Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks Honored by US Congress as Woman of Distinction

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Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks receiving Award by the US congress, 2024
Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, President and CEO of ECOS®, was honored by the US congress with the 2024 Woman of Distinction Award. Credit: Ecos handout

The Greek-American President and CEO of ECOS, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks, was honored by the US congress with the 2024 Woman of Distinction Award for California’s 45th District.

“As the president and CEO of ECOS plant-powered laundry detergents and cleaning products, Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks is passionate about human and planetary health. She’s widely recognized for her highly effective leadership at ECOS and her influential voice in corporate social responsibility, safer chemistry, and sustainable manufacturing,” the award announcement read.

This is not the first time that the Greek-American business leader and environmentalist is honored for standing out as an inspirational female role model.

On International Women’s Day 2020, she was among the honorees at the National Women’s History Museum (NWHM) receiving the annual “Women Making History Award” which honors a select group of people who have made significant contributions in their field and serve as an inspiration to women everywhere.

ECOS has been a winner of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award for several years, recognizing the company’s commitment to safer ingredients and innovative green science, and is also a member of Business for a Fair Minimum Wage.

Kelly Vlahakis-Hanks inspiring women in leadership roles

“So honored to be recognized by the United States Congress, House of Representatives, with the 2024 Woman of Distinction Award for empowering, uplifting and encouraging our next generation of women leaders!” Vlahakis-Hanks commented on her most recent award.

“As a woman-owned business with more than 50% of our C-Suite and more than 65% of our Technical and R&D teams composed of women, we’re committed to closing the dream gap and making sure women achieve greater representation in STEM and leadership roles,” she stated.

Kelly Vlahakis- Hanks (R) with colleague Amber Enriquez, Congress Award 2024
Kelly Vlahakis- Hanks (R) with colleague Amber Enriquez. Credit: Ecos handout

Rep. Michelle Steel solicited nominations for the award directly from members of the Southern California community and presented the awards to a total twenty-one Women of Distinction at a ceremony in Hawaiian Gardens on March 18.

“March is Women’s History Month, and as we celebrate the contributions of women throughout history, I’m so glad to be able to honor some of the amazing women right here in California’s 45th District,” said Rep. Steel.

“From healthcare and education to public safety and philanthropy, this year’s honorees represent the best of their fields and the best of our communities. On behalf of all Southern Californians, I want to thank and commend this year’s Women of Distinction for all they’ve done and continue to do to build their own American Dream and give back to their friends, families, and neighbors.”

The Greek Recipe for Hake (Bakaliaros) and Skordalia Eaten on March 25th

Bakaliaros Skordalia
Bakaliaros (hake) with Skordalia. Credit: Flickr / Klearchos Kapoutsis CC BY 2.0 DEED

Greeks eat bakaliaros (hake) and skordalia on March 25th, the most important national holiday for Greece.

The day coincides with the feast of the Annunciation (Evangelismos) of the Virgin Mary, a day on which, traditionally, Greeks eat fried hake accompanied with a garlic puree called skordalia.

The reason behind this tradition is that apart from the national holiday, March 25th is dedicated to the Virgin Mary, making for a joyful celebration in the midst of the 40-day Lenten fast, when the Greek Orthodox faithful are allowed to eat fish and oil and consume wine.

Hake is cheap and easy to preserve

The explanation behind the specific choice of fish is very simple and comes from decades ago, when mainland Greeks were not able to have fresh fish on this day and had to buy cheaper, salted fish.

Despite the fact that hake is not a Mediterranean fish, as it is mostly found in the waters of the Northeastern Atlantic, the fish can be cured; therefore it is cheap and easy to preserve.

Hake made its appearance on Greek tables at some point in the fifteenth century, and ever since has constituted the dish of the Greek Orthodox on March 25th, later becoming a national dish as well.

Recipe for Bakaliaros (hake) and skordalia

Lakonia Imports, a site dedicated to Greek food recipes, recommends the traditional way to prepare the dish:

Ingredients (for hake)

approx. 1lb. of salt hake/cod fillets (soaked & water changed 3-4 times within 24 hrs – until saltiness is reduced)
1 bottle of beer or soda water
3/4 cup of all-purpose flour
3/4 cup of corn starch
flour for dredging
olive oil and sunflower oil for frying

Ingredients (for Skordalia)

180gr olive oil
700gr potatoes (peeled and cut into pieces)
3 cloves of garlic
40ml white vinegar
1 ts coarse salt
salt, pepper

To serve:

Fresh parsley chopped, Spring onions chopped, Almonds or Walnuts, olive oil, Olives.

Start with Skordalia:

  • In a pot of boiling water add the coarse salt and the chopped potatoes.
  • Boil until they soften.
  • In a food processor, add olive oil, garlic, white wine vinegar, salt, and pepper.
  • Beat until smooth.
  • When your potatoes are ready, transfer them to a bowl and mash them with a potato masher.
  • Add the garlic oil and stir to incorporate.
  • Cover with food wrap and put in the fridge if you plan to serve much later in the day.

