Google doodle celebrates Greece National Day!

Today google doodle celebrates Greece National Day to remember the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821. After 400 years of occupation, Greece National Day celebrates the hoisting of Greece’s blue and white flag into the sky as a declaration of its independence.

Greece had been part of the Ottoman Empire since 1453. The Greek revolt was precipitated on March 25, 1821, when Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the flag of revolution over the Monastery of Agia Lavra in the Peloponnese. The cry “Freedom or death” became the motto of the revolution. The Greeks experienced early successes on the battlefield, including the capture of Athens in June 1822, but infighting ensued. By 1827 Athens and most of the Greek isles had been recaptured by the Turks.

Just as the revolution appeared to be on the verge of failure, Great Britain, France, and Russia intervened in the conflict. 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 an Ottoman-Egyptian fleet. The revolution ended in 1829 when the Treaty of Edirne established an independent Greek state.

Greece commemorates the holiday with flag-day parades, speeches, and visits to memorial services. These festivities draw thousands of spectators who later enjoy traditional dishes like bakaliaros (fried hake) accompanied by a garlic and potato puree, called skordalia.

This important day in history marks the hard-won battle and observes Greece’s continued freedom for over 200 years.

Ζήτω η 25η Μαρτίου!

Source, Britannica, Google doodle