammar was honoured to have members of the Greek Presidential Guard, known as the Evzones. The Evzones led a procession into the School’s Anzac Day Commemoration Assembly attended by Middle and Senior School students and staff and Father George Adamakis. The Commemoration concluded with Principal Mr Robertson together with the Evzones officiating the laying of a wreath at Oakleigh Grammar’s onsite Shrine of Remembrance.  

School Captain Toni Stathopoulos and Year 11 student Arthur Demetriou had the privilege to attend a special lunch with the members of the Greek Presidential Guard, Father George and the Principal. Students asked a lot of questions the Evzones about their significant role as members of the Greek Presidential Guard and they had discussions on different topics with the guests.  Congratulations to all Oakleigh Grammar Students for respectfully representing the school community and proudly attending all these events.

Natasha Spanos

Hellenic Culture Coordinator