The Chios Massacre: The Worst Atrocity Committed by the Ottomans

chios massacre
“The Massacre at Chios,” Eugene Delacroix, 1824. Credit: Public Domain

The Chios massacre of 1822 was perhaps the worst atrocity committed by the Ottomans against Greeks during the Greek War of Independence.

Approximately three-quarters of the population of 120,000 were killed, enslaved, or died of disease after thousands of Turkish troops landed on the eastern Aegean island to end a rebellion against Ottoman rule.

Chios: an island of traders

For over 2,000 years, Chios merchants and shipowners had been prominent in trade and diplomacy throughout the Black Sea, the Aegean, and the Mediterranean.

The Ottoman Empire allowed Chios almost complete control over its own affairs as Chian trade and the very expensive and sought-after mastic plant, harvested only on Chios, were of great value to the empire.

The cosmopolitan Chians were also very prominent in Constantinople, causing the island’s ruling classes to be reluctant to join the Greek revolt, as they feared the loss of their security and prosperity.

Furthermore, they were aware that they were situated far too close to the Turkish heartland in Anatolia to be safe.

The Chios Massacre

greek war of independence
Relics of the massacre in Nea Moni on the Greek island of Chios. Credit: FLIOUKAS /Wikimedia Commons/CC BY-SA 4.0

Things changed in March 1822 when several hundred armed Greeks from the neighboring island of Samos landed on Chios. They attacked the Ottomans, who retreated to the citadel. Many islanders then joined the Greek War of Independence.

However, the vast majority of the population had, by all accounts, not joined other Greeks in their revolt against the Ottoman Empire and had done absolutely nothing to provoke the hideous reprisals.

The Ottomans sent reinforcements to Chios on March 22nd. On March 31st, orders were given to burn down the town, and over the next four months, another estimated 40,000 Turkish troops arrived on the island.

In addition to setting fires, the troops were ordered to kill all infants under three years old, all males 12 years and older, and all females 40 and older except those willing to convert to Islam.

Tens of thousands of survivors dispersed throughout Europe to become part of what would become known as the Chian Diaspora.

A horrified Europe responds to the atrocity with shock

chios massacre
“The Massacre at Chios,” Eugene Delacroix, 1824. Credit: Public Domain

The massacre shocked Europe, and protesters highlighted the atrocity with many famous artists dedicating works to this heinous event.

One of the greatest works of the great French painter Eugene Delacroix was a depiction of the Massacre of Chios, the purpose of which was to raise awareness throughout Europe of the horrors and atrocities committed by the Ottomans on the island. Furthermore, Victor Hugo’s poem about the massacre also highlights the brutality suffered at the hands of the Ottomans.

Following the massacre, volunteer organizations collected money to support the Greek Revolution by providing arms and weapons while many Westerners arrived in Greece to fight the Ottomans.

On June 6th, 1822, Konstantinos Kanaris, a native of the nearby island of Psara, finally retaliated. Kanaris set ablaze a Turkish fleet which had landed in the port of Chios, killing 2,000 Ottomans and destroying all the ships in the port.

SYRIZA’s Stefanos Kasselakis Joins Parade on Greek Independence Day

Kasselakis
Stefanos Kasselakis (left) prepared to march in the town of Thebes. Credit: Video screenshot/NewsIt

Stefanos Kasselakis, the leader of Greece’s main opposition party, SYRIZA, who is currently doing his military service joined the military parade for Independence Day at the town of Thebes.

He was seen parading with other freshers in the center of the town.

Kasselakis started his brief military service in an army barrack in Thebes more than 10 days ago. He is due to receive basic military training for 20 days.

Military service is mandatory for all Greek males. Kasselakis had been exempt from military service as he was residing in the US since age 14. When he returned to Greece he had two options: Spending six months in the military or serving for three weeks and buying off the rest of his time.

While it has a sizeable number of professional troops, Greece’s military is still conscription-based, with service in most cases set at 12 months.

Receiving basic military training has not deterred him from delving into politics through statements and social media.

On Sunday he called on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to resign “so Greece can be led in an orderly manner to democratic elections,” in a video he posted on social media

His response was prompted among others by media reports alleging manipulation of evidence in order to claim the fatal Tempe train collision in February 2023 was caused by human error rather than by negligence at the official level.

