One of our main national celebrations in Greece is March 25, which commemorates the start of the 1821 Greek Revolution against the Ottoman Empire, a revolt whose motto was the cry “Freedom or death.”
Following the fall of Constantinople in 1453, Greece remained under Turkish occupation for four centuries. After a number of unsuccessful attempts at revolt, the War of Independence started in 1821. Despite many reversals, this would lead to the establishment of a Greek sovereign state with the London Protocol of 1830, signed by England, France and Russia – the allies who intervened to help win the war. The Greek struggle had elicited strong sympathy in Europe, and many leading intellectuals had promoted the Greek cause, including the English poet Lord Byron. At the naval Battle of Navarino, the combined British, French, and Russian forces destroyed the Ottoman-Egyptian fleet.
In 1838 King Otto, the first king of the new state, declared the beginning of the revolution was to be commemorated each year on March 25th with a national holiday; celebrations were held in the presence of the heroes of the revolution, who were eulogized by the crowds. Fires were lit on the Acropolis, a service was held in the church of Saint Irene and a flaming cross placed on mount Lycabettus.
The day was chosen to coincide with the Greek Orthodox Church’s celebration of the Annunciation to the Theotokos (Mother of God), when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to the Virgin Mary and told her that she would bear the son of God.
On this day, towns and villages throughout Greece hold a school flag parade, during which schoolchildren march in traditional Greek costume and carry Greek flags. There is also an armed forces parade in Athens.
In folk tradition, the day also marks the beginning of spring and the return of the swallows. And of course, there is a special dish to go with all this: μπακαλιάρος σκορδαλιά (bakaliaros skordalia), cod fried in a beer batter and accompanied by a garlic sauce, made with potato, olive oil and sometimes walnuts. During Lent, fish is only allowed twice, on March 25th and on Palm Sunday. On the islands people cook fresh cod, but elsewhere it is usually the custom to use salt cod, which was introduced in Greece in the 15th century. You will find a recipe here, and I can vouch it is delicious.
Letters from Athens 
I love how the greeks celebrate everything with special food. And quite right too. When is your Easter then?
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May first, this year
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In England the Feast of the Annunciation is also called Lady Day, one of the quarter days on which rents were traditionally paid and people were hired for the following quarter. Enjoy your fish on Friday.
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Interesting! Thank you
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I’m not up on my Greek history. This is an interesting post. 😀
The RC Annunciation is also on March 25th,(also Good Friday) but is never celebrated during Holy Week, and this year is put forward to April 4th, the closest day that is free.to celebrate. 🙂
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Easter is a movable celebration for all Christians, I think. I’m not sure how this works exactly, but I will try to find out and post!
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I look forward to it. 🙂
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I like finding out about Greek history. We often experience holidays, festivals and parades when we are in Greece, and I don’t always know what the celebration is. I love the way that Greeks are very traditional, for example, all the meanings of the different days in Lent.
What I don’t understand is why Greece sometimes celebrates Easter at a different time to UK.
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Easter is a movable celebration and a lot of other dates connected to it move around it. I’m not sure how this works exactly, but I will try to find out and post!
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Love Greece. M.L., love how you unfold the stories of Greece today and in the past. Sad that times right now are tough in Greece but I know how tough the Greeks people are and I’m confidant they will find a way through the maze.
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Thank you, l really hope so.
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Given what is going on at the moment, this is a timely historical reminder
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Loved the lesson on Greek history. I did not know of the Greek Revolution.
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