When Is Greece Independence Day: Greek Independence Day is an annual national holiday celebrated in Greece on March 25, commemorating the start of the Greek Independence War in 1821. This important day coincides with the Greek Orthodox Church’s celebration of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, which commemorates the Archangel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, informing her of her pregnancy with God’s son. Since 1453, Greece has been under Ottoman rule.
On March 25, 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the banner of change at the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese, sparking the Greek revolt. “Freedom or death” became the revolution’s rallying cry. Internal conflicts followed initial battlefield wins, such as the capture of Athens in June 1822. By 1827, the Turks had retaken control of Athens and the majority of the Greek islands.
Greek Independence Day
On March 25, 2021, the world will come together to celebrate Greece’s bicentennial of freedom! Greek Independence Day, an annual national holiday celebrated on the same date in Greece honors the start of the Greek Independence War in 1821. This important day coincides with the Greek Orthodox Church’s celebration of the Annunciation to the Theotokos, which commemorates the Archangel Gabriel’s appearance to Mary, foretelling the birth of God’s son. Greece’s revolt was started on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the revolution flag at the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese, with the rallying cry “Freedom or death” serving as the revolution’s motto.
Greece has navigated through pivotal events throughout its past, taking part in various wars, such as the Persian wars and those led by Alexander the Great. From 1821 to the present, Greece has played pivotal parts in two major conflicts: the War of Independence against the Ottoman Empire and World War II.
A Proclamation on Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2023
Today, we honor the courage of Greek revolutionaries who fought valiantly for their freedom over two centuries ago. We also remember the enduring idea that binds our great countries together. The belief that “we the people” hold the power to shape our destinies. The story of our shared values and common purpose started with the founding of America when the principles of ancient Athenian democracy inspired the framers to create a new system of self-government.
Only a few decades later, in 1821, the resilient people of Greece took a stand for their freedom from the Ottoman Empire. At this critical juncture, young patriots from the newly formed United States crossed the Atlantic to back Greece’s fight for freedom. During World War II, the alliance formed between Greeks and Americans exemplified their shared commitment against fascism, based on a deep understanding that democracy is a cause worth sacrificing for.
GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY in Athens
Every March 25, Athens marks Greek Independence Day, commemorating the start of the Greek War of Independence in 1821. This important day is also religiously significant for Eastern Orthodoxy, as it commemorates The Annunciation. The highlight of the celebration is a magnificent military parade that begins at 11:00 a.m., starts on Vasilissis Amalias Avenue, and passes by the Hellenic Parliament. The occasion is graced by famous dignitaries, including Greece’s President.
The parade travels down Panepistimiou Street, with crowds lining each side in front of notable structures such as the Attica department store, the Academy of Athens, the National Bank of Greece, and the National Library until it reaches Omonia Square. The parade usually features thousands of armed service personnel representing squadrons from the entire Hellenic Armed Forces. Civil and military marching bands lead a procession of military trucks.
History of the Greek Independence War
Greece had numerous independent city-states during the ancient era. These city-states were briefly united under the rule of Philip of Macedonia and his son, Alexander the Great, before being divided again. The Roman Empire conquered Greece in the 140s BCE, turning it into one of its provinces. Throughout the centuries that followed, Greece grew to become an important center within the Roman Empire, with the Greek city of Constantinople acting as the eastern capital. Despite the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Eastern Roman (Byzantine) Empire it lasted many centuries longer, extending the historical timeline of Greek freedom well before 1821.
Nonetheless, the Byzantine Empire finally declined in power. External forces, mainly the Turkish Ottoman Empire, seized Byzantine territories, eventually leading to Constantinople’s fall in 1453. Greece was then conquered by the Ottoman Empire and stayed a province for centuries. Despite this prolonged subjugation, Greece went on to fight for freedom in the War of Freedom.
Greek Independence Day: A National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy, 2022
Our Founders drew inspiration from the birthplace of democracy, Greece, in establishing a government that mirrored the growing spirit of America and brought our young country together based on fundamental principles of liberty, justice, and the rule of law. Several decades after the American Revolution, the Greek people bravely banded together to reaffirm their commitment to democracy and claim independence from the Ottoman Empire. Today, as we mark the anniversary of Greek freedom, we pay tribute to the deep and historical bond that has been formed between our countries through the pursuit of liberty and self-government.
We also honor the modern Hellenic Republic’s numerous contributions to international peace, stability, and the preservation of our shared values. The Greek bicentennial celebration in 2021 was a joyous year for Greece, the Greek American community, and our two countries’ strong bilateral connection. Long-sown friendship seeds are bearing fruit, with Greece and the United States standing united to champion freedom around the world.
When did Greece gain independence?
March 25, 1821
Ypsilantis was soon defeated by the Turks, but, in the meantime, on March 25, 1821 (the traditional date of Greek independence), sporadic revolts against Turkish rule had broken out in the Peloponnese (Modern Greek: Pelopónnisos), in Greece north of the Gulf of Corinth (Korinthiakós), and on several islands.