Kasselakis said that elections should be held “in the presence of international observers, because a prime minister whose government manipulates criminal evidence, surveils political and military leaders through the National Intelligence Service and Predator software, and divulges citizens’ personal data for electoral purposes cannot hold fair elections without a shadow of doubt.” He then called on Mitsotakis to respond within 24 hours.

Kasselakis said he decided to address citizens sooner than the end of his military service ends because “developments are rapid.”

The turbulent leadership of Stefanos Kasselakis

Kasselakis, 36, a former businessman without political experience who is gay, was the surprise winner at the SYRIZA elections held last September.

He took the reigns of the party a few months after the catastrophic election results in June/July 2023 that forced former leader and former PM Alexis Tsipras to resign.

His meteoric rise to leadership had upset many leftwing traditionalists who accused him of “right-wing populism” and authoritarian practices.

On 23 November 2023, 9 Members of Parliament (MPs), 1 Member of the European Parliament (MEP), and 57 central committee members declared their departure from the political party in protest of Kasselakis’ leadership.

Notable figures among them included Effi Achtsioglou along with other former ministers. A few days later previously resigned MPs Euclid Tsakalotos and Peti Perka joined forces with the 9 MPs to announce the establishment of a new political entity called “New Left”.

More recently amidst political turmoil and disagreements regarding Kasselakis’ approaches and agenda, MPs and members of the central committee of SYRIZA initiated a rebellion against Kasselakis’ decision to conduct a survey asking the party’s voters whether SYRIZA should alter its name and ideological focus.

RelatedStefanos Kasselakis: The Rising Star of the Greek Left

The American Slave Who Fought in the Greek War of Independence

Williams American slave greek war of independence
The USS Constitution under sail, with sailors atop her yardarms. The ship hosted three Greek War of Independence heroes, as well as American philhellenes, off the coast of Greece during its Revolutionary War in 1827. Credit: Facebook/ USS Constitution

Former slave and American philhellene James Williams alongside fellow American philhellene George Jarvis fought in the Greek War of Independence for the freedom of Greece and its people who lived half a world away from his birthplace.

After leaving America and giving their lives for the freedom of the Greek people in their struggle against the Ottomans, Williams and Jarvis were laid to rest far from home. But they were where they were meant to be, after fulfilling their mission to help Greece in its greatest hour of need.

Williams American slave Greek war of Independence
James Williams. Credit: Philhellenism Museum

Jarvis and Williams are believed to be buried in Argos, alongside other philhellenes who fought and died during the Hellenic Revolution of 1821 so that, as Lord Byron wrote in his famous poem The Isles of Greece “…Greece might still be free.” Their memorial stones are in the churchyard as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices they made for human freedom.

James Williams led an incredible life, starting with almost unimaginable deprivation as a slave in the antebellum American south. After somehow managing to escape the sugar cane plantation he worked on, south of his birthplace of Baltimore, he made his way as a stowaway onto a ship that was bound for Northern Africa’s Barbary Coast.

American Philhellenes and the Greek War of Independence

The famous admiral Stephen Decatur decided to put the young man to work on his ship, where he labored in the galley as he crossed the Atlantic.

After fighting as a US Marine against the Barbary Coast pirates who had long been harassing American ships, Williams later fought as a member of Lord Cochran’s Hellenic Navy fleet, participating in action at Nafpaktos and other areas as part of the Greek War of Independence.

His incredible life was recreated in the novel “The Fantastic Voyage of James Williams: To Breathe, to Believe,” by Dr. Kostas Rethymniotakis.

As the author says about the life of Williams, “It is said that heroes are made — not born. In the case of James Williams, the events swirling around his life, his dreams and his suffering – even God Himself – all conspire to transform a human being, born a slave, into becoming a transcendent hero for the ages.”

After surviving a hellish existence on a sugarcane plantation and his subsequent escape from bondage, Williams encounters a different environment from the plantation while working as a cook’s helper aboard ship, “which at times is a life that is even harder than the one on the sugar plantation,” Rethymniotakis says.

