How Is Greek Independence Day Celebrated: Greek Independence Day is a national holiday in Greece that is marked every year on March 25. Today is the feast of the Annunciation to the Theotokos in the Greek Orthodox Church, and it marks the beginning of the Greek Independence War in 1821. This is the message that Gabriel, the archangel, gave to Mary: she will have God’s son.
Before 1453, Greece was part of the Ottoman Empire. The Greek Revolution began on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras flew the revolution flag over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese. People used the rebel chant “Freedom or death” as a rallying cry. Although they had some early tactical wins, like taking Athens in June 1822, problems within the army started to show. As of 1827, the Turks had taken back Athens and most of the Greek islands.
When defeat looked likely, the UK, France, and Russia’s participation in the fight proved to be very important. Many people in Europe supported the Greeks in their fight. Famous people like the English artist Lord Byron backed the Greeks. As a whole, Britain, France, and Russia wiped out an Ottoman and Egyptian force in the Battle of Navarino. In 1829, the revolution ended with the Treaty of Edirne, which made Greece an independent state.
Greek Independence Day
Greece celebrates Greek Independence Day every year on March 25 to remember the beginning of the War of Greek Independence in 1821. The Greek Orthodox Church celebrates the Annunciation to the Theotokos on the same day. This holiday remembers when the Archangel Gabriel told Mary that God’s son was going to be born. When Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the revolutionary flag at the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese on March 25, 1821, the Greek rebellion began. The rallying cry was “Freedom or death.”
Throughout its history, Greece has seen many important events. It has fought in ancient wars like the Persian Wars and those led by Alexander the Great. Since 1821, Greece has been very important in two major wars: the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire and World War II.
Many people in Europe supported the Greeks in their fight. Famous people like the English artist Lord Byron backed the Greeks. When Britain, France, and Russia worked together, they sank an Ottoman-Egyptian naval fleet at the Battle of Navarino. In 1829, the revolution ended with the Treaty of Edirne, which made Greece an independent state.
Cities and villages all over Greece hold school flag parades for Greek Independence Day. The kids dress up in traditional Greek clothes and wave the national flag. The celebrations are also helped by military parades, especially the big one in Athens. The world will come together to remember Greece’s 200-year journey to independence as it marks the anniversary of its War of Independence. To honor the Greek people’s fight for freedom two hundred years ago, important landmarks will be lit up in blue and white all over the world to mark the event.
Learn About the History of Greek Independence Day
It was the Ottoman Empire that took over Greece after Constantinople, the capital of the Byzantine Empire, fell in 1453. Most Greeks were religiously loyal to the Byzantine Empire, which was said to be a Christian country connected to the Eastern Orthodox branch of the Catholic Church. The Greek Christians hid their faith when the Ottomans were in charge.
Interestingly, the Annunciation of the Theotokos and Greek Independence Day both happened on the same day. Today is a celebration of the event when the Archangel Gabriel told Mary she would have God’s Son. Because of this, March 25 is important not only as a national holiday but also as a religious and social day.
GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY in Athens
Athens celebrates Greek Independence Day every year on March 25. This day marks the beginning of the Greek War of Independence in 1821. This day is also religiously important because it is the same day as The Annunciation, a holiday in Eastern Orthodoxy.
The impressive military parade starts at 11:00 a.m. on Vasilissis Amalias Avenue and goes by the Hellenic Parliament. Many important people, including the President of Greece, are watching the procession. The parade goes by well-known neoclassical buildings like the Attica department store, the Academy of Athens, the National Bank of Greece, and the National Library. There are people lined up on both sides of Panepistimiou Street. It goes all the way to Omonia Square.
A Very Happy Greek Independence Day
In honor of the anniversary of Greece’s independence, everyone put on their dancing shoes with great enthusiasm.
Greece declared its independence on March 25, 1821, starting a revolution that ended four hundred years of rule and freed the country.
Greeks worldwide are celebrating this 200th anniversary with a wide range of events and art and culture shows that run all year.
In Reservoir, people celebrated the day with Greek dancing in the morning, traditional Greek coffee and pastries, and a reading that detailed the historical importance of this day.
How To Observe Greek Independence Day
Join a parade.
An important part of Greek Independence Day celebrations in Greece and Cyprus are school parades with kids dressed in traditional Greek folk costumes and carrying Greek flags. For those who are in the Greek area at this time, going to these parades is a great way to honor the day and learn about the culture. Cities all over the United States, like Chicago and New York, hold similar parades every year.
Take part in a church service.
Since the day is the Feast of the Annunciation, a lot of people in the town go to church services and celebrations that happen at the same time. On this day, celebrate the Feast of the Annunciation at an Orthodox church near you.
Check out the Acropolis Museum.
If you are in Greece on this important historical day, check out the Acropolis Museum. It houses many historical items that are very important to the Greek people. To entice you to visit even more, the museum will be holding special events just for you on this special day.
How do we celebrate Greek Independence Day?
The day is a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus. Usually celebrations include parades and other celebratory events on the same day or its eve. The largest event is the military parade in Athens on 25 March, while on the previous day, celebrations take place throughout the schools of the country.
Before 1821, when things improved, Greek Orthodox Christians living under Ottoman rule were treated like second-class citizens for almost 400 years. This year, revolutionaries in Greece rose against their Turkish rulers. Many things led to this chaos, but the clear decline of the once-powerful Ottoman Empire was one of the most important. By the 1800s, the empire was no longer as powerful as it had been, and the Greeks knew how weak their smaller, falling kingdom was.