Continue with hake:

  • After you’ve sufficiently soaked your salted hake, dry with a kitchen cloth or paper towel and cut into small portions.
  • Season with salt and pepper, dredge in flour, and set aside.
  • Put the flour and the corn starch in a bowl and mix with a fork.
  • As you whisk, gradually add the beer to the mixture until you get a medium-thick batter (use soda water instead, if you want to avoid the sour-ish effect of the beer’s yeast).
  • Fill your frying pan with the oil (use 50% olive oil and 50% sunflower oil till you reach about 2 inches of depth, should be enough for a flip-sides-once frying technique), and heat up to 350 – 370F.
  • Dip your chopped fillets in the butter and place them immediately but smoothly in the pan to start frying.
  • Fry in batches for a couple of minutes on both sides (starting with the skin side down) until the fish reaches a golden brown color, and place when ready on a plate between paper towels (to soak up the burnt oil and any excess water, and keep the final result crispy).

Tip: Place the butter mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes before using it for a more crispy result!

To serve, sprinkle sea salt on the fish fillets, serve with lemon and skordalia with olives on top, and accompany with boiled green amaranth or boiled beetroots with their leaves.

Drizzle with lemon juice and olive oil if desired.

The Most Handsome Revolutionary of the Greek War of Independence

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A collage of Ilias Mavromichalis and the siege of Acropolis.
Ilias Mavromichalis died at the age of 26. Illustration of Ilias’ portrait and the painting of the siege of the Acropolis. Credits: George E. Koronaios, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0 and Georg Perlberg, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY SA 4.0.

The Greek War of Independence, a crucial moment in the history of modern Greece, was marked by the heroism of many, but one figure stood out not only for his bravery but also for his striking appearance: Ilias Mavromichalis.

Ilias Mavromichalis: The Beauty of Bravery

Ilias (Elias) Mavromichalis, born into the influential Mavromichalis family of Mani, was renowned for his Apollonian beauty and Doric character, among other great aspects of his character.

The legacy of his family was deeply connected with the struggle of the occupied Greek nation for its independence. Ilias, as the eldest son of Petrobeys Mavromichalis, was no exception to this rooted revolutionary nature of his wider family and community.

His great-grandfather, Georgakis Mavromichalis, and his grandfather, Pierros Mavromichalis, were among the leaders of the famous Orlov Revolt, setting a precedent for rebellion against the Ottoman Empire at a much earlier stage than the actual Greek War of Independence that began in 1821.

Ilias Mavromichalis
Portrait of Ilias Mavromichalis (detail) by Dionysios Tsokos. Credit: wikimedia commons / George E. Koronaios CC BY 4.0

The Heroic Stand at Styra

The commitment of this brave and handsome Greek to the cause of freedom was undeniably strong.

In January 1822, Ilias led a contingent of Maniots to Greece’s second-largest island Euboea (Evia) to support the local revolution that had begun on the island. Tragically, on January 22, 1822, he and his revolutionary comrades made their last stand at Styra.

Surrounded by enemy Ottoman forces, they fought fiercely until their ammunition was spent. They were killed in battle heroically. The death of Ilias at the young age of 26 was a significant loss to the revolution. His peril deprived the Greeks of a leader with remarkable diplomatic skills and a heroic heart, who definitely had a lot more to offer to the struggle of the Greeks for liberty.

The Mavromichalis Family’s Role in the War

The Mavromichalis family is among the most renowned protagonists of the Greek War of Independence. They played a fundamental role in the early successes of the revolution and offered invaluable services to the national cause.

The father of Ilias, Petrobeys, was a central figure in the liberation of Kalamata, the first major town to be freed from Ottoman control in the early stages of the War. The military efficiency of the entire Mavromichalis family was further demonstrated in the Battle of Valtetsi, where Ilias, alongside his uncle Kyriakoulis Mavromichalis, defended one of the fortified tower houses against the Ottomans.

Legacy and Remembrance of Ilias Mavromichalis

Despite his early death, the legacy of Ilias Mavromichalis lived on through the continued efforts of his entire family and the eventual success of the Greek War of Independence. His physical and esoteric beauty, along with his bravery became the stuff of legend.

The name and deeds of Ilias Mavromichalis continue to echo through the hills of the Peloponnese and the mainland regions of Greece. The contributions of the Mavromichalis family to the war were extraordinary, with members like Petrobeys and Kyriakoulis playing decisive roles not only in one but in various battles and political developments of the newly-born modern Greek state.

The Timeless Memory of a Greek Hero

Ilias Mavromichalis remains to this day an emblematic figure of the Greek War of Independence. His combination of physical beauty, military and martial skill, as well as patriotic spirit has left an indelible mark on Greek history.

As Greece celebrates the 203rd anniversary of its revolution against the Ottomans and its heroes, the story of Ilias Mavromichalis reminds us of the sacrifices that thousands of young and old Greeks made for the freedom of this proud nation.

The Greek Flag Through the Centuries

greek flag
The flag of Greece. Credit: Peter Guilliatt/ CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

The Greek flag, much like Greece itself, has transformed substantially throughout the country’s long history.

During the long Ottoman occupation, different regions — and even families — in Greece flew their own flags, and once the country declared independence in 1821 and became officially recognized in 1830, the new state needed a shared flag to unite her people.