Former slave, philhellene becomes Marine, spy, survives shipwreck, then is rescued by monks

However, Williams eventually becomes an excellent US Marine, fighting against the cruel Barbary pirates — who themselves were known to have taken a good many American merchant mariners as slaves after attacking their ships.

He goes on to distinguish himself in battle and even as a spy as well. In further adventures, he next works on a rug merchant’s boat before it is suddenly shipwrecked off Greece.

He then finds himself washed up on a beach near Athens, marking the next seminal turning point in his life, one that would allow him to help free an entire people — while his fellow men were still in bondage in the American South.

Providentially, Williams was rescued by monks and taken to Abbot Symeon, who provided him shelter as he recuperated. “Having already learned Greek on board the merchant ship, Williams begins to realize that he has landed in the midst of an uprising – the uprising that quickly becomes the War of Independence for Greeks seeking liberation from the 400 year tyranny under the Ottoman Turks,” Rethymniotakis relates.

Along the way, Williams meets, works with, and fights alongside such great Philhellenes as Lord George Byron, George Jarvis, and others. He participates in naval battles and the famous Siege of Missolonghi. He may have taken part in the Liberation of Athens as well as the Battle of Petta in Epirus as part of a battalion of other Philhellenes.

The former slave becomes philhellene, helps give freedom to Greek people

“But this fictionalized historical novel is not just about one man’s adventures, heroic as they might be,” Rethymniotakis states.

“It is about an Odyssey of man born a slave who reaches the pinnacle of heroism in a land far away from his roots. And yet his adventures, while approaching a mythical status, pale in comparison to the emotional growth Williams undergoes slave to sailor to spy to battle hardened hero, to shipwrecked victim, to lover, to seeker of truth.

“His voice is the voice of all slaves of the world,” Rethymniotakis adds.

“The Fantastic Voyage of James Williams” is a fictionalized account based on the true story of the escaped slave whose amazing life has been painstakingly researched by the author, using information from the archives of George Jarvis, another American philhellene who he fought alongside.

Jarvis’ account places Williams with Lord Byron, the famous British philhellene aristocrat who fought at the Battle of Missolonghi before passing away soon afterward.

Williams is the only American slave ever known to have escaped bondage who then chose to fight for the freedom of another subjugated nation. His life and adventures are truly an Odyssey for the ages. Not only did he find freedom for himself, but he helped people half a world away win their own freedom against the tyranny of the Ottoman Empire.

After the Third Siege of Missolonghi and the exodus of survivors from that city, Williams appears again with the fleet of Admiral Andreas Miaoulis at the island of Hydra; he is believed to have fought in many subsequent naval battles.

The final events of his life are thought to have taken place during the Battle of Navarino, where he served on the Greek sloop-of-war Kartería (Greek for “Perseverance”). Wounded in the battle, he reportedly ended up on the island of Poros in a hospital which was constructed as a gift of the renowned Howe family of philhellenes from Boston.

Williams’ and Jarvis’ memorial stones can be found in the cemetery of the town of Argos, near the city of Nafplion. At present, it is unknown if their stones in Argos are over their actual tombs or if the great philhellene heroes may have been interred elsewhere.

The Municipality of Argos, in Mycenae, will assist the ongoing effort of some expatriates, including members of AHEPA, to locate the bones of the American philhellenes.

Congressman Sarbanes Commemorates Williams in Speech Recorded in Congressional Record

In March of 2013, Congressman John Sarbanes (D-Maryland), who is from Williams’ home city of Baltimore, read the story of his life and that of other American philhellenes into the Congressional Record on the occasion of the Bicentennial of the Greek War of Independence.

His speech is as follows:

Congressional Record — AMERICA AND GREECE–STRENGTH IN SOLIDARITY

“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 192nd
anniversary of Greek Independence Day.

“Greece and America are history’s most storied democracies. Our Founding Fathers borrowed heavily from Greek antiquity to build American democracy.

“Our relationship with Greece, however, is more than one just of philosophical kinship. America, Greece, and Greek Americans have stood in solidarity since the founding of the United States.

“In this year, when we also celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington, and the 100th anniversary of both Harriet Tubman’s death and Rosa Parks’ birth, it is especially fitting to recall how Hellenes and African Americans have reached out to one another to provide mutual
support.

