Greek Independence Day 2023: Date, History, Facts about Greece

Greek Independence Day, also known as the Celebration of the Greek Revolution, is annually observed on March 25 in Greece, Cyprus, and the Greek diaspora.

Greek Independence Day is celebrated annually on March 25 since the conclusion of the Greek Revolution in 1821. It is also known as the Celebration of the Greek Revolution and commemorates the Greeks’ fight for independence after more than 400 years of occupation by the Ottoman Empire. Additionally, the Feast of the Annunciation is celebrated on this day.

The background of Greek Independence Day

Greek Independence Day, also known as the Celebration of the Greek Revolution, is annually observed on March 25 in Greece, Cyprus, and the Greek diaspora. This festival commemorates the 1821 Greek Revolution and the Feast of the Annunciation.

The Feast of Annunciation is a religious festival commemorating the appearance of the archangel Gabriel to the virgin Mary to announce her pregnancy with the divine child. However, the primary focus of the festivities is the independence of the Greek people, who were colonized by the Ottoman Empire for more than 400 years.

In the 15th century, Greece fell under Ottoman authority in the decades preceding and following the fall of Constantinople. In 1814, a clandestine group named Filiki Eteria (Society of Friends) was established with the intention of liberating Greece. Dates for revolts in the Peloponnese, the Danubian Principalities, and Constantinople were set for the Feast of the Annunciation in 1821, but they had to commence earlier due to their exposure. From 1821 to 1832, the Greek War of Independence endured eleven years.

After the Egyptians and Turks were recruited by the Ottoman Empire in 1825 and 1826, respectively, it appeared that the revolution was all but lost. In 1827, Russia, Britain, and France intervened on the side of the Greeks by dispatching their respective squadrons. Under pressure from a French expeditionary force, the Egyptian army withdrew in 1828. The Russian invasion of the Ottoman Empire in 1829 forced the Ottomans to embrace Greek autonomy.

The London Protocol of February 1830 ultimately recognized Greece as an independent nation after nine long years of conflict. In 1832, the definitive borders of the new state were established, and Prince Otto of Bavaria became the country’s first king.

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