The leaflet encouraging members to re-elect Ithacan Konstantinos Raftopoulos (Ravinos) to the committee of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria, describing him as a proven and experienced committee member. The Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne was established in 1897 by some of the first Greek residents of Melbourne, including a number of Ithacans. It is the oldest Greek organisation in Australia and the second oldest Greek organisation of the diaspora after the Greek Community of Alexandria-Egypt. It has supported the Greeks who had settled in Melbourne and established many programs such as a Greek Language School and dance classes which has helped maintain Greek culture amongst Australians of Greek descent. A photograph of a leaflet for a candidate seeking election onto the committee of the Greek Community in Melbourne.

Weatherboard Federation building at 84 Carrington Road, Box Hill, owned by the Greek Orthodox Community of Box Hill.greek orthodox community, houses, federation, carrington road

Pictured is Archimandrite, Daniel Maravelis with members of the Greek community in Mildura. He was born in Smyrna and was the Archimandrite of the Greek in Melbourne from 1915 to 1922. He presided over the official opening of the first IPS clubrooms located at Michael's Building, Cnr Elizabeth and Lonsdale Streets Melbourne on Sunday 23rd September 1917. Similar vehicles were used between the years 1915-1925 to travel to picnics.A black and white photograph of a vintage bus parked outside a weatherboard building which is partly hidden with vines. A two storey hotel building is on the LHS of the photograph. A priest is standing in the bus and two men and a lady are standing in front of the vehicle. Two other people are standing on the far RHS. A tent is visible in the middle distance.In Greek: Sigalis and Rita Nicolaidisgreek orthodox community

Greek Orthodox Community of Box Hill and Districts Holy Cross Church in Hopetoun Parade, Box Hill.B&w photogreek orthodox church, churches, hopetoun parade

The Greek Orthodox Community with the support of the Ithacan Community in Melbourne established a Greek Language School in the early 1930s. The teaching of the Greek language to the Australian born children of Greek parents ensured that the language and culture was maintained within the Greek community. A sepia photograph mounted on grey board of the children and teachers at the Greek language school. The people are standing and seated in five rows in front of a stage.

Archbishop Ezekeil of Australia is featured in the photo and on his right Stathi (Efstathios) Vlassopoulos. At the time of this photo Stathi was secretary of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria. Stathis Vlassopoulos was very active in Greek community affairs. In 1962 he established the first daily Greek newspaper 'Ta Nea', in Melbourne. Stathi was president of the IPS 1957-1959 and was a key driver behind the building of the 'Ithaca House', the clubrooms of the IPS. Archbishop Ezekeil was the first Archbishop of Australia in the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia, appointed in 1959, a period which saw the schism between the Greek Orthodox Community and the Greek Archdiocese of Australia.A black and white photograph of Greek Archbishop with other members of the Greek community standing in the background. The edges of the photograph are crimped.

A debutante group presented at a Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne Grecian Ball. The Grecian Ball was a very popular annual event during the 40- 60s with debutantes being a feature. In the late 1960s the Ithacan Philanthropic Society conducted its own debutante balls. Debutante balls fell out of fashion for a period of time but were back in favour in the 80s and 90s. The presentation of debutantes at Greek balls was evidence of the adoption of Anglo traditions within Melbourne's Greek community.A black and white photograph of a debutante group made up of twelve debs and their partners. The photograph has been mounted on white cardboard and the Ithacan Historical Society stamp in printed on the top RH corner of the backing board. vlassopoulos, jim

The photo is taken at a Grecian Ball held in 1947 at the St Kilda town Hall. Grecian balls were organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne. Pictured is a large party of Ithacans in attendance: Anastasia Kostopulos and her daughter Katina pictured in the foreground; and behind left to right - lady in white unknown, Nathalia Vlassopoulos (Laoretis), Thalia Lekatsas, Angelos Lekatsas (Kalfas), Nina Ventouras (Sikiotis), Nick Ventouras, Sophia Kostopoulos (her son Leo Kostos behind her), Helen Fatouros (Vlass ) Panagioti Paxinos, Rita Paxinos (nee Fatouros), A black and white photograph of a group of people at a social function

The photograph is of members of the Governing Council of Greek Women in Melbourne in 1917. A number of the women were from Ithaca. The organisation was created to offer social interaction for Greek women who had settled in Australia in the early years of the twentieth century and was part of the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne and Victoria. Back row L-R: Mrs. A Raftopoulou, Miss Sigala, Mrs. E. Peppa. Middle row L-R: Miss E. Nomikou, Mrs. K. Kyriazopoulou, (President), Mrs. K Mavrokefalou (Vice-president), Mrs. N. Mari. Front: Mrs. B. Zografou. A black and white portrait style photograph of eight young women. The translated caption is printed below the photograph in Greek: THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF GREEK WOMEN, MELBOURNE 1917 gocv, committee, auxilliary