“When Hellenes acted to liberate themselves in 1821, James Williams, an African American sailor from my hometown of Baltimore, joined the Greek revolutionary navy and fought at the Battle of Navarino. In turn, John Zachos and Photius Fisk, orphans of the Greek War of Independence, became passionate abolitionists in America. Zachos was a member of the
Educational Commission of Boston and New York. Fisk, a U.S. Navy chaplain, helped slaves find freedom by supporting the Underground Railroad.”

Sarbanes’ speech, alongside his commemoration on his memorial stone in Greece, serves as proof that despite the many difficulties and trials he faced in his remarkable life, the story of James Williams and his fellow philhellenes will never be forgotten.

Military Parade in Athens Marks Greek Independence Day

Parade Greek Independence Day
Thousands of military personnel from each of the Hellenic Armed Forces’ three services took part in the parade. File photo. Credit: Greek Reporter

On Monday, Greece commemorated the 203rd anniversary of the War of Independence with a grand military parade in the capital, Athens.

Thousands of Greeks gathered in Athens for the occasion, which is marked by the military parade every year. The parade commenced at 11:00 sharp at Vasilissis Amalias Avenue and culminated at Omonia Square.

Military personnel and hardware at the parade on Greek Independence Day

Thousands of military personnel from each of the Hellenic Armed Forces’ three services took part in the parade, as well as civil and military marching bands. Greek Independence Day coincides with the Feast of the Annunciation, celebrated widely by Greek Orthodox Christians.

Onlookers lined the streets of central Athens to watch as thousands of soldiers marched by, accompanied by an impressive array of military hardware. For many, the iconic Evzones are an eagerly anticipated highlight of the parade each year.

However, the Independence Day parade was not only confined to the streets of Athens. Aircraft of the Hellenic Armed Forces flew over the capital to mark the occasion, delighting the celebrants below.

Notable aircraft that could be spotted included Rafale fighter jets, F-16 Fighting Falcons, and Apache attack helicopters.

The day started with a special ceremony at Athens Metropolitan Cathedral that was attended by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou and, representing the government, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, among other officials.

Cannon shots were also fired from Lycabettus Hill and fighter jets were conducting flights over the Acropolis to mark the occasion.

In Thessaloniki, too, multiple downtown schools will converge in the city center for a big parade along Megalou Alexandrou Avenue starting at 12.15 p.m.

Contingents of the Armed Forces will also be holding displays in the northern port city.

President’s message on Greek Independence Day

The anniversary of Greece’s historic declaration of war for independence on March 25 is “a celebration of all Greeks that will always draw up a sense of liberation, independence, and justice,” Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou said in a message on Sunday.

The Greek uprising against the 400-year Ottoman rule in 1821 garnered the admiration of the world, she said. The anniversary also calls for its timeless message, “that passion and self-denial may be the key ingredient of every national effort, but the guarantee of its success lies with consensus, unity, and agreement, as recorded by the herculean struggle of the heroic revolutionaries against an all-powerful empire,” she said.

Sakellaropoulou also noted that this year is the 50th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece following the military dictatorship, while she also said that Greece is not forgetting Cyprus, as a part remains under Turkish occupation.

In a world of multiple speeds and uncertainties, continuous crisis, wars, and divisive speech, the Greek president added, Greece’s challenge today is “to defend, with the contribution of all of us, the ideals of freedom, human rights and democracy, which we secured with struggles and sacrifices in our long history, as we did our unnegotiable national sovereignty.”

New US Film Delves Into Papanicolaou’s Cancer Breakthrough

Greek doctor George Papanikolaou, Pap smear
George Papanicolaou, the inventor of Pap smear. Credit: The Pap Corps

A new US film that highlights the Greek doctor’s George Papanicolaou cancer breakthrough in the 1920s premieres on PBS stations on March 26th.

“The Cancer Detectives,” tracks the fascinating and surprisingly frustrating backstory of the Pap smear, a cervical cancer screening test that’s now routine but was once anything but.

The film takes viewers back to the days before Pap smears, a time when cervical cancer was rightfully feared by patients and doctors alike. A century ago, cervical cancer was a major killer of women. Early detection was impossible, and sexual stigma and shame kept women from discussing it.