Although versions of the current flag, called “Η Γαλανόλευκη” or “the blue and white,” have been found in the country since the Revolution in 1821, many other banners and flags have represented the Greek state from its birth to the present day.

The current Greek flag

The country’s current flag is iconic — the contrast between the rich blue and stark white, symbolizing the sky and sea, instantly calls the country it represents to mind and sparks pride in the heart of every Greek.

In the upper left corner, the flag features a white cross against a blue background, representing Greek Orthodoxy, the country’s predominant religion.

The flag’s nine horizontal stripes, five blue and four white are said to represent the nine syllables in the phrase “Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος (Eleftheria i Thanatos),” the revolutionary phrase translating to “Freedom or Death.”

The utterance was proudly proclaimed by the Greeks during the War of Independence, and it embodies their willingness to sacrifice their own lives in the fight for freedom.

However, some say that the nine stripes simply represent the nine letters of Ελευθερία or freedom.

Others have posited that the nine stripes stand for the nine muses, from the country’s ancient history; however, this claim is disputed.

Greek flag
The naval ensign of Greece was made official in 1830. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/ Public domain

The history of Greece’s current flag

The current flag’s design was first officially designated as Greece’s naval flag in 1830, although it had been unofficially used throughout the country since the start of the Revolution in 1821.

The first iteration of this iconic flag featured a coat of arms and crown from Bavaria, the homeland of Greece’s first king, Otto, in the middle of the cross. Its stripes are also a light blue, almost turquoise color.

The light blue stripes served as another nod to the king’s Bavarian background, as the color was used widely throughout that region.

Greek flag
The darker flag was used during the Junta. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public domain

Although used as the civil flag, raised on land rather than sea, during the country’s military dictatorship from 1967 to 1974, the flag as we know it today became the country’s only official banner on both land and sea in 1978.

After the fall of the junta, the blue on the flag changed from a very deep shade to the lighter hue it is today. Notably, however, there is no official designation regarding the shade of blue that the flag must be.

Greece’s first official flag

Greek flag
The first official Greek flag. Credit: Philly boy92 /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

The country’s first official flag to fly over Greek land, not sea, was a stark white cross over a deep blue background.

The simple yet powerful image was adopted as Greece’s official flag at the First National Assembly of Epidaurus, where Greek revolutionaries met for the first time in January of 1821.

On that historic occasion, Greek academics, fighters, and politicians gathered formally to declare independence from the Ottomans and write the nation’s first constitution.

While there, the delegates believed that uniting the country under one official flag, doing away with the many familial and regional flags flown throughout the country, would show the world that Greece was committed to independence and ready to become a nation.

They chose the flag design, which represents Orthodox Christianity with the cross, and the nation’s sky and sea with its colors of blue and white, because it embodied the nation’s values and was already popular across Greece.

Traditionally, however, the design featured a blue cross on a plain white field. In fact, this design was more popular than the reverse, which became the nation’s first flag.

The first flag was made by monks from Skiathos

The first version of the flag was crafted and raised by monks in the Evangelistria Monastery on the island of Skiathos in 1807.

The monastery plays a significant role in Greek history, as some of the most important heroes of the Greek Revolution, including Theodoros Kolokotronis and Andreas Miaoulis, spent time at the holy site.

It was there that they saw the flag, and later suggested its beautiful, simple design as the perfect banner to unite the country at the National Assembly.

Changes to the first Greek flag

This flag, in its basic form, remained the nation’s banner for nearly two centuries, until the 1960s, when the design of the current Greek flag was chosen to represent the country.

The only minor changes made to the banner’s design throughout the years consisted of adding symbols of the Greek monarchy to it.

These alterations include the same Bavarian coat of arms and crown originally found on the current flag’s first iteration, and later simply a crown in the center of the cross of the first flag.

Greek flag
The Greek flag from 1862-1924, before the expulsion of the monarchy and the formation of the Second Hellenic Republic in 1924, when the crown was removed from the flag. Credit: Wikimedia Commons/Public domain

These changes correspond to periods of the country’s history when it cycled through its status as a kingdom or a republic. During periods when the monarchy reigned in Greece, symbols of royal power were added to the banner.

These additions were later done away with in periods when Greece rejected the monarchy.

“OK,” Is This Borrowed From the Greek Language, Too?

OK word
“OK,” Is This Borrowed From the Greek Language, Too? credit: Maximilian Schonherr CC BY-SA 3.0

Ok, or okay, is one of the most frequently used words in the English language, but does it have a Greek origin?

One theory on the etymology of OK is that it was originally an acronym for the Greek phrase “óla kalá” (όλα καλά), meaning “all good.”

Theories on OK’s origin

The theory that OK is of Greek origin was discussed in the April 1942 edition of American Speech. American Speech is a quarterly academic journal focusing on linguistics and language.

In the article, the academic Robert Weber explored a number of possible theories for the origin of the commonly used acronym. Weber referred to another academic, Robert C. McClelland, who likewise explored the word’s roots in the October 1933 edition of The Classical Journal.

McClelland came across the book, When I was a Boy in Greece, by George Demetrios, published in 1913. Demetrios’ explanation was that the acronym, OK, had been used by Greek teachers to positively mark the work of their students since ancient times.

