March 25th 2007 Independence day in Agia Efimia.

On March the 25th this year and every year the Greek people gather all over Greece to celebrate the declaration of Independence in Patras in 1821.

The residents of Agia Efimia and the Pylaros valley are no different, so they gather to give thanks and remember those who died in the struggle.

The picture right shows prayers being said and a minutes silence was observed in rememberence of those whose struggle ended in death.

Above is a picture of the Mayor of Pylaros Mr Markos Kotsilinis placing a wreath at the memorial.

In a nut shell this is what happened:

In 1814, Greek nationalists formed a secret organization called the Friendly Society (Filiki Eteria) in Odessa. With the support of wealthy Greek exile communities in Britain and the United States, the aid of sympathisers in Western Europe and covert assistance from Russia, they planned a rebellion. The basic and original objective of the society was a revival of the Byzantine Empire, with Constantinople as the capital and not the formation of a national state called Greece.

In 1821, the Ottoman Empire was occupied with war against Persia and with the revolt of Ali Pasha in the Balkans. The Great Powers, who opposed revolutions in principle in the aftermath of Napoleon, had their attention focused elsewhere with revolts in Italy and Spain when the Greek revolutionaries started their actions. The planned revolt originally involved uprisings in three places, Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalities and Constantinople. The start of the uprising can be pinned down to March 6th 1821 when Alexander Ypsilanti accompanied by several other Greek officers of the Russian army crossed the river Prut in Romainia. They were not the first military force to shape history by crossing a river! The precident was set by Julius Ceasar when he crossed the Rubicon!

However, it is generally accepted the correct date to celebrate is March 25th 1821 which is the day when the Bishop of Patras made the declaration of independence for a single and united Greek sovereign state. There followed a struggle which lasted for over 10 years during which hundreds of thousands lives were lost. Great atrocities were committed, men women and children were wantonly slaughtered. Whilst the Greek population may have wanted and felt "Independent", it was not until 1832 that the Greek nation and Greece were recognised as an independent sovereign state internationally.

Papa Jannis with the Mayor and deputy Mayor plus representatives of the Police, Port Authority and Fire Brigade about to take the march past.

The Marchers' arriving!

Left, right, left, right, left, left, right, right, both together.......Ahhh!!!!!....love him! Hang in there Vangelis, it's just a matter of timing!