“The Christmas period signifies joy. It’s about love, optimism, beauty. We are in need of the light it brings,” City of Athens Mayor, Kostas Bakoyannis had said when announcing decorations would start earlier this year.
The annual tree-lighting event took place at Syntagma Square on Tuesday evening.
And crowds flocked to watch the 19-metre-high tree brought from Karpenissi lighting up with a total of 60,000 lights.
Mr Bakoyannis and visiting Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew watched the event from a hotel closeby.
More than 30 Christmas trees are expected to be placed across Athens neighbourhoods, with Syntagma square alone boasting 350,000 lights.
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