Film documents struggle to legitimize Papanicolaou’s test

Hence, it’s not surprising that when an immigrant physician from Greece, George Papanicolaou, nicknamed “Dr. Pap,” discovered a way to detect changes in cervical cells, his breakthrough was largely disregarded by the scientific community.

It would take a massive public relations war against the unspeakable cancer to make the Pap smear a routine part of cervical cancer screening—a war waged in part by Black OB/GYN Helen Dickens, Japanese American illustrator Hashime Murayama, and a group of women committed to cancer prevention.

The film documents the sometimes maddening hurdles they faced, from Murayama’s arrests for being an “enemy alien” during World War II to the racism and sexism that Dickens faced as she attempted to practice medicine and spread the news about cervical cancer screening.

Papanicolaou’s “Pap test” was resisted by the scientific community

Papanicolaou was born in Kymi, Evia in 1883. He was the son of a doctor but began his academic career in Athens studying music and the humanities rather than medicine.

Under his father’s influence, he moved into medicine, first as an army surgeon and then by treating people suffering from leprosy near his hometown.

His inquiring mind drove him further into the sciences, and in 1910, he graduated with a PhD in Zoology from the University of Munich.

After getting married and serving in the military medical corps again in the First Balkan War, Papanikolaou emigrated to the U.S. in 1913, setting out on the hard road previously trodden by many Greek immigrants.

Forced to rely on any work available in order to support himself, he labored as a salesman, clerk, and even a violin player in a Greek restaurant before finally establishing himself at New York University’s Pathology Department and Cornell University Medical College’s Anatomy Department.

It was in 1928 that Papanicolaou developed a technique to take samples from the cervix and examine them under a microscope. That technique is now known as the
Pap smear or Pap test.

However, due to resistance from the scientific establishment of the day, it was not until a 1943 paper written with gynecologist Herbert Traut was published that Papanicolaou’s findings gained wider acceptance.

His work later developed into the fully-fledged discipline of cytopathology which studies disease at a cellular level.

He was the recipient of numerous awards, including the Albert Lasker Award for Clinical Medical Research from the American Public Health Association in 1950 and the Medal of Honor from the American Cancer Society in 1952.

Spectacular Drone Show in Athens Marks Greek Independence Day

Drone show Athens
Credit: Video screenshot/You tube/Grizzly Drones

A spectacular drone show on Sunday evening, marking Greek Independence Day, turned the sky in the center of Athens into a colorful canvas with 3D figures, animated shapes, logos and text messages.

A total of 250 drones created seven of the most characteristic symbols of the liberation struggle, including the dove, the warship with the flag of Mani, the pistols, the naval cannon of the revolution, and the Evzone, while the show, organized by the Prefecture of Attica, closed off with the waving of the blue and white flag. Grizzly Entertainment conducted the show.

Drone show over Athens a timeless message of the Greek Revolution

In his statements, the Regional Governor of Attica, Nikos Hardalias, pointed out: “March 25th is not a typical anniversary. It is an integral part of our national identity and our daily life.

“The Region of Attica has chosen a special and different action this year, for the timeless message of the Greek Revolution to reach high in Attica’s sky,” Hardalias said. “In order to remind [us] constantly and in every way—and especially…the new generations—that nothing was given to us.”

Drone shows replace fireworks

Drones have been replacing fireworks to mark important events by providing spectacular scenes in the night sky.

In the US, some cities opted for drone shows instead of fireworks to celebrate the Fourth of July last year, citing the impact traditional pyrotechnics have on the environment.

Drone shows are aerial displays that use a fleet of drones—each fitted with brilliant LED lights—to create patterns, shapes, and animated scenes in the sky.

An alternative to traditional fireworks, the drones offer a customizable form of entertainment, according to the drone company Sky Elements.

Drone shows have an advantage over fireworks for communities concerned about forest fires and other environmental impacts, Rick Boss, the president of Sky Elements Drone Shows, told CBS News. Compared with fireworks, he added, drone shows present significantly less risk.

Many people enjoy the booming sounds and flashing colors of fireworks, but, as animal rights groups warn, they can be terrifying, overwhelming,⁠ and hazardous for both wild and domestic animals.