In the preface to the book, Demetrios wrote “I gave him the final manuscript to see if I had been faithful to my task, and after re-reading it, the boy pronounced it όλα καλά (ola kala).”

“The first letters of the two words have been used from time immemorial by Greek teachers to mark the deserving themes of their pupils, and we who so generally write ‘O.K.’ to denote accuracy assign many fanciful reasons for the origin of the expression, not knowing that it is really classical,” the passage continues.

Hence, according to Demetrios, ancient Greek teachers may very well have inscribed the acronym “OK” on the work of deserving students. Aristotle, upon seeing the work of the young Alexander the Great may have marked his papers with the same acronym.

McClelland was not sure what to make of Demetrios’ claim. He wrote, “I have not verified the authenticity of the statement.” In fact, neither McClelland nor Weber settled on a firm theory for the origin of the word OK.

Aristotle and Alexander the Great
According to one theory, “OK” might have been used as an acronym by ancient Greek teachers to mark the work of their students. Credit: Jean Leon Gerome Ferris / Public domain / via Wikimedia Commons

Other theories

Many other theories exist for the etymology of the word OK. In the 1960s, Allen Walker Read theorized that OK was one of many acronyms initially introduced to American English in the early or mid-19th century when there was a fad for abbreviating words.

Another theory is that the Democrat Party ran with OK as an acronym for “Old Kinderhook” during the 1840 presidential election. “Old Kinderhook” was a nickname for the Democrat candidate, Martin Van Buren.

The Democrats hoped that “Vote for OK” would resonate with voters more than his name of Dutch origin. If this theory is true, they may have succeeded in creating a new word, but they failed to win the election.

However, the newspaper of the era ‘Boston Morning Post’ writes that the term comes from the misspelling ‘Oll Korrect’ (instead of the correct ‘All Correct’).

The influence of Greek on the English language

Whether OK really was originally an acronym for óla kalá may never be known. However, what is certain is that the Greek language has had a profound effect on the English lexicon.

In the comedy movie, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the character Gus insists that every word in the English language has a Greek origin. This is a reoccurring joke throughout the film. Yet, this joke does have a basis in reality. Over sixty percent of words in the English language have Greek or Latin roots.

This figure is even higher at about ninety percent in vocabulary associated with science and technology. In total, over 150,000 English words have been borrowed from Greek. Six to fifteen percent of English words are directly borrowed from Greek, according to estimates.

The Descendants of the Greek War of Independence Heroes

Greek War of Independence
The descendants of the legendary Greek War of Independence fighters, Georgios Karaiskakis, Nikitaras and Laskarina Bouboulina.

With more than two centuries separating us from the events of the Greek War of Independence, the bloodlines of some of its most iconic and influential heroes can still be traced today among the population of modern-day Greece.

Recently GreekReporter spoke to the descendants of the legendary Georgios Karaiskakis, Laskarina Bouboulina, and Nikitaras about the experience of carrying the DNA and legacy of the very heroes who once claimed the lands of the modern Greek state front to front on the battlefields for the future generations.

Eleni Leonida-Karaiskaki

Greek War of Independence
Courtesy of Eleni Leonida-Karaiskaki

The fourth great-granddaughter of military leader Georgios Karaiskakis, Eleni, has been aware of the outstanding legacy of her ancestor since childhood, as there were always mentions of the great commander of the Greek War of Independence in her family’s life.

Through photo albums, narrations, and heirlooms, “Karaiskakis was always omnipresent at home in every form as we were growing up”, she recalls.

In her words, the pride and awe that she has always felt for her heroic ancestor have been weighting on her as a legacy that is much bigger and greater than her very existence.

Often referred to as “the Achilles of Romiosity”, Karaiskakis was known, except for his military virtues, for his immediacy and tirade manner of speaking -which has played an additional role in the way that the collective memory identifies with him, she feels.

“Besides his strategic genius, Karaiskakis’s personality was unique, which makes him all the more relevant today. Theodoros Kolokotronis may be the first in order in the Pantheon of heroes of the Greek War of Independence, but Karaiskakis comes first in the people’s hearts. He has always been a popular icon”, Eleni believes.

This adoration towards him is today reflected in the response that she gets from the people that she meets. “Every time that someone realizes that I am a descendant, they want to touch me, caress me, have their picture taken with me, and these reactions always fill me with a beautiful feeling”, she describes.

Greek War of Independence
“The camp of Georgios Karaiskakis at Kastella” by Theodoros Vryzakis (1855). Public Domain

As about Karaiskakis’s greatest achievement, Eleni is convinced that it was the event that most historians claim to have been his failure -the lost battle of Haidari, Athens.

“Despite its direct outcome, this battle was a milestone in the Greek War of Independence, after which things started to change -all the involved parties shifted their approach after that event”, she says.

Although the hero’s guns have been donated to museums in Greece long time ago, Eleni’s family still keeps their famous ancestor’s correspondence, most of which is to and from his war companions, who he called his “brothers”.

