Greece celebrates its Independence Day on March 25th every year, commemorating the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821. The day coincides with the Greek Orthodox Church’s celebration of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to Mary and told her that she would bear the son of God.
For over 400 years, Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire. The Greek revolt was ignited on March 25th, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese. The cry “Freedom or death” became the motto of the revolution. Despite early successes on the battlefield, including the capture of Athens in June 1822, infighting ensued, and by 1827, Athens and most of the Greek isles had been recaptured by the Turks.
Just as the revolution appeared to be on the verge of failure, Great Britain, France, and Russia intervened in the conflict. The Greek struggle had elicited strong sympathy in Europe, and many leading intellectuals had promoted the Greek cause, including the English poet Lord Byron. At the naval Battle of Navarino, the combined British, French, and Russian forces destroyed an Ottoman-Egyptian fleet. The revolution ended in 1829 when the Treaty of Edirne established an independent Greek state.
Today, in celebration of Greek Independence Day, towns and villages throughout Greece hold a school flag parade. Schoolchildren march in traditional Greek costumes and carry Greek flags. There is also an armed forces parade in Athens.
As a Parliamentary Republic, Greece’s Head of State is the President, elected by Parliament every five years. The Prime Minister is the Head of Government. The Ministerial Council, consisting of the Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, and Ministers without portfolio, is the collective decision-making body that constitutes the Government of Greece.
Apart from commemorating its historic struggle for independence, Greece also plays a role in supporting a peaceful resolution of disputes between nations. Greece supports a successful outcome of the bilateral Indo-Pakistani dialogue and a peaceful resolution of differences between the two countries, including the dispute over Kashmir.
Overall, Greek Independence Day celebrates not only the country’s hard-won independence but also its rich cultural heritage and its commitment to peace and cooperation on the international stage.
