This Holiday is Greece’s National Day and is always celebrated on 25 March.
Today’s Doodle celebrates Greece National Day, the annual celebration commemoration of 1821 declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Greece’s Independence Day is really a holiday that has mixed after some time with an older festival – the Feast of the Annunciation.
Greek Independence Day :
In 1821, the Greeks rose up against the Ottoman Empire which had involved Greece for almost 400 years, leading to the war of independence.
How is Greek Independence Day Celebrated?
To mark Greek Independence Day, towns and villages all through Greece hold flag processions, where school children march dressed in traditional Greek costume and carry Greek flags.
A military parade happens in Athens which is attended by the president of Greece and other officials. Crowds gather along the route and show their patriotism by waving flags.
A conventional dish well known on Independence Day is ‘bakaliaros’ which is salted cod, fried in a beer batter, served with ‘skordalia’, a garlic aioli usually made with potato and olive oil.
Notwithstanding Greece and Cyprus, Greek Independence Day is likewise celebrated by numerous Greeks overseas, and large parades are becoming more common in United States cities where Greeks have made their homes, including Boston and New York City.
Each year, the U.S. President marks the occasion with a proclamation reminding citizens of the contributions of Greece to democracy, and of the ongoing contributions of expatriate Greeks in their new communities throughout the world.
