On this day of great importance

Today Greeks everywhere, and indeed the world itself, celebrates the Independence Day of the Hellenic Republic. It was this day, as observed, that the Greek peoples in what was then the Ottoman Empire rose up and took arms against the Turks who enslaved them for 400 years. During those 400 years the Turks attempted to take away the culture, religion, and language of the Greek peoples. This did not happen, and on March 25, 1821, the Greeks took back their lands. It was an effort by all Greeks, with even the Church taking up arms against the Ottoman Turks. And it was successful. So here is a tribute with the Hymn to Liberty, written by Dionysios Solomos in 1823. In 1865 it became the official Greek National Anthem.

Σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν κόψι

τοῦ σπαθιοῦ τὴν τρομερή,

σὲ γνωρίζω ἀπὸ τὴν ὄψι

ποὺ μὲ βία μετράει τὴ γῆ.

Ἀπ’ τὰ κόκκαλα βγαλμένη

τῶν Ἑλλήνων τὰ ἱερά,

καὶ σὰν πρῶτα ἀνδρειωμένη,

χαῖρε, ὦ χαῖρε, Ἐλευθεριά!

I shall always recognise you

by the dreadful sword you hold,

as the earth, with searching vision,

will rule, with spirit bold.

Twas the Greeks of old whose dying

brought to birth our spirit free,

now, with ancient valour rising,

let us hail you, oh liberty!