On Good Saturday 19 April 2025, the Minister of National Defence, Nikos Dendias, visited the island of Panagia, in the Oinousses complex, in the Regional Unit of Chios.
The Minister of National Defence visited the Observational Outpost of “Panagia”, accompanied by the Chief/HNDGS, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Chief/HAGS, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, and the Commander of the 96th Higher National Guard Battalions Command, Brigadier General Charalambos Psaropoulos.
The visit was also attended by the MPs for Chios Notis Mytarakis and Stavros Michailidis, His Eminence the Metropolitan of Chios, Psara, and Oinousses Mr. Markos, the Mayor of Oinousses, Giorgos Daniil, former Mayor of Oinousses Evangelos Angelakos, and ship owner Vasilis Pateras, who donated towards the renovations of the facilities of the Observational Outpost, in memory of his father Ilias Pateras.
The Minister was briefed on the the Observational Outpost’s mission and exchanged Easter wishes with the Officers and men serving therein.
Subsequently, Mr. Dendias attended Easter Mass, officiated by the Metropolitan of Chios, Psara, and Oinousses in the Observational Outpost.
Following the Easter Liturgy, Mr. Dendias stated:
“On the Island of Panagia, in the complex of Oinousses, the easternmost edge of Greece, “Christ has Risen” takes on a different meaning, a different religiosity.
I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to the women and men of the Armed Forces, who celebrate the Resurrection holding a rifle, exactly so that all Greeks, women and men, can celebrate the Resurrection with their families at home, lovingly and in safety.
Christ has Risen! May you always be in good health!”