The parade began at 1 PM in front of the Prudential Tower near the Boston Public Library. Marchers proceeded on Boylston Street and ended across from the Four Seasons Hotel. Archbishop Elpidophoros of America, Metropolitan Methodios of Boston, the Minister of Justice of Greece Konstantinos Tsiaras, and Stratos Efthimiou, Consul General of Greece in Boston, served as parade Grand Marshals.
Present at the parade was former governor of Massachusetts and past presidential candidate Mike Dukakis, Demetris Kouvelas from Thessaloniki representing the Parliament of Greece, the mayors of Lowell Sokhary Chau and of Somerville Katjana Ballantyne, State representative Efstathia Booras from New Hampshire, State senator Leonidas Raptakis from Rhode Island, Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos, and Bishop Joakim of Amisos.
More than fifty-eight units marched along with eight floats and six bands as thousands of spectators from Boston and all across New England enjoyed the parade.
The local group of Evzones added more enthusiasm and meaning to the parade, representing the bravery of the heroes of March 25, 1821. The group is comprised of 21 young men from the Greek-American Community.
Early in the morning the floats started to gather on Boylston Street, inspected by officials of the City of Boston. By noon the pupils of the schools, the members of societies, and parishioners from local churches began to congregate.
Former governor of Massachusetts and past presidential candidate Michael Dukakis speaks to Theodore Kalmoukos at the parade.(Photo by TNH/Theodore Kalmoukos)
A doxology was offered in the morning after the Divine Liturgy at the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral of Boston officiated by Archbishop Elpidophoros with co-liturgists Metropolitan Methodios of Boston and Bishop Athenagoras of Nazianzos. A coffee reception followed for the entire congregation.
After the parade, a cultural event with dances performed by various Greek-American dance groups was held in Boston Common.
The evening before, on April 30, the annual parade dinner hosted by the Federation was a sold-out event. It took place at Newton Marriot Hotel.
Rev. Athanasios Nenes, the presiding priest of the Taxiarches Greek Orthodox parish of Watertown, offered the benediction, representing Metropolitan Methodios, and the national anthems were sung by Aggeliki Psonis, Esq.
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