Both the Presentation of Mary and the Hellenic Armed Forces Day are celebrated on November 21.

In Athens, an official Doxology was held at the Holy Cathedral of Athens and a wreath was laid at the Unknown Soldier Monument in the presence of the President of the Republic, the Minister and Deputy Minister of National Defence and the leadership of the Armed Forces.

In his address to the officers of the Armed Forces, the Chief of the National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, stated that the sacrifices of the Armed Forces for the Homeland have been great over time, corresponding to the number and scale of the battles fought for the Nation. Not because we have been warlike peoples; the Greeks have always progressed and established a high culture in conditions of peace and prosperity. Rather, owing to the fact that many nations wish to occupy our beautiful Homeland because of its enviable and advantageous geographical position.

That is why the Greeks, he added, were always obliged to hold their weapons, their shield… to project the spear with force and to fight. To fight not because they are warmongering, but because they wanted Freedom. Freedom and Dignity instead of slavery and humiliation. Even if this meant that they had to shed their blood and sacrifice their own lives!

Furthermore, the Chief mentioned that the Greeks have always been few in number, but always important and with a soul made of steel! This was, is and will always be Greek History, the three-thousand-years-long History of Greece! Of Greece, which may have been crucified many times, but lives and will always live, because its chosen and heroic generations, ready to carry the Freedom and Dignity of the Nation on their shoulders in difficult times!

Also, in a symbolic statement and referring to the officers of the Armed Forces, the Chief emphasized that “whoever makes the fatal mistake of ‘coming’ should know in advance that they will confront a new Marathon, a new Salamis and a new 731, and I am sure that the Hellenic Arms will be glorified once again fighting like so many times in the past. Even to defend a speck of soil, a rock, a Greek stone. All these exist because many many lives have been sacrificed!”

The Chief of the National Guard General Staff (GEEF), Lieutenant General Dimokritos Zervakis, says in a post: “Happy Hellenic Armed Forces Day! May you always be protected by Virgin Mary. A Day of Remembrance and Honor for the Hellenic Force in Cyprus (ELDYK) and its heroically fallen soldiers during the struggles of Hellenism in Cyprus.”

Χρόνια πολλά στις Ελληνικές Ένοπλες Δυνάμεις!

Η Υπέρμαχος Στρατηγός να τις σκεπάζει και να τις προστατεύει.

Ημέρα Μνήμης και Τιμής για την #ΕΛΔΥΚ και τους ηρωικά πεσόντες της κατά τους αγώνες του Ελληνισμού στην Κύπρο.#ΕίμαστεΠερήφανοι pic.twitter.com/R7qLO4iC9S

— Lt Gen Dimokritos Zervakis (@chod_cy) November 21, 2022

Defence Minister, Charalambos Petridis, also stated: “On the Presentation of Mary, we remember with pride and respect all those who fought for the freedom of Greece. Long live the Hellenic Armed Forces, which have always fought for the defence of Hellenism. Virgin Mary is always by your side.”

Also read: Official celebration of the patron saint of the Air Force, Archangel Michael, at the “Andreas Papandreou” base