The children in the picture were students at the Greek language school which was run by the Greek Community of Melbourne and were attending the '28th October' Greek national day celebration at the Evangelismos Greek Orthodox Church in East Melbourne. The two women, Alexandra Vrachna and Nina Black were teachers at the school. The Evangelismos Church was the first Greek orthodox Church to be established in Melbourne. The foundation stone was laid in December 1900 and church services commenced in August 1902. The 28th October is known as 'OHI' DAY', translated meaning NO DAY. It is an important national day celebrated in Greece and the Greek diaspora and commemorates the anniversary when in 1940 the then Prime Minister Ioannis Metaxas said “NO” to an ultimatum made by Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini to allow Italian forces to occupy Greece. It marked the beginning of Greece's entry into WW2. The day symbolises values important to the Greek people - freedom, courage and 'filotimo'. The establishment of the Orthodox church in Melbourne in the early years of the twentieth century was was indicative of the number of Greek migrants who came to Australia in those early years of settlement in this country and the desire maintain their religious and cultural traditions. The early Greek migrants were anxious that their Australian born children maintain their language and religion in their adopted country. A black and white photograph of children with three adults standing outside Evangelismos Church in East Melbourne. Three children in the back row are displaying the Greek and Australian flags.Written in red underneath the photograph: 28th OCTOBER 1948. OUTSUDE THE GREEK CHURCH IN EAST MELBOURNE/PHOTO PROPERTY OF STATHI RAFTOPOULOS.wwii

This a photo is taken in the early 1980s at the baptism of Anastasi (Stasi) Trikaliotis, the son of Lea and Con Trikaliotis. Stasi, pictured held by his godfather, is the grandson of the Naki and Golfa Raftopoulos. The baptism of a child into the Greek Orthodox Church is a very important important family, cultural and religious event within the Greek community. A coloured photograph with rounded corners of a priest blessing a baby during baptism ceremony. A man is holding the baby.baptisms, religious ceremonies

The photograph was taken at the wedding of Poppy Lekatsas and Floros Demetriades at the 'Evangelismos' Greek Orthodox Church in East Melbourne on 19th April 1936. The photograph is an excellent image of the interior of the church at that time. Along with baptisms, the wedding ceremony (which also incorporates the betrothal) is a very important occasion within the Orthodox community. The service is rich with symbolism. The Evangelismos Greek Church is the oldest Greek church in Melbourne, established in the early 1900s. A copy of an original photograph of a wedding ceremony which took place at 'Evangelismos' church. The photograph is surrounded with a wide black border and part of the RH corner has been cut off in the reproduction. lekatsas, poppy, evangelismos church, demetriadis floros

The photograph is taken following the baptism of Marietta Paizis, the daughter of Gerasimos and Penelope Paizes, took place in an Anglican Church in Mildura with the Orthodox priest conducting the service. This was common practice amongst the Greek community in Mildura during the first half of the twentieth century as there was no Orthodox Church in the town. The priest travelled from Melbourne to conduct special family services for the Greek community in Mildura and other regional towns in Victoria. It is possible that there was more than one baptism during the service to take advantage of the priest attendance in Mildura. Marietta was the daughter of Maintaining traditional customs and ceremonies has always been important amongst the Greek immigrants who settled in Australia. Although the majority of Ithacans and other Greeks settled and established businesses in Melbourne during the first half of the twentieth century, some settled in regional towns throughout Victoria. Ithacan settlement in Mildura dates back to the early 1900s. A black and white photograph of a group of people standing outside a church. Three adults holding their babies are standing in the front of the group. Everyone in the group is smartly dressed suggesting that the photograph was taken to celebrate a special occasion.

The photograph was taken at an Ithacan picnic held at Mentone Racecourse in 1935. Members of the IPS Committee are pictured with their families together with two official guests, Father Theophylaktos Papathanasopoulos from the Melbourne Orthodox Parish, and Father Timotheos Evangelimides, the Archbishop of the Greek Church in Australia, both pictured standing in the centre of the group. Vicki Raftopoulos(Black) is seated 3rd from the left and Arthur Raftopoulos is standing 3rd from right and Stathi Trohoulas is standing far right. Melbourne's first Greek Orthodox Church 'Evangelismos' in Victoria Parade East Melbourne was consecrated in 1901. Ithacans, as members of the Greek Orthodox Community, were directly involved in its establishment. A.J.Lucas the founding president of the Ithacan Philanthropic Society was one of a number of prominent Greeks who advanced funds to help with the purchase of the East Melbourne site upon which the church was built. The building of the church was financed through the contributions of funds from the local Greek community.A black and white photograph mounted on grey board of a picnic group sitting and standing around a table set out with food and drinks under trees. A bus is parked and just visible behind the group. Detail of the people in the photograph and other information is written in Greek on the back of the pghotograph.

The two young women pictured at a Grecian Ball are Dimitra (Toula) Kandilotis (nee Makris) and Eutichia Drakopoulos (nee Vlassopoulos, Kioukiouris).During the 1940s through to the 1960s Grecian balls were organised by the Greek Orthodox Community of Melbourne. The Ithacan Philanthropic Society also conducted annual balls, the first being held in April 1918. The balls were were a much anticipated social event. Debutantes were also presented at the both the Grecian and Ithacan balls, very much a tradition adopted from Melbourne's Anglo-Australian society. A black and white photograph of a head and shoulders view of two young women in evening dress. They both have flowers in their hair.