Dear Hellenes and Philhellenes,
On March 25th 1821 the Greek Orthodox people commemorate their independence from the Ottoman Turkish yoke which began with the fall of the city of Constantinople in 1453. For about 400 years the Hellenic Nation and people were enslaved by this brutal foreign power.
Greece, "the cradle of Western civilization" was occupied by the Muslim Turks, except for the Ionian islands which were occupied by the Venetians, then the French and in 1815 by the British. The rebellion of the Greek people began in Moldavia when an army of 4500 Hellenes led by General Alexander Ypsilantis, a Phanariote from the so-called district of Constantinople, a member of the Philike Hetairia (Friendly Society), invades hoping to encourage the local Romanian people to throw off the yoke of the Turks.
When the revolution breaks out in the Peloponesso, the Sultan in Constantinople hangs the Patriarch Grigorios V for failing to keep the Greek Orthodox Christians in line which they considered his duty for the vast privileges they allowed him. However, in the Peloponessos the rebellion is making progress. On March 25th 1821 where Bishop Germanos of Patra's raises the flag of revolution at the monastery of Aghia Lavra and the battle cry of "Freedom or Death" (Eleftheria e Thanatos) and becomes the motto of the revolution.
The Hellenic struggle for independence was interpreted by Europeans sympathetically as a battle between the ideals of the ancient Greeks against the ruthless Ottoman Turks who had enslaved the descendents of Pericles, Socrates and Plato. Many Europeans, including Lord Byron, volunteer to fight and become leaders and heroes of the revolution, known as the Philhellenes (friends of the Hellenes).
The Treaty of London, backed by Britain, Russia and France, declares that the three great powers can intervene 'peacefully' to secure the autonomy of the Hellenes.
In 1828 Count Ioannis Capodistrias of Corfu is elected the first governor of Greece by the assembly of Troezene as the Turkish-Egyptian army leave the Peoloponessos once and for all. The Greeks draw up a constitution as a republic and on March 31st 1833 the Turkish troops who have been occupying the Acropolis leave. Four years after being elected President, Kapodistrias was assassinated. A year later the 17 year old Otto (Othon), son of Ludwig of Bavaria, is declared king of the Hellenes by the British, Russians and French.
In Turkey events are taking place that will change the face of Asia Minor and Greece too. Sultan Abdul Hamit of the Ottoman Empire applies a policy of genocide to the Armenian Christian people. In August and September 1894, Armeniansare slain in Sassun. In October 1895 the first genocide takes place in Constantinople and Trebizond and in November and December 1895 the Ottoman Turkish authorities organize a great massacre throughout the country. In June 1896, the massacre of Van takes place. After the capture by the Armenians of the Ottoman Bank, another massacre takes place in Constantinople. The total number of victims is 300.000 Armenian men, women and children.
In 1905 Eleftherios Venizelos, the President of the Cretan assembly announces the Union (Enosis) with Greece. Though this union is not recognized until 1913, Venizelos comes to Athens where he becomes one of the most important political figures of 20th century Greece.
As you can see all the Balkan countries, i.e., Bulgaria, Romania, Serbia, (The Orthodox Christian East) were occupied by the Ottoman Turks for centuries. (References: Matt Barrett's A History of Greece.com).
Please note: There is of course much more history of the enslavement and plight of our people and Hellenic Nation. Just think of a Christian nation under the tyrannical rule of the Ottoman Muslim Turks for 400 years or four centuries. The numerous Neo-Martyrs of our Greek Orthodox Church, men, women, nuns, monks, and children who were killed for their Christian faith because they were not willing to convert to Islam. Young Greek Orthodox boys who were taken by force and turned into fanatic Turkish soldiers called "janissaries" and trained to fight and kill their own people.
For centuries Greek Orthodox educated monks taught the Greek children their Christian faith and Hellenic culture and language in the so called "Secret Schools" (Krypha Scholia), in many cases in caves, high in the mountains of Greece. One such monk priest was Saint Kosmas Aitolos who went around occupied Greece with a large wooden cross, preaching and encouraging the enslaved people of Greece to do everything possible to teach the children their language and culture.
We can never take our freedom for granted!
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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom
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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+Father George