Today and tomorrow, June 22 and 23, the events of honor to the 200th anniversary of Holocaust of the Fishermen by the Ottomans, on June 22, 1824. The government is represented at the events by the Deputy Minister of the Interior, Vassