PEOPLE OF EPIRUS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 61, Issue 58, 18 December 1940, Page 3

PEOPLE OF EPIRUS

LOYALTY AND FORTITUDE,

GREEK ARCHBISHOP’S PRAISE

(Per Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 17. Archbishop Tiniotheos, Evangelinidis Archbishop of the |Greek Orthodox Church for Australia and all Oceania, interviewed on arrival for his annual visit to this country, paid a. tribute to the stand made by the inhabitants of Epirus when the invasion began. He said that by their zeal, energy, and fortitude they laid the foundation for the successes the Greeks had since achieved.

Archbishop Timotheos expressed a feeling of pride •at the gallant performance of his countrymen against the Italians, and the way Greeks throughout the world had rallied to their country’s cause. When the Italian invasion, commenced, and one division of Greek troops withdrew gradually from the frontier while mobilisation took place, the people of Epirus set a shining example. They threw -in their lot with the soldiers, and such was their contribution that the Italians received an early setback. Men and women, old and young, even children, yoked themselves together and pulled up the mountains the ammunition, food, and other materials required. They even rolled rocks down the mountain slopes to check the Italians. There was no doubt that the loyalty of these people saved the situation at the beginning of _ the campaign and inspired the Greek nation.