There is, however, one letter of greater sentimental value to the family. Addressed to his 15-year-old son, it was destined to be his last letter. Karaiskakis wrote he would be soon returning home to see his family but died before he could fulfill the promise.

“It is a very personal and moving letter”, Eleni concludes.

Pavlos Demertzis-Bouboulis

Greek War of Independence
Courtesy of Pavlos Demertzis-Bouboulis

On his father’s side, Pavlos Demertzis-Bouboulis is a 6th generation descendant of Laskarina Bouboulina, from her youngest son, Nikolaos Dimitriou Bouboulis (1808 -1884) a commander in the then Royal Hellenic Navy, and princess Sofia Marinou Comnenos.

Raised on the island of Spetses with his two brothers, in Bouboulina’s actual house, part of which remains their family home to this day, he has been constantly surrounded by her story.

“Since we were also carrying the family name, you can understand that it wasn’t something anyone could easily ignore, and it wasn’t always easy for us. I admit that, as children, our feelings about our heritage were mixed, something I consider completely natural at that age”, Pavlos recalls.

“Of course, as we got older and better understood the important role our great-grandmother played in Greece’s path to independence and the historic legacy of her actions, we grew to respect, admire and love our family’s history”.

Now the Director of the privately owned Bouboulina Museum, he declares immensely proud of his heritage, even though it comes with a great weight on one’s shoulders.

“I do not mean that in a negative sense”, Demertzis-Bouboulis clarifies. “When one is a descendant of a national heroine, an almost legendary individual, who continues to inspire so many people around the world, it couldn’t be any other way.

Greek war of Independence
Laskarina Bouboulina. Public Domain

“It is a responsibility, a duty if you will, to safeguard her legacy and try to live up to Bouboulina’s actions and ideals, in a way fitting today’s modern world”.

People are always surprised when they find out the relation, and there is usually a bombardment of questions about her story and how it feels to be her descendant.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize that there actually are descendants of most of the heroes of the revolution.

“However, I rarely mention my family’s heritage of my own accord, unless it comes up in the conversation. I prefer people to get to know and like me for who I am and not who I am related to. Once that process is over (and hopefully they like me!) then I feel more comfortable mentioning it.

“It is always a moving conversation, especially with the older generation of Greeks, because she means so much to so many people”.

There are funny moments too, though. One of the funniest comments that Pavlos recalls was made a few years ago in the Museum.

“We had just finished a tour, and someone asked whether I was a part of the family. After I said yes, they gleefully responded “so does that mean you are a Bouboulinos?!”. There was quite a lot of laughter after that, by all of us in the room!”.

Greek War of Independence: Nikitaras

Greek War of Independence
Courtesy of Stefanos Nikitas Stamatelopoulos

The family of Stefanos Nikitas Stamatelopoulos are the closest descendants of legendary swordsman Nikitas Stamatelopoulos, best known with his nom de guerre, Nikitaras, as the great-grandchildren of his brother, Nikolaos. The latter was also a powerful chieftain of the Greek War of Independence, although overshadowed by the personality of Nikitaras.

“I believe that heroes belong to all Greeks, but of course, in the family, we feel very lucky, and proud, and in awe of being direct descendants of such a hero”, Stefanos Nikitas states.

His first memory of realizing the significance of his heritage goes back to 1977, when his father entrusted his two sons, then young boys, with the task of laying the wreath during the annual ceremony at the monument of Nikitaras in Chiliomodi, Corinth. A tradition that Stefanos Nikitas keeps to this day, on the second Sunday of October, in honor of the battle at Dervenakia.

“I was a primary school pupil when my father surprised my brother and I by handing the wreath to us two. Aside of the emotion of a young child, who doesn’t understand much of what he is doing, when we experienced the applause of the crowd as we were walking down the stairs from the monument, I felt overwhelmed.

Greek War of Independence
Nikitaras(Nikitas Stamatelopoulos). Public Domain

“And I thought that something important was going on with what I did; that was the first time I felt the “gift” that it is to be Nikitaras’s descendant”, he recounts.

For Stefanos Nikitas, the greatest achievement of his ancestor beyond the battlefields was his honesty and altruism.

“Nikitaras was not interested in loot, that was not what we fought for. He fought for the liberation of the Greeks and he was never compromised; that is why he stayed in history as a pure patriot”, he explains.

A letter that his family keeps today, bears testament to his values. Addressing Papaflessas, then Minister of Interior of the new Greek state,  Nikitaras pleads that, after the conquest of Naflpion, a mosque is converted into a school or a theatre.

“Would anyone expect from a warlord to be speaking of schools, or to have cultural sensibilities? But indeed! He saw ahead and wanted children to be getting education. That’s the size of hero he was, beyond military skill”, Stefanos Nikitas explains.

As a descendant, he is looking to bring the same traits of character out of himself.

“I get to be compared to this great man and brave patriot, and many times I feel that I experience the hero in me. I often consider what would he himself do in a situation, and so I try to also act brave, honest, self-contained, altruistic, and I think that I manage, generally”, he notes.

Having met with other descendants of heroes of the Greek War of Independence through their Union, founded in 1938, he infers that they are all impregnated with the flame and patriotism of their ancestors.

