All this year, the Hellenic Republic will live under the auspices of this significant date—the 200th anniversary of the Greek struggle for independence.

On Independence Day, March 25, a unit of the Greek Presidential Guard (Evzones) has raised the Greek flag on the Acropolis in Athens, launching the celebration. Solemn events were held not only throughout Greece, but also in many countries that became the second homeland for the Hellenes living there.

It was on March 25, 1821, 200 years ago, that the revolution (the Greek War of Independence) began. On that day, Metropolitan Herman of Patras has hoisted a blue and white Greek flag in the monastery of Ayia Lavra (Holy Lavra) on the Peloponnese peninsula, signaling the start of an armed struggle against the 400-year-old Turkish rule. The almost hopeless struggle for independence from the powerful Ottoman Empire was crowned with a success almost 10 years later, largely thanks to the support of Britain, France and Russia, the countries that have made the greatest contribution to the creation of an independent Greek state.

In October 1827, the united squadron of Russia, England and France completely destroyed the Turkish-Egyptian flotilla in a naval battle in the Navarino Bay of the Ionian Sea (southwestern coast of the Peloponnese). The key role was also played by the victory of Russia over Turkey in the war of 1828–1829 when the bulk of the Turkish army left Greece and was defeated by Russian troops in Eastern Anatolia and in the future state of Bulgaria. According to the Adrianople Peace Treaty, Greece received autonomy, and then (on April 24, 1830) the full independence.

The former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Empire John Capodistrias was elected the first ruler of liberated Greece by the People’s Assembly; and by the middle of 1832, the borders of the new state were finally established.

Happy Holidays, beloved Greece!

Official site of festive events: greece2021.gr/en/

April 2021