Each year, at this time, the historic eventsthat comprise the heroic Epic of 1940 comealive in our memory. We conjure up imagesof the young men of our homeland biddingfarewell to their parents, siblings, wives, andchildren and, as Archbishop ChrysanthosPhilippidis (the Archbishop during the timeof the “OXI”) so aptly wrote, “taking upontheir shoulders the Cross of Christ and ofthe Homeland”, and waging the “struggle forfaith, justice and freedom.” Stirring imagescome alive in our minds of the snow-cappedmountains of Pindus and Albania, and of theendless marches that our heroes enduredamidst great hardship.
These images fill our hearts with emotion,but also with pride, as we reflect upon howa poor nation, undaunted by the might of theinvaders, courageously stood its ground andsucceeded in achieving the first victory of theAllied forces at a time when the triumph of thedarkness of fascism and Nazism across theEuropean continent seemed inevitable.
Indeed, we have every reason to feeladmiration and pride as we recall the heroicdeeds of the heroes of 1940, but also of theuniversal resistance of our forebears, whodemonstrated that the greatness of a peopleis not determined by numerical superiorityor the weapons at its disposal, but by itsunconquered spirit, its unity, its devotion tolofty ideals and its unwavering faith in God.
However, whenever we commemorate thehistoric “NO” and the glorious Epic of 1940,we must also remember that behind thepages of glory written on the battlefronts werethe stories of ordinary people who left behindtheir families and their dreams, departingfrom their homes without knowing if theywould ever return. There were also familieswho endured months of anguish and anxiouswaiting; parents who ultimately mournedthe loss of their children; women who losttheir companions; and children who grew upcarrying the wound of being orphaned.
We truly honour these people only when wereflect upon the heavy price of their struggle,the trials they endured and the sacrifices theywere called to make. Then memory becomesresponsibility, and that responsibility calls usto prove ourselves worthy of them in the faceof the challenges and threats of our own age.Our era may not demand sacrifices of thesame magnitude as those of the dark days ofthe 1940s; nevertheless, it demands vigilance,unity of purpose and the courage to defendour beliefs and ideals, both when doing so iseasy and painless and when it requires us tostep out of our security and comfort.
Recognising, therefore, the responsibility webear towards those who risked their lives,endured hardship, suffered and sacrificedthemselves for us, we too must continue ourjourney with virtue and courage, drawinginspiration from their example. In the faceof any threat to, or challenge against, thesacred and cherished values of our Nation,let us affirm our love for our homeland andour steadfast faith in Christ. In the face ofinjustice, let us not remain silent, but raiseour voices with courage in defence of whatis right. In the face of any affront to humandignity, let us respond with an unwaveringrespect for every human being, regardless ofrace, religion, beliefs or any other distinction.And when we are surrounded by the cries ofthose who advocate war, let our own voicealways be a voice of reconciliation and adefence of peace.
With these thoughts, I wish everyone manyblessed years, and may the Most HolyTheotokos always protect our homeland,strengthen our people, and intercede beforethe Lord for the peace of the whole world!