One of the two elementary school-aged children growing up on Pserimos, Panormitis Sakellaris, 5, baptizes the Mandouvalos at the Salamis Shipyards on Monday. He is one of three young residents of Greece’s Aegean sea border nominated as ‘godparents’ to the Hellenic Navy’s four upgraded Island-class coastal patrol boats, in acknowledgement of the special circumstances of living in such a remote and sensitive part of the country. ‘I accepted the invitation to honor my grandfather’s memory,’ another of the ‘godparents,’ Maria Skaramangou, a high-school senior from Fournoi whose grandfather died serving in the navy in World War II, told Kathimerini on Tuesday. ‘I have always admired the people who serve in the armed forces,’ added Milena Kontou, a 20-year-old Olympic medalist in sailing and native of Levos, who baptized the Galani. The fourth boat was named after Ektoras Gialopsos, who died in the line of duty in the Imia standoff with Turkey in 1996, and was baptized by his sister, Maria. [HELLENIC NAVY]
One of the two elementary school-aged children growing up on Pserimos, Panormitis Sakellaris, 5, baptizes the Mandouvalos at the Salamis Shipyards on Monday. He is one of three young residents of Greece’s Aegean sea border nominated as “godparents” to the Hellenic Navy’s four upgraded Island-class coastal patrol boats, in acknowledgement of the special circumstances of living in such a remote and sensitive part of the country. “I accepted the invitation to honor my grandfather’s memory,” another of the “godparents,” Maria Skaramangou, a high-school senior from Fournoi whose grandfather died serving in the navy in World War II, told Kathimerini on Tuesday. “I have always admired the people who serve in the armed forces,” added Milena Kontou, a 20-year-old Olympic medalist in sailing and native of Levos, who baptized the Galani. The fourth boat was named after Ektoras Gialopsos, who died in the line of duty in the Imia standoff with Turkey in 1996, and was baptized by his sister, Maria.