Great Britain, Russia, and France all helped the Greeks during their War of Independence, which took place from 1821 to 1830. On the Ottoman side, they had alliances with many African countries, especially Egypt’s vassal state. Even so, Egypt was insignificant to the rest of the world in the early 1800s. The war between the Greeks and the Ottomans lasted for many years and caused a lot of suffering and damage all around the Mediterranean. People on the island of Crete saw a lot of terrible things happen during the war. They saw massacres, villages destroyed, and a lot of suffering.
What is eaten on Greek Independence Day?
Bakaliaros Skordalia is a national dish, and food tradition enjoyed universally on Independence Day. It comprises batter-fried cod, mashed potato, garlic, and olive oil dip. Simply put, it’s the Greek version of fish and chips! Some prefer to go for salted cod as a slight variation.
Great Lent lasted fifty days, and during this time, many Greeks fasted. March 25 is always celebrated during this time. For the next four weeks, Kathara Deytera will not sell meat, fish, or dairy products.
There are two days during Lent when people don’t have to fast: March 25 and Palm Sunday, which are traditionally days when people can eat fish. People who lived near the coast used to eat fresh fish every day. In contrast, people who lived in remote mountain towns had a hard time because fresh fish couldn’t get to them because there weren’t enough refrigeration trucks. Because it was cheap and could be kept for a long time, salted cod was often used instead of fresh fish during Lent and other times.
It’s important to use very cold water in the batter so that the fish doesn’t soak up too much oil. The light and crunchy crust, made with corn flour, will make you want to eat more than one slice!
What do you say to celebrate Greek Independence Day?
Greek Independence Day | Greece’s Freedom Celebrations
Like elsewhere around the world, the day is marked with national pride, happiness, and is a special holiday to the people of Hellas. Hence, the saying on this special day: ΖΗΤΩ Η ΕΛΛΑΣ! (Long live Greece!)
Greece was freed from the Ottoman Empire in 1821, and on March 25, every year, people all over the world celebrate Greek Independence Day. Fireworks, parades, and parties are common celebrations. To show respect for the Greeks, people fly the Greek flag with pride and often wear white and blue.
The official end of the Greek War of Independence was on July 21, 1832. However, Greek Independence Day is celebrated on March 25. On this important day, people remember the beginning of the movement that freed the Greek people.
How did Greece got Independence Class 10?
The Greek War of Independence happened to separate Greece from the Ottoman Empire. Greece was acknowledged as a sovereign nation in the Treaty of Constantinople in 1832. Greeks successfully fought in the Greek War of Independence (1821–1829), also known as the Greek Revolution, to free their country from Ottoman rule.
The Greeks were able to break away from the Ottoman Empire in the Greek War of Independence, which took place from 1821 to 1829 and was also called the Greek Revolution. Revolutionary nationalism was on the rise in Europe in 1821, and this made the Greeks want independence too. Other Greeks who lived outside of Greece and a number of Western European countries that respected ancient Greek culture backed the Greek nationalists. France, the UK, and the Russian Empire were just a few of the countries that helped the Greeks.
Poets and artists praised Greece as the birthplace of European civilization, which helped the country fight against Muslim rule. England, France, and Russia, along with the Ottoman Empire, met at the Constantinople Conference and devised the Constantinople Treaty.
Who started Greek independence?
Alexander Ypsilantis
Their economic progress and the impact of Western revolutionary ideas further intensified their Hellenism. The revolt began in February 1821 when Alexander Ypsilantis, leader of the Etairists, crossed the Prut River into Turkish-held Moldavia with a small force of troops.
Greece used to be made up of several separate city-states. They were joined together during the rule of Philip of Macedonia and Alexander the Great, his son, but then they were split up again. By about 140 BCE, Greece was a province of the Roman Empire after it had taken it over. In the years that followed, Greece was an important part of the Roman Empire. The eastern capital was the Greek city of Constantinople. The Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire lasted for many decades longer than the Western Roman Empire. This gave Greece a long time of independence before 1821.
The Byzantine Empire lost its power as a political force and was overthrown by other countries, especially the Ottoman Empire in Turkey. When Constantinople fell in 1453, Greece became an Ottoman province and stayed that way for hundreds of years. Even though the Ottoman Empire used force to keep power in Greece and its other European colonies, the rule could have been better. Greece was in charge of its own culture, and non-Muslim groups were taxed more than Muslim groups.
Many people don’t eat meat or fish during Lent, which starts on March 25. But since March 25 is the Feast of the Annunciation, fish can be eaten. Bakaliaros is a delicious batter-fried salt cod dish that is often served with skordalia, a savory garlic and potato dish. It is a favorite among Greek celebrants.
People who want to find the best entertainment and events in Greece should spend the day in a big city like Athens, where most of the expensive and fun things to do are located. If you want to go to Greece, make sure you book your hotel or other accommodations well before March 25 because that day is notorious for being full. A lot of restaurants and coffee shops might be closed during the holy festival.
To fully enjoy Greek Independence Day, you need to know what it means historically and culturally. To celebrate the anniversary, you can also participate in a parade, throw a special dinner, and proudly wear the Greek colors of blue and white!
