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GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY One of the great holidays of any nation is the celebration of their independence day. That is an exciting day of pride, prayer and a day of remembrance for what others have sacrificed on our behalf. It is a day of thanksgiving. It is a day of patriotic speeches and flag waving. Here in the United States, that honored day is July 4. For the Greeks, it is March 25. The unfortunate thing about independence holiday celebrations is that few of these generations know from whom their country’s independence came from, or when it occurred. Their knowledge of the war, sacrifices, suffering, torture and death that their forefathers had to endure so this generation could be free may not be a known factor. Today, for them, independence celebration is a time of fun, games and travel. For those of us growing up in Greek communities around the country a generation and more ago, Greek Independence Day was the festival day of the year. Greeks from around surrounding communities would gather together at a Greek church location for an all day celebration. There would be lamb, roasted potatoes, feta cheese and olives and Greek home made pastries for a meal worth waiting for. The program would have the children reciting poems in Greek and there would be the singing of the Greek Anthem several times. Music and dancing and the renewal of friendships from years gone by would make for a joyous time. The Greeks of those days knew about their country’s struggle for independence, and they were appreciative of the sacrifices their forefathers had made. The Greek day of independence came in 1821. For nearly 400 years before, they were under the brutal control of the Ottoman Empire. The Ottoman Turks had tried to convert the Greeks to their way of thinking. When the Greeks refused to be converted, thousands were killed and tortured in retaliation. Mothers would rather have their children killed than grow up and be under the control of the Turks. All during this time the Greeks kept their faith in God and in their church. The Greek language was preserved and their culture and history remembered to each generation. Finally, after eight years of war, in 1829, the Sultan gave the Greeks their independence. In their struggle for liberation, Greece can be thankful to the United States. Fifty years earlier, the States had won their independence from England. The States had an appreciation for those fighting for their freedom. Under the leadership of President James Monroe and Daniel Webster, Congress sent funds and supplies to aid the Greeks. Other European countries helped, also. Lord Byron, the great poet of England, fought for the Greeks and died for their freedom cause. Sir Winston Churchill, well acquainted with wars against tyranny, knowing of the Greeks fighting spirit through the centuries had this to say, "Hence we will not say that Greeks fight like heroes, but that heroes fight like Greeks." Zito H Ellas
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