In the Daily Order of March 25, 2025, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff addresses a moving and inspiring message to the officers of the Armed Forces, emphasizing the importance of the double celebration of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and the National Rebirth.
Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) General Dimitrios Choupis, underlines the historical value of the Revolution of 1821, the sacrifice of the Heroes and the need to maintain national unity. With an emphasis on the sacred duty of National Defense, he assures that Greece will defend its independence and territorial integrity with the same determination that our ancestors demonstrated.
Message of March 25, 2025, by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff
“Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, Cadets, Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, National Guardsmen, Reservists, and Civilian Personnel of the Armed Forces,
On March 25th, Greeks around the world celebrate with national pride and religious reverence the dual holiday of the Annunciation of the Theotokos and our National Rebirth. “Today is the beginning of our salvation and the revelation of the mystery from eternity,” we proclaim, as the announcement of the birth of the God-Man, which restored the salvation of humanity, is inextricably linked to the Revolution of 1821, which reinstated the course of our Nation.
The Legacy of the 1821 Revolution
204 years later, the Revolution of 1821 remains the pinnacle of our modern history because our ancestors, defying the unfavorable balance of power, dared to fight and ultimately succeeded in restoring freedom to its birthplace. They bequeathed to us the newly established Greek state, fulfilling the dreams of previous generations of Greeks who lived and died yearning for liberation after 400 years of the Fall of Constantinople.
“We unanimously decided either to be free or to die” declared the Greeks in the Peloponnese, proving that the supreme good of freedom is not merely a right but an essential condition for our existence and national survival. As the great Mikis Theodorakis poignantly stated: “If you lack food, knowledge, or comfort, you suffer. But if you lack freedom, you cease to exist.“
National unity was decisive in the success of the Greek Revolution, along with the crucial role of the Filiki Eteria in organization and the strategic brilliance of unparalleled leaders such as Theodoros Kolokotronis and Georgios Karaiskakis. However, internal conflicts also jeopardized the struggle, serving as a timeless lesson in the dangers of division.
The call of Alexandros Ypsilantis, “Fight for Faith and Homeland,” in February 1821 in Moldavia, was ultimately answered not only by the Sacred Band but by the entire Greek nation, which, despite centuries of subjugation, preserved its identity and national consciousness. The Greek War of Independence produced countless heroes and martyrs.
A Tribute to the Heroes of 1821
Hundreds of thousands of Greeks—men and women of all ages, clergy, intellectuals, and freedom fighters—dedicated themselves to the cause. With the support of great Philhellenes such as Lord Byron, Victor Hugo, and Eugène Delacroix, who embraced its sacred cause, the miracle of national resurrection became a reality.
On this great anniversary, we once again reflect on history as a defense against revisionism and honor those who fought and fell heroically for Faith and Homeland.
Kolokotronis, Karaiskakis, Diakos, Botsaris, Androutsos, Papaflessas, Bouboulina, Manto Mavrogenous, Miaoulis, Kanaris, Nikitaras, along with the New Martyrs—Saint George of Ioannina, Saint Anastasios of Nafplio, Saint Philothei of Athens, Saint Triantaphyllos of Pelion, and Saint Paul of Kalavryta—are but a few of those who sacrificed themselves for our freedom. Their heroic deeds, from the Exodus of Messolonghi to the Battle of Dervenakia, the resistance at Alamana, and the sacrifice at Zalongo, stand as eternal monuments of valor.
The Duty of the Armed Forces
Men and Women of the Hellenic Armed Forces, The blood of these heroes runs through our veins, and we are their descendants. The anniversary of March 25, 1821, is not just a commemoration but an inspiration and a call to duty. It reminds us that we must not only honor our ancestors’ glorious past but also emulate it, ensuring that the legacy of our struggle is passed on to future generations.
On this day, March 25th, I urge you to continue fulfilling your sacred duty to the Homeland with the same dedication, professionalism, persistence, and vigilance, so that we may pass on our nation intact to our descendants. Let us honor our historical legacy not only in words but in deeds.
With full confidence in your capabilities and reaffirming that our personnel is the greatest force multiplier of the Hellenic Armed Forces, I assure you, as Chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, that in the face of any threat to our national independence and territorial integrity, our response will be as immediate and unwavering as that of General Theodoros Kolokotronis, who was not only a symbol of the 1821 Revolution but the Revolution itself: “Even if you cut our branches, even if you burn our homes, even if not a stone remains upon another, we will never submit. Even if only one Greek remains, we will always fight. And do not think that our land will ever be yours—erase that thought from your mind.”
May the Most Holy Theotokos protect our Homeland and the Armed Forces. Long live March 25, 1821! Long live the Nation! Long live the Armed Forces!“