“We try to be worthy continuators, and we all carry the great weight and awe of what we represent”, he declares.

The Ancient Oath of the Greek War of Independence

Oath Greek war of independence
Kalamata enthusiasts reenact the oath of the Greek War of Independence. Video frame/Facebook

The Oath of the Greek War of Independence was taken by Greece’s rebelling chieftains on March 23, 1821 after they liberated Kalamata from Ottoman rule.

Following the surrender of Kalamata, the first liberated city in the Morias (Peloponnese) and all of Greece, the chieftains decided to set up a revolutionary committee.

The chieftains named the committee  “The Messenian Senate.” The purpose of the Senate was to better coordinate the battles and strategy for the Greek War of Independence.

Its leadership was assigned to Petrobeys Mavromichalis, who bore the title of “General of the Spartan and Messenian Army.”

The Oath of the War of Independence

The Messenian Senate leaders then took an oath to fight the Greek War of Independence until the bitter end for the liberation of their homeland.

The oath was the very same one that had been vowed by the ancient Greek warriors before battle, written by orator Lycurgus of Athens:

“I will not dishonor the sacred arms, I will not abandon my fellow warrior, whoever stands next to me in the line of battle.

“I will defend whatever is holy and sacred, alone and with many, and my homeland I will not deliver smaller, but larger and more powerful from what I have inherited.

“And I will willingly obey those who are judges and I will perform my duties as a citizen according to the established institutions and according to all the others the people will establish by joint decision.

“And in case someone tries to overthrow institutions or does not obey them, I will not allow this and I will defend them, alone or with many.

“And I will honor all that is sacred and holy in my homeland.”

The Messenian Senate also decided to write a Proclamation to the European governments and public, to announce the Greek War of Independence.

At the same time, the proclamation calls for aid, reminding Europeans that Greece had always served as the mother of Europe and the cradle of civilization itself.

The Proclamation to Europe of the War of Independence

“Proclamation addressed to Europe by Petros Mavromichalis, Commander-In-Chief of the Spartan Troops, and the Messenian Senate, sitting at Kalamata.

“The insupportable yoke of Ottoman tyranny hath weighed down for over a century on the unhappy Greeks of the Peloponnesus.

“So excessive had its rigors become, that its fainting victims had scarcely strength enough to utter groans.

“In this state, deprived of all our rights, we have unanimously resolved to take up arms against our tyrants.

“All our differences and things that divide us, as fruits of tyranny, shouts lo have been cast aside, and all of us breathe the air of liberty.

“Our hands, tied until now by iron shackles of this barbaric tyranny, are now untied, and they are raised with bravery to take up arms for the elimination of this hideous tyranny.

“Our feet that were running day and night to run errands for our mercilles masters, are now running for taking back our rights. Our head, bowing under the yoke, is now raised and thinks of nothing but our liberty.

“Our tongue that was unable to speak, except for begging in vain to please our barbaric tyrants, now shouts and in the air echoes the sweet name of liberty.

“In a word, we decided to be free or die. For this reason, we invite the aid and support of all civilized nations of Europe so that we can more promptly attain our sacred and just cause and get back our rights, to resurrect our unfortunate people.

“Greece, our mother, was the lamp that illuminated you, and on this ground it asks for your urgent philanthropy.

“We hope that we will attain our sacred goal and we are obliged to you, and in more prosperous times we will show our sincere gratitude for your contribution. 

(Signed) PETROS MAVROMICHALIS

Given at the head-quarters of Kalamata, March 28/April 9, 1821″

The original text of the Proclamation of the War of Independence is preserved in the archives of the Foreign Office in Britain.

Greek City of Kalamata Reenacts Liberation From Ottoman Rule

Kalamata Liberation Reenactment
Dressed in traditional costumes, citizens of Kalamata reenacted the events of the Greek War of Independence that led to the liberation of the city from the Ottoman rule in 1821. Credit: Youtube / Municipality of Kalamata / Screen capture

Dressed in traditional costumes in the fashion of two hundred years ago, citizens of Kalamata, located in the Peloponnese in Southern Greece, celebrated 203 years since the liberation of the city from Ottoman rule with a majestic reenactment of the events of the Greek War of Independence on Saturday, March 23rd.

Hundreds of visitors were joined by Greek officials to watch the reenactment at the old town center from 4 p.m. local time.

The oath taken by the generals of the Greek War of Independence and reenacted today was the same oath taken by ancient Greek soldiers before they marched to war.

First Greek city liberated from the Ottomans

Kalamata was the first city to be liberated from the Ottomans, as the Greeks rose in the Greek War of Independence in 1821.

On March 23rd of that year, the harbor city was taken over by the Greek revolutionary forces under the command of generals Theodoros Kolokotronis, Petros Mavromichalis, and Papaflessas.

Mavromichalis declared the revolt against Ottoman rule in the Church of the Holy Apostles, located in the middle of the city’s square.

Sadly, a few years later, in 1825, the invading Ottoman forces destroyed the city, but once it was rebuilt in independent Greece, Kalamata became one of the most important harbors in the Mediterranean Sea. The second-oldest Chamber of Commerce in the Mediterranean, after that of Marseille, was founded in Kalamata.

