The Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikos Dendias, continued his tour today, this 2nd day of May 2024, of the Dodecanese islands, accompanied by the Chief HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis and the Chief HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis.
In particular, this morning he visited the Hellenic Army’s Surveillance Outpost in Pserimos, accompanied by the Commander of the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou and the Commander of the 80th Higher National Guard Battalions Command Brigadier General Pavlos Andrikopoulos, where he established the great spirit of officers and soldiers and exchanged wishes for the Easter.
Then, Mr. Dendias visited the Holy Monastery of Saint John the Theologian in Patmos, where he attended the Mass and had at a tour at the Monastery’s Museum, as well as at the Cave of the Apocalypse.
Next, the Minister of National Defence attended the Acolouthy of the Footwashing, which was officiated by the Very Reverend Abbot Kyrillos of the Holy Monastery of Patmos, in the presence also of the Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Ioannis Pappas, the Members of the Hellenic Parliament Emmanouil Konsolas, Vasileios – Nikolaos Ypsilantis, and Georgios Nikitiadis, the Deputy Regional Governor of the Southern Aegean Apostolos Asprakis, the Mayor of Patmos Nikitas Tsampalakis, the Mayor of Kalymnos Ioannis Mastrokoukos, entity representatives and hundreds of people.
After the conclusion of his visit in Patmos, the Minister made the following statement:
“I am here today, this Holy Thursday, in Patmos as part of the Eastern Aegean islands tour, mainly including the very small islands of the Eastern Aegean, for the chance to exchange warm greetings and Paschal wishes for the feast of the Lord’s Resurrection with the defenders of our Country’s eastern borderland, who are also guarding the borders of our national sovereignty.
It is a great opportunity for me to shake hands with these young men, who are away from home during these holy days and are in the borders of our Country. However, this is necessary.
Since we are in the island of the Apocalypse, the Beatitude of the Revelation says: “Blessed is he who watches”. Therefore, we need to protect our borders from Patmos, Pserimos and Leipsoi that is going to be the next stop of my visit today.
Happy Easter to all! And let us never forget that the defenders of our borderland are always watching over our Country’s national independence and integrity”.
Next, Mr. Dendias will be visiting the Surveillance Outpost in Leipsoi.