On the Fourth of July, many animals become so frightened by the noise and commotion of fireworks that they run from otherwise familiar environments and people and sadly become lost.

They may also suffer devastating or even fatal health effects from stress. The sudden bright flashes and sounds can cause wild animals to run into roadways, resulting in more car accidents than usual.

Wildlife rehabilitation centers are often flooded with traumatized and injured wild animals after the holiday.

“Less risk of fire, less risk of damage, less risk of injury,” he said. “When performing a drone show, we ensure no one is within our safety perimeter should a malfunction occur.”

Fireships: How Greece’s Daring Sailors Destroyed the Turkish Fleet

Greek fireships during the Greek War of Independence
The painting ,”The Burning of a Turkish Frigate,” by Konstantinos Volanakis shows Greek sailors setting fire to a Turkish vessel during the War of Independence. Credit: Konstantinos Volanakis/Public Domain

Silently, with mute prayers to St. Nicholas and the Virgin Mary during the Greek War of Independence, Greece’s islanders—from the small islands of Hydra, Spetses, and Psara—  pilot their floating bomb towards a Turkish frigate.

The bomb, an old, aging ship stripped of its fittings and filled with gunpowder and pitch with tangling yardarms and tinder-dry canvas, only awaits the spark.

These were the fireships of the Greek War of Independence.

In early modern naval warfare, fireships had been used in many naval encounters, as a way for smaller, more nimble, better-skilled fleets to counter the large traditional warships with their rows of cannon.

The technology is simple, and, indeed, fire as a naval weapon is as old as warfare itself.

Certainly, by 1821, most navies had countermeasures, and the fireship was obsolete.

It was a weapon of necessity, which although technically obsolete, was still used by the skilled sailors of the Greek Navy to a devastating, asymmetric effect.

Fireships tended to be older, smaller vessels, which were refurbished with combustibles, such as gunpowder and pitch, to basically become floating bombs.

All the rigging, along with their sails, might be doused with various materials both to stoke the flames and to entangle with the target ship.

The fireship would have a skeleton crew who were among the most skilled and dedicated sailors and who would be able to escape using a small rowboat towed behind the fireship.

Hatches were cut at various intervals in the ships’ hulls to allow for air intake to further feed the flames.

Fireboats attack Turkish flagship in Greece
“Kanaris Burns the Turkish Flagship,” by Nikiforos Lytras. Credit: Public Domain

Fireships decisive in naval encounters during the Greek War of Independence

While Hydra and its fellow “nautical islands” in Greece, Spetses, and Psara, possessed many ships manned by well-skilled crews, they did not possess naval ships in the traditional sense.

Many of their merchant ships were armed with cannons; this was the Mediterranean Sea, of course, which was filled with pirate ships.

The Aegean islanders were not above piracy and blockade-running themselves, but the armed merchantmen, though common in nineteenth-century naval warfare, lacked the punch of frigates.

Fireships were the obvious solution for the Greek islanders. They were easy to procure, and the islanders had the skills and courage to use them effectively despite their clear limitations as weapons.

The proof was in the results for Greece

Greek fireships time and again proved decisive in naval encounters, destroying key Turkish naval assets, and just as importantly, causing panic amongst Turkish sailors.

Beyond the destruction of valuable Turkish vessels, the threat of Greek fireships kept the Turks from effective movement in the Aegean.

They prevented the more active reinforcement of Turkish attempts to defeat the Greek Revolution on the Greek mainland, which held out in spite of great odds (and plenty of internecine fighting).

The pilots of fireships were renowned for their dash, courage, and faith; they even attempted to burn the Egyptian Fleet (allies of the Turks) at Alexandria.

The day of the fireship was past; even at the end of the Greek War of Independence, steam-powered warships came onto the scene, as did ironclads a few decades later.

The new Greek Navy would spend considerable amounts of the state budget to procure the ships needed for the country’s defense and expansion, at times assisted by her diaspora.

This was most notable in the purchase of the Battle Cruiser “Averoff,” which, commanded by a Hydriot admiral, battered the Turkish fleet in the Balkan Wars and made land victories against the Turks more certain.

