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If you’re planning to be in Athens towards the end of March you’ll definitely wonder why all the balconies and streets in Athens are decorated with the Greek flags, you might even find it hard to move in the centre due to places being closed down for the ‘annual parade’.
That is because, on March 25th, Greece celebrates two major events; Its Independence from the Ottoman Empire and the Annunciation by archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary.
As Greece is a deeply religious country, the fact that a major religious event coincided with the day Greece was freed from 400 years of slavery can only mean big and bigger celebrations!
In this article, I will briefly explain a little about this fascinating ‘Greek revolution’ as well as the ways in which Greeks celebrate their successful revolution for independence so that by the time you visit you will be informed enough to be able to celebrate and enjoy the festivities along with the locals.
Written by Savina Skourmalla on 11-03-2024
The History of Greek Independence
Greece has been under Ottoman occupation since 1453 when the Ottomans took over Constantinople. On March 25th, 1821 however, the Greeks agreed that it was time to change the situation and seek their freedom. That is how, in the small monastery of Agia Lavra in Peloponnese the Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution that bore the motto of the whole war, quote ‘Freedom or Death’.
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The Greeks managed a few early successes yet the war seemed to be weighing towards the Ottomans.
However, the Greeks’ passion and struggle for freedom touched the hearts of many European leading figures and intellectuals that promoted the Greek cause, including the famous ‘philhellin’ Lord Byron.
During the Battle of Navarino in 1829, the Greeks with the help of the joined British, Russian and French forces destroyed the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet and Greece was proclaimed an independent state with the Treaty of Edirne.
The customs of Greek Independence day
The Greek Independence day is celebrated throughout Greece with school and military parades that march in specific attire or traditional customs in order to commemorate the nation’s freedom. In other countries with heavy Greek populations like the States or Australia, the community arranges small parades and festivities in main roads and squares that are decorated with the blue and white colours.
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In Athens, the school parade is held on the eve of Independence day, on the 24th of March. Schools from all around the city gather in the city centre and each school has a different coloured attire which usually consists of white blouse shirts and vests, suit pants for boys and skirts for girls. It’s custom for the students with the best marks in the school to hold the greek flag during the parade, followed by the rest of the school that is aligned according to year (from senior years to juniors and so on).
The students parade in line and in sync in front of the Greek Parliament where high ranked government officials watch the children march proudly in front of them.
The next day is when the grand military parade commences at 11:00 am annually and it features the Hellenic Armed forces, military marching bands, armed service personnel and retired soldiers. Military vehicles also join the parade following the marchers.
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Of course, during that day the city centre is pretty inaccessible during that day so if you wish to join the thousands of people that gather to watch it you need to be at the centre no later than 10:00 am. After that time, all subway, bus and trolley lines that stop or pass by the city centre are cut off and the line operation begins later in the afternoon when the festivities stop.
The parade will last about 90 minutes and the best viewing point suggested is along Panepistimiou Street where the parade will pass after ending at Omonia Square.
As mentioned earlier during this article, the 25th of March is a double celebration for Greeks: both a national as well as religious holiday.
The Annunciation is the event during which the archangel Gabriel informs the mother of Jesus, Virgin Mary, that she is expecting the ‘son of god’.
This holy event is celebrated in churches across the country before and after the parade and the Metropolitan Cathedral in Athens holds a major service that is even being broadcast live on national tv.
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On this day, it is customary for Greek families to gather around the table and eat crispy and fried cod fish with garlic sauce (Bakaliaro Skordalia). The choice of food has to do with the Lent before Easter during which no animals or animal products are consumed with the exception of cod during the Annunciation day.
If you happen to find yourself in Athens during the days of the Greek Independence you should definitely take the opportunity to watch the marvellous parades and taste the delicious traditional cod dish and enjoy the sun and the Greek spirit at its best.
In order to explore and experience the city and its life in depth however, there is nothing better than joining an exciting bike tour of Athens with us!
During the tour you will get to know more candid things about the city and learn how to get around the city easily like a true local. Even if you miss the parade, during the tour you will still have the opportunity to witness the changing of the guards at the Presidential Mansion, a unique event which you will surely remember for the rest of your life!
