President Anastasiades wishes carol singers a pandemic-free new year (pictures)

President Nicos Anastasiades wished a pandemic-free new year to the choirs and bands of the National Guard, Eldyk and the police that played Christmas songs for him outside the Presidential Place on Thursday.

Early in the morning, the president heard carols from the police band and wished happy holidays to the members of the force and the entire Cypriot people.

Later on, members of the Greek Forces in Cyprus (Eldyk) sang carols to the president.

The president then heard the carols from the National Guard’s band (Smef).

“I wish you all the best, Merry Christmas and a new year away from the sufferings of the pandemic, but especially away from the sufferings of occupation,” he said.

The three bands also sang carols to House President Annita Demetriou and MPs at parliament.

Archbishop Chrysostomos heard the carols on Tuesday from choirs of the Church’s Theological School, the Pancyprian Gymnasium but also the police philharmonic and the bands of Eldyk and Smef.

The bands sang traditional Christmas songs from Cyprus, Greece, the Pontus and Byzantine ones, a statement from the Archbishopric said, creating “an especially moving atmosphere”.