Greek president attends liturgy, receives wishes for New Year

Sakellaropoulou was accorded honors by the Armed Forces and security forces, who also sang the national anthem. She inspected the forces lined up outside the cathedral and was welcomed in it by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Parliament President Constantine Tassoulas, new Attica Region Governor Nikos Hardalias, new Athens Mayor Haris Doukas, and Archimandrite Varnavas Theocharis of the Holy Synod.

Also attending the service were several ministers, party leaders, chiefs of the Armed Forces and security forces, the president of Greece's Supreme Court, and the president of the Hellenic Court of Audit.

Following the liturgy, the archbishop and other religious and spiritual leaders, as well as the political and military leaders were received by President Sakellaropoulou at the Presidential Mansion for the annual well wishing to her. In this year's event, 15 children from the SOS Children's Villages also attended.

The children, aged 12-13, and the president paid a visit on foot to the presidential guard (the Evzones) to wish them well. General Elias Karmiris, who welcomed them, explained to the children how the guard operates. They then participated in the cutting of the New Year's cake (vassilopita), in which the lucky coin was won by the children's organization.