Petrompeis Mavromihalis Kalamata
Petrompeis Mavromihalis liberating Kalamata by Hess. Public Domain

Rich history and culture of the city of Kalamata

In the 20th century, Kalamata gained a reputation for its homonymous olive variety, its excellent quality olive oil, raisins, and figs, which are exported worldwide.

It became the second most populous city of the Peloponnese peninsula after Patras and is the capital of the Messenia regional unit.

Visitors today can still walk around the historical city and learn about the different aspects of life in the area throughout the centuries thanks to its many boutique museums. These include the Municipal Gallery, the Archaeological Museum of Messenia, the Military Museum, and the Folk Art Museum.

Some of the city’s most important sites are the Villehardouin castle, the Ypapanti Byzantine church, the Kalograion monastery with its silk-weaving workshop where the famed Kalamata scarves are made, and the municipal railway park.

The city is particularly popular during the summer season thanks to its beautiful beaches and nature, attracting visitors from across the world with several direct flights from Greek and international airports.

The Brutal Torture of Athanasios Diakos During the Greek War of Independence

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Battle of Alamana
Battle of Alamana, in which Athanasios Diakos made his final stand, painted by Alexandros Isaias. Credit: Alexandros Isaias / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Athanasios Diakos is one of the most famous and tragic figures of the Greek War of Independence.

He spent the early years of his life in theological training at the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Prodromos near Artotina. However, he was forced to flee the serenity of monastic life after an altercation with an Ottoman official and took up arms as a klepht (independence fighter).

Diakos is best known for his courageous last stand at the Battle of Alamana, where he was severely wounded and captured by the Ottomans. The Ottomans offered to spare his life and grant him a position in the Ottoman army on the condition that he go against his own people and renounce his Christian faith. However, Diakos refused and was subjected to torture and death as a result.

Early life of Athanasios Diakos

The man who would later become better known by his pseudonym Athanasios “Diakos”, was born Athanasios Nikolaos Massvetas in the village of Ano Mousounista in Phocis, in 1788, athough some accounts say he was born later in 1791, or that he was from the village of Artotina.

His family lineage was perhaps a clue as to his future activities: his grandfather was also a klepht. Klephts were Greek guerrilla fighters who resisted the Ottomans, mainly in the mountainous and rural areas of Greece.

However, in the early years of his life, Athanasios was drawn more to the Bible than to flintlocks and sabers. He was strongly drawn to his Greek Orthodox faith and was subsequently sent by his parents to the Monastery of Agios Ioannis Prodromos (St John the Baptist) near Artotina to commence theological training.

He became a fully-fledged monk at the age of seventeen and was quickly promoted to take on the role of deacon on account of his strong faith and commendable disposition.

Athanasios Diakos
Portrait of Athanasios Diakos by Dionysios Tsokos. 1861. Credit: Dionysios Tsokos / Public Domain / Wikimimedia Commons

Flight from the monastery

The young Athanasios was not destined for a quiet life, and his time spent at the monastery would come to an abrupt end.

According to the traditional story of his life, an Ottoman pasha and his troops visited the monastery where Athanasios lived. The pasha took a liking to the young clergyman and indecently propositioned him

Athanasios took great offense at the Ottoman pasha’s remarks, and in the ensuing altercation the latter was killed.

Athanasios was forced to flee the monastery for fear of Ottoman reprisals and took refuge in the mountains where he became a klepht like his grandfather before him. In reference to his previous life as a clergyman, he took on the pseudonym “Diakos”, meaning Deacon.

Diakos
Sketch of Athanasios Diakos by an unknown author, 1883. Credit: Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Life as a klepht

Athanasios Diakos, as he then became known, served under the klepht leaders in the region of Roumeli. He bolstered his reputation as a capable warrior in several skirmishes with the Ottomans during this time.

Diakos also served as a mercenary in Ioannina, Epirus, in the army of the infamous Ali Pasha. It was during this time that he befriended the klepht Odysseas Androutsos, who would also go on to become a prominent hero of the Greek War of Independence.

Diakos later served under Androutsos as his second-in-command when the latter was made captain of a band of irregular fighters stationed in the town of Livadeia in Central Greece.

After a stint as Androutsos’ trusted lieutenant, Diakos founded and led his own band of klepthes in the years preceding the outbreak of the revolutionary war. Like many of the klepht leaders, Diakos joined the Filiki Eteria, or “Society of Friends”, founded in 1814 with the purpose of overthrowing Ottoman rule and establishing an independent Greece.

Diakos fresco
Fresco of Diakos by Theophilos Hatzimihail, 1931. Credit: Theophilos Hatzimihail / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

The final stand of Athanasios Diakos at the Battle of Alamana

Soon after the war began in 1821, Diakos and his friend Vasilis Bousgos, who also led a band of fighters, set out to capture the town of Livadeia.

It took three days to liberate the city of Livadeia and involved grueling urban warfare and hand-to-hand fighting in the houses of the town. However, the Greeks prevailed on April 1, and liberated the town, also burning the residence of Mir Aga, the Ottoman official in charge there.