The fireship elan remains

In the Balkan Wars, too, a bit of the fireship elan remained when another Hydriot, Captain Nicholas Votsis, snuck a torpedo boat into the Thessaloniki harbor, still under Turkish control at the time, and sunk the Turkish cruiser Fetih Bulend.

Hydriots honor the legacy of the fireships in the annual “Miaouleia” Festival, a celebration in Hydra’s beautiful amphitheatrical harbor that culminates in the burning and fireworks on a small ship.

Today, the Greek Navy is one of the world’s finest fleets, drawing on the skills of an ancient maritime nation and the inspiration of three thousand years of victories at sea.

Its ships tend to be nimble and smaller, its sailors skilled and courageous, and its tactics daring and asymmetric, as has always been the case.

Honor is due.

Montreal Celebrates Greek Independence Day With Huge Parade

Montreal Parade
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau led the parade along with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Montreal’s Jean Talon Street. Credit: Press Office Canada PM

Thousands of Greek Canadians gathered at Montreal’s Park-Extension on Sunday to celebrate Greek Independence Day with their annual parade.

The prime minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took part in the celebrations. A mix of Greek, Canadian, and Quebec flags waved above the crowd on Jean-Talon Street.

“We figure about 2,000 to 3,000 participants [took part] in it, and about 5,000 spectators were present,” said Chris Adamopoulos, director general at Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

Montreal parade
A mix of Greek, Canadian, and Quebec flags waved above the crowd. Credit: Press Office Canada PM

Patriotism, cultural heritage, and unity were at the heart of the event. “It’s always good that Greece and Canada can collaborate on different projects and investments,” said Adamopoulos. “So we’re extremely excited to have both prime ministers here with us today.”

Former Liberal MP Eleni Bakopanos told Montreal City News it’s been forty-one years since a Greek prime minister visited Montreal.

“So it’s a unique occasion and so everybody’s happy, [and] we’re happy,” Bakopanos said. “We wanted everybody to share in that today and I think most of Montreal is really proud of the Greek community in Montreal. What we’ve built together with them.”

Montreal Greek Parade
It’s been 41 years since a Greek prime minister visited Montreal. Credit: Press Office Canada PM

Greek songs and dance at the Montreal parade

There are nearly 300,000 Canadians of Greek origin and many Canadians living, working, and studying in Greece, which is why Canada is investing in a brand-new Laval Community Complex alongside the Hellenic Community of Greater Montreal.

The complex will be a space for the public, including the Greek community, to celebrate culture, tradition, and heritage. It will include a theater, sports complex, library, offices, and other spaces to bring the community together and host commemorative events.

Parade Montreal
A Greek traditional dance in Montreal during the parade. Credit: Press Office Greek PM
Parade Montreal
Women in traditional costumes parade in Montreal. Credit: Press Office Greek PM

Earlier, a joint statement between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau confirmed the Greek acquisition of seven state-of-the-art DHC-515 firefighting aircraft from the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

The acquisition of the firefighting aircraft is a sign of the dynamic trade and economic partnership that Canada and Greece enjoy.

“The Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) has created significant opportunities for both Greek and Canadian businesses and workers,” the two leaders said in their statement. “Since its provisional application in 2017, trade between Canada and Greece has grown by 80 percent.”

The two countries are planning to explore a Memorandum of Understanding in tourism promotion that looks at sharing data on how to best increase tourist flows between Canada and Greece. They will also collaborate on best practices to deal with the impact of natural disasters and climate change on the tourism sector.

Blinken: Partnership With Greece “Stronger Than Ever”

Blinken Greece
“The United States and Greece benefit from deep and enduring ties between our people,” Blinken said. Public Domain

On Greece’s Independence Day anniversary, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken that relations between the US and Greece are stronger than ever.

“I look forward to deepening our partnership and friendship, and I wish the people of Greece a year of peace, prosperity, and good health,” Blinken said in a statement.

Full text of Blinken’s statement on Greece’s Independence Day

In speaking of Greek Independence Day today, on March 25th, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken had the following to say:

On behalf of the Government and people of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Greece and Greeks around the world as you celebrate the 203rd anniversary of the founding of the Hellenic Republic.

