Τhe Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias attended τoday, Friday 12 December 2025, the celebrations for the feast of the Patron Saint of Corfu, St. Spyridon, as representative of the Prime Minister.
Mr. Dendias attended the Solemn Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at the Holy Church of St. Spyridon, officiated by His Eminence the Metropolitan of Corfu, Paxoi, and the Diapontian Islands, Mr. Nektarios.
Following the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy, the Minister of National Defence stated:
“Good morning and many happy returns to all! It is a great joy and honour for me to represent the Prime Minister and the Hellenic Government, here in Corfu, at the feast of the island’s Patron Saint, St. Spyridon.
As you know, every household in Corfu, every family, has a Spyros, a Spyridoula. To all them, I cordially wish many happy returns and good fortune!
Yet my presence here today does not solely concern paying respects to St. Spyridon, wishing well to those who celebrate their name day, or respect to this important Ionian Island. It is about respect towards our traditions in a wider sense, to that which forms our identity.
I consider keeping our traditions and living by them to be a part of our identity, and our “weapon” in dire times.
Besides, this is what has maintained us throughout recurring crises.
By the way, today I would like to point out something important for the Country: Yesterday’s election of the Minister of Finance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis to the leadership of the Eurogroup. We who have lived through the crisis of ’10, we who awaited the word of Dijsselbloem to see if Greece will make it to the next day, we are fortunate to witness the moment when a Greek becomes President of the Eurogroup.
I would yet again like to wish all many happy returns and good fortune! And let us be well until next year”.
The celebration of St. Spyridon was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Stefanos Gkikas, MP Alexandros Christos Avlonitis, the Head of Region of the Ionian Islands Ioannis Trepeklis, the Mayor of Central Corfu and the Diapontian Islands Stefanos Penintarchou Poulimenos.
On behalf of the Armed Forces it was attended by the Commanding General of the 8th Motorised Infantry Brigade, Brigadier General Vasilis Kolios, the Commander of the Corfu Naval Station, Lieutenant Commander Giorgos Papachristou HN, and other personnel.
Other attendees were the Mayor of Southern Corfu Ioannis Kavvadias, the Mayor of Northern Corfu Giorgos Macheimaris, the Regional Director General of the Ionian Islands Hellenic Police Directorate, Police Major General Georgios Doukis, the Corfu Harbour Master, Commander Anastasios Schoinas CG, the Corfu Prefecture Fire Service Commander, Fire Colonel Athanasios Katsafados, regional and municipal councillors, and representatives of local authorities and entities.
The religious services were attended, invited by Mr. Nektarios, by their Eminences, the Metropolitans of the Princes’ Islands Mr. Dimitrios, and Philadephia Mr.Meliton, from the Ecumenical Patriarchate.
