The sincere gratitude of the Cypriot State and the entirety of Cypriot Hellenism towards the Hellenic Republic, which continuously supports the struggle undertaken by the Cypriots for the liberation of the occupied territories and the restoration of justice in the martyred homeland of Cyprus, was expressed in Anogeia by the Minister of National Defence of Cyprus, Vassilis Palmas.

The Cypriot minister accepted an invitation from the Parish of Agios Georgios in Maidani Anogeion and the Archpriest Andreas Kefalogiannis to attend the unveiling of a monument dedicated to the captured and missing Cypriots and Greeks during the invasion of Cyprus by the Turkish troops. 

The monument was created and installed inside the Holy Church directly opposite the beautiful Gate, to remind everyone, as Archpriest Andreas Kefalogiannis told APE-MPE, that “the debt does not fade with the years; the oblivion of history does not befit Greeks and Cypriots, and we must not fall short in passing on teachings and legacies to the new children and the generations to come.”

The multi-priestly memorial service held on Saturday morning, along with the unveiling of the monument, was attended by the Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Giannis Kefalogiannis; the Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnautakis; the Mayor of Anogeia, Sokratis Kefalogiannis; the former Ambassador of Serbia to Greece and university professor, Dusan Spasojevic; the former Chief of the Cyprus National Guard, Dimokritos Zervakis; the President of the Panhellenic Committee of Parents and Relatives of Undeclared Prisoners and Missing Persons Maria Kalbourtzi; the President of the Association of Missing Persons of Cyprus, Nikos Sergidis; the Commander of the Cretan Division, Brigadier Nikolaos Kostakis; the commanders of the 547 and 548 Airborne Battalions; representatives of local government; and a large number of residents of Anogeia.

The monument depicts and continually illuminates Cyprus, bearing dozens of photographs of missing persons inscribed with the message “I DON’T FORGET.” Surrounding Cyprus are icons of the Four Martyrs of Rethymnon, as well as Saint George and Saint Polydoros of Cyprus, all of whom were martyred during the Turkish occupation.

In his speech, the Minister of Defence of the Republic of Cyprus referred, among other things, to the relations between Greece and Cyprus: “The words of the eminent Cypriot professor of archaeology, the late Vasos Karagiorgis, in his article in the newspaper Phileleftheros, aptly capture the relations and common destiny of the two islands: ‘Our island,’ he wrote, ‘always has a special place in the heart of every Cretan. Common struggles, a shared island fate, and the beauty with which nature has generously endowed both great islands all contribute to the feeling that Cypriots and Cretans are brothers and sisters.’”

Before arriving in Maidani, Mr Palmas visited Anogeia Town Hall, held a discussion with Sokratis Kefalogiannis, and laid a wreath at the Hero in Armi. Following the unveiling ceremony, the President of the Cultural Association of Anogeia, Vassilis Dramudanis, sang “The Message” by the poet Giorgis Karatzis, spreading, according to the Minister of Defence of Cyprus himself, shivers of emotion in Greeks and Cypriots alike.

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