It was an honor to meet with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at his family home [on] Crete in January and to host Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgios Gerapetritis at the U.S.-Greece Strategic Dialogue in February. Together we underscored our growing bilateral and transatlantic relationship founded on shared democratic values.

On Europe’s southeastern frontier, bilateral partner and NATO Ally Greece has served as a principled proponent of peace and prosperity, and I thank you for your continued leadership. Further, we share a common vision for peaceful, sustainable, and transparent cooperation in space under the Artemis Accords.

The United States and Greece benefit from deep and enduring ties between our people including a profound commitment to democracy, innovation, and expanding educational opportunities for all people, regardless of background or ability. As the birthplace of democracy, Greece serves as an inspiration to the principles we hold dear and draw upon to address today’s global challenges.

The United States applauds Greece’s continuing support of Ukrainian sovereignty, humanitarian aid to Gaza, support of Israel, and participation in Operation Prosperity Guardian. We value Greece’s partnership on issues like climate change, and for its leadership in hosting this year’s Our Ocean Conference. As we look toward another year of challenges and opportunities, I am heartened that our partnership is stronger than ever.

I look forward to deepening our partnership and friendship, and I wish the people of Greece a year of peace, prosperity, and good health.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken

Biden issues proclamation

On Friday, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation marking Greek Independence Day on March 25th as “A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.”

The proclamation, issued by the White House, commemorated the deep historical bonds between Greece and the US. It highlighted their shared efforts during World War II, when both nations fought against the forces of fascism. Additionally, it underscored their unity during the Cold War, as they worked together to overcome the threat of communism.

The US has the largest population of Greeks outside of Greece itself with a diaspora population of roughly three million. On Monday, March 25th, many Greek-Americans will mark Greek Independence Day, particularly in cities such as New York, where a parade is held annually.

March 25th Marks the Annunciation, a Feast for Orthodoxy and Hellenism

Annunciation
Leonardo Da Vinci’s “Annunciation,” c. 1472–1475. Credit: Public Domain

March 25th is one of the most important dates of Hellenism throughout the world since it marks both the anniversary of the Greek War of Independence against the Ottomans and the Feast of the Annunciation, a significant celebration in Christianity.

The Feast of the Annunciation marks the visit of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary, during which he told her that she would be the mother of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

More importantly, since it occurs nine months before the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day, the Annunciation marks the actual incarnation of Jesus Christ, or the moment that Jesus was conceived and the Son of God became the son of the Virgin Mary.

The feast day celebrates two things:

  • God’s action in entering the human world as Jesus in order to save humanity, and
  • humanity’s acceptance of God’s will in Mary’s freely-given acceptance of the role of being the Mother of God

March 25th is the name day of all those called Evangelia, Evangelos, Angela, Angelo, Maria, Marie, Maree, Mariah, Mario, Theotokis, Panayiota, Yiota, Panayiotis, and other derivatives of “Evangelismos” (Annunciation).

Besides Evangelia and Evangelos, the rest of the names are also celebrated on August 15th or November 8th.

The Greek War of Independence began on the important holy day

greek war of independence
“Episode from the Greek War of Independence,” Eugene Delacroix, 1856. Credit: Public Domain

The revolutionary fighters in the Greek War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire chose the holy day of the Annunciation as the symbolic start of their struggle.

On March 13, 1821, Metropolitan Germanos of Old Patras (Palaion Patron Germanos), accompanied by Greek fighters, had declared war against the Ottomans at the Agia Lavra Monastery, blessing the efforts of the freedom fighters.

March 13th is the day identified by historians for this event. Yet Greeks chose March 25th as the historical day of the beginning of the war in earnest, so that the outbreak of the Revolution would coincide with the feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.

The Virgin Mary is the second-most sacred figure in the Greek Orthodox Church after Jesus, and the choice of the day inextricably connects Orthodoxy with the Greek War of Independence.

When Palaion Patron Germanos raised the flag with the cross and blessed it, he signified that this was not only a war for freedom but also a war of faith.

The Annunciation in Luke’s Gospel, 1:26-38.

According to Luke’s Gospel, 1:26-38, “In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.
But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.'”

“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”

As per the gospel, the angel answered: “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel is said to have left her.