National Guard | Navy celebrates and honors Saint Nikolaos – VIDEO

Defence Redefined

Published on 06/12/2020 at 17:00

On the occasion of the honour of Saint Nikolaos (December 6), the patron saint of the Navy in Greece and Cyprus, the National Guard and the Hellenic Armed Forces celebrate and honor his memory.

His life mentions miracles related to the sea. For this reason, all naval ships, as well as all cargo ships, bear his image. Chapels on ships are dedicated to Saint Nikolaos, like the one in the historic armored cruiser Averoff. Many boats also take his name and, as a protector of sailors, he is mentioned in many island songs. There is also a Church of Saint Nikolaos in Nafplio, built next to the port, in one of the most beautiful parts of the city, as it is dedicated to the Sailors.

The day of honor of Agios Nikolaos is an official holiday in all Greek ships, ports, port services and shipping companies. It is also an official holiday for the Navy, the Ministry of Merchant Shipping and the Coast Guard.

The Hellenic Navy is the second oldest branch of the Hellenic Armed Forces (appears from 200 BC), after the Army. The mission of the Ministry of Defence is to carry out operations at sea, in order to keep the Greek territorial waters free from any intruders. The history of the Hellenic Navy is full of victories and feats and it has the right to “brag” that it never lowered its Flags.

The Navy Command of the National Guard was founded in 1964 and reports directly to the Chief of General Staff. It consists of the Staff of the Command and the Naval Units under it (Naval Base Command, Warship Command, Coastal Surveillance Command, Coastal Defence Command and Underwater Demolitions Unit). 

Since antiquity, the Cypriots developed naval awareness and were active in the seas of the Eastern Mediterranean. The Navy Command of the Hellenic Navy, despite its limited capabilities in terms of its warships, nevertheless actively participates in recent years in a series of exercises with the most recent exercise “Medousa”.

The Navy Command has the following vessels: Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) “Commodore Ioannidis” P61, General Support Ship “ALASIA” A620, Coastal Patrol (PP) “Famagusta” P05, PP “Georgiou” P04, PP “Tsomakis” P03, and the Fast Boats “Poseidonas 1” and “Nireas 1”. 

Video from the National Guard’s celebration of Saint Nikolaos’s day:

 

Video from the General Staff of the Hellenic Navy for the celebrations of Saint Nikolaos’ day: 

 

Also read: St. Barbara, patron saint of the Artillery, honoured by the National Guard and the Hellenic Army General Staff – VIDEO