Hellenic Culture 

Over the years, Oakleigh Grammar School has built a strong partnership with various organizations and associations within the Greek community. Students have the opportunity to attend many different events throughout the year, where they learn about Greek history as well as the connection between the two countries, Greece and Australia.

On Saturday, 10 August, Middle School Leaders and Year 11 SRC members attended Melbourne’s Lemnos Gallipoli commemorative service. The service took place at the Lemnos Gallipoli Memorial at Lemnos Square in Albert Park. This annual memorial commemorates the important role of the Greek island of Lemnos in Australia’s ANZAC story and is dedicated to the Australian nurses and soldiers who served there during the Gallipoli campaign in 1915, the 148 Australian soldiers who remain buried there, and the local community who supported them. Students were accompanied by Deputy Principal Mr. Peter Dickinson and Hellenic Culture Coordinator Mrs. Natasha Spanos. Our Year 11 SRC members, Eleni Koutsandonis and Michaela Millar, laid a wreath on behalf of the school community.

The Feast of the Dormition of the Theotokos, celebrated on August 15, is one of the most significant feast days in the Orthodox Christian tradition, particularly within the Greek Orthodox Church. It commemorates the "falling asleep" (Dormition) of the Virgin Mary, also known as the Theotokos, and her assumption into heaven. In Greece, this day is a national holiday, and many cities and villages, especially those with churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary, hold special celebrations.

In celebration of this special day, selected Oakleigh Grammar students attended the Divine Liturgy at the Greek Orthodox Parish of Sts Anargiri in Oakleigh. The School Byzantine Choir also participated, beautifully chanting the hymns dedicated to our Theotokos.

Natasha Spanos

Hellenic Culture Coordinator