It did not take long for the Ottomans to respond. Hurshid Ahmed Pasha, the Ottoman governor of the Peloponnese, dispatched 8,000 men led by two of his most capable generals, Omer Vrioni and Köse Mehmed, to crush the rebellion.

The Greeks were heavily outnumbered. Even with reinforcements provided by Dimitrios Panourgias and Yiannis Dyovouniotis, Diakos and Bousgos only had about 1,500 men at their disposal to oppose the Ottoman advance. Nevertheless, they decided to take up defensive positions near the legendary site of Thermopylae.

The Greeks split their force in three to defend the most valuable positions. Dyovouniotis positioned his men to defend the bridge at Gorgopotamos, Panourgias took to the heights of Halkomata, and Diakos covered the bridge at Alamana.

The Ottomans also split their force in three to take on the Greeks at each of their defensive positions. The main Turkish contingent attacked Diakos, but he resisted the assault the longest.

Dyovouniotis’ force could not hold the bridge at Gorgopotamos and Panourgias’ men fled when he was wounded. This left Diakos and his men to face the full force of the Ottoman assault alone.

Seeing that the situation was hopeless, Bousgos, who had been fighting alongside his friend, urged him to retreat, but Diakos refused and fought on alongside 48 of his men who also chose to stay.

Diakos and his men put up a valiant struggle for a number of hours, despite being massively outnumbered. The fighting was not confined to musket fire and developed into a close melee struggle. Ultimately, Diakos was severely wounded and captured when his sword broke.

Battle of Alamana
Battle of Alamana. Credit: Panagiotis Zographos / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Torture and death

Diakos was brought before one of the Ottoman commanders, Omer Vrioni, who had gained military experience fighting Napoleon in Egypt.

Vrioni made Diakos an offer: his life would be spared if he agreed to take up a post as an officer in the Ottoman army and convert from Christianity to Islam.

Diakos refused to abandon the Greek cause and told Vrioni “I was born a Greek, I shall die a Greek”. He was to be subjected to torture and death as a result.

As he was led off to be executed, Diakos, according to popular tradition, poetically remarked, “Look at the time Charon chose to take me, now that the branches are flowering, and the earth sends forth grass.”

The manner of his death would have been excruciatingly painful. Diakos was impaled on a stake which was driven through the length of his body. Depending on the method, impalement could take days to kill the victim whose every writhing movement on the torture device would have inflicted even more pain.

Initially, the grim death of Diakos served the Ottomans well as a deterrent against future rebellion. However, as time passed, his sacrifice for the Greek cause inspired other revolutionaries to take up the sword and musket to fight for the cause of independence.

Athanasios Diakos
Monument dedicated to Diakos. Credit: Sportingn / Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

Manuscripts From Greek National Poet Dionysios Solomos Exhibited in Athens

Dionysios Solomos Manuscripts on display.
Dionysios Solomos Manuscripts on display. Credit: Facebook / Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens

Conserved manuscripts from Greek national poet Dionysios Solomos are exhibited at the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens until the end of April, on the occasion of the Greek Independence Day celebrated on March 25.

The rare exhibits were unveiled to the public on March 21, following the completion of conservation work 200 years since Solomos wrote his Hymn to Liberty, which eventually became the national anthem of Greece in 1865.

Solomos’ manuscripts undergo conservation

Visitors to the Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens will have the opportunity to see the 200-year-old manuscripts alongside an informative video about their conservation project until the end of April.

Educational programs will run over the same period at the museum.

Dionysios Solomos Manuscripts on display.
Dionysios Solomos Manuscripts are on display alongside an informative video about their conservation process. Credit: Facebook / Byzantine and Christian Museum in Athens

Beyond the Athens show, the poet’s manuscripts form part of the permanent exhibition at the Museum of Dionysios Solomos and Other Eminent People of Zakynthos, his home island.

Besides the manuscripts, visitors of the small museum, located at St Mark’s square in Zakynthos town, can view a selection of Solomos’ personal belongings, such as his desk, inkwell and favorite books, and a portrait gallery picturing the Solomos family.

The ground floor of the museum houses the only Mausoleum in Greece, where the bones of Dionysios Solomos and those of poet Andreas Kalvos and his wife are laid to rest.

Creation of the Greek national anthem

Dionysios Solomos was born at the turn of the 19th century, in 1798, and his work became a monumental influence in uniting Greeks and creating a common national identity following the 1821 War of Independence and the establishment of a free state.

His Hymn to Liberty, written in 1823, consists of 158 stanzas, and combines elements of romanticism and classicism, inspired by the brave men who fought in the Greek War of Independence and Greece’s long history.

It presents the goddess of liberty and recalls the past martyrdoms that occurred during the history of the country, the revolt of its “slaves” under foreign rule, as well as the joys of being a Hellene.

The Corfiot musician Nicolaos Mantzaros composed a melody for the words in 1828, which he kept modifying in 1837, 1839 and 1840, and December 1844 – before he eventually presented it to King Otto I, the ruler of the newly founded Greek state.

The King, who heard the poem’s first three stanzas set to the music by the local philarmonic band during a visit to Corfu, was so impressed that he ordered it to be played during official events; thus, “Hymn to Liberty” instantly became the National Anthem of Greece.