The Philik? Etaire? A, a patriotic conspiracy formed in Odesa (now in Ukraine) in 1814, was the catalyst for the uprising. The desire for some form of autonomy was common among Greeks of all social classes at the time. Their sense of Greek nationality, known as Hellenism, had been promoted over time by the Greek Orthodox Church, the preservation of the Greek language, and the Ottoman Empire’s administrative structures. Their commitment to Hellenism was strengthened by the growth of their economy and exposure to Western revolutionary ideas.
The uprising began in February 1821, when the leader of the Etairists, Alexander Ypsilantis, crossed the Prut River into Turkish-controlled Moldavia with a small force of troops. Within a year, the insurgents had taken control of the Peloponnese, and by January 1822, they had claimed Greece’s independence. Despite three attempts to invade the Peloponnese between 1822 and 1824, the Turks were unable to reclaim the area.
Does Greece have an independence day?
Greek Independence Day, national holiday celebrated annually in Greece on March 25, commemorating the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821.
Since 1453, Greece has been a part of the Ottoman Empire. On March 25, 1821, Bishop Germanos of Patras hoisted the revolution flag over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese, starting the Greek uprising. The stirring cry “Freedom or death” became the revolution’s motto. The Greeks won early wins on the battlefield, including the capture of Athens in June 1822, but internal conflicts arose. The Turks had retaken Athens and most of the Greek islands by 1827.
When the revolution looked to be on the verge of failure, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia stepped in. The Greek struggle had won widespread support in Europe, with notable intellectuals such as the English poet Lord Byron advocating for the Greek cause. The combined forces of Britain, France, and Russia decisively beat an Ottoman-Egyptian fleet in the naval Battle of Navarino. The Treaty of Edirne, which created an independent Greek state, ended the revolution in 1829.
When did Greece become fully independent?
After nine years of war, Greece was finally recognized as an independent state under the London Protocol of February 1830.
From 1821 to 1829, the Greek War of Independence, also known as the Greek Revolution or the Greek Revolution of 1821, was a successful fight for freedom by Greek revolutionaries against the Ottoman Empire. In 1826, the British Empire, Kingdom of France, and Russian Empire backed the Greeks, while the Ottomans received help from their North African vassals, especially Egypt’s eyalet. This War paved the way for the creation of modern Greece, which would later grow to its current size.
The celebration of the revolution on March 25 as Independence Day is a tradition followed by Greeks all over the world. Except for the Ionian Islands, the Mani Peninsula, and some mountainous areas in Epirus, all Greek regions fell under Ottoman control in the 15th century, around the time of the Fall of Constantinople. Several Greek uprisings against Ottoman dominance happened over the following centuries. The majority of these rebellions originated in the Mani Peninsula, an independent Greek realm that stayed unconquered by the Ottomans. The Orlov Revolt in 1770 was the most violent battle.
Does Greece have a national day?
March 25th is a double celebration of Greek Independence Day and the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary (the moment when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and told her she would be the mother of Jesus, the Son of God).
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Who gave Greece independence?
the Ottoman Empire’s
After a long and bloody struggle, independence was finally achieved, and confirmed by the Treaty of Constantinople in July 1832. The Greeks were thus the first of the Ottoman Empire’s subject peoples to be accepted as an independent sovereign power.
The Greek War of Independence (1821–1829), also known as the Greek Revolution, is generally regarded as a triumphant conflict fought by Greeks to liberate Greece from the Ottoman Empire. The surge of revolutionary nationalism in Europe in 1821 fueled Greece’s quest for freedom. Greek nationalists got support not only from exiled compatriots but also from a large number of Western Europeans who admired ancient Greek culture. Notably, the support of Western European countries such as the French Kingdom, the United Kingdom, and the Russian Empire was important.
Poets and artists lauded Greece as the cradle of European culture, rallying public support for the country’s fight against a Muslim empire. The Treaty of Constantinople emerged as a major outcome of the Constantinople Conference, in which the great powers? France, Britain, and Russia? Along with the Ottoman Empire? Participated, reflecting the dynamics of this critical diplomatic event.
As the revolution was on the verge of failure, the United Kingdom, France, and Russia intervened in the War. The Greek struggle had gained widespread support in Europe, including from important figures such as the English poet Lord Byron. The naval Battle of Navarino saw the collaboration of British, French, and Russian forces, which destroyed an Ottoman-Egyptian fleet.
The culmination of these interventions ended in the signing of the Treaty of Edirne in 1829, which established an independent Greek state. To mark Greek Independence Day, towns and villages throughout Greece plan a school flag parade in which students dress up in traditional Greek costumes and proudly carry Greek flags. In addition, an armed forces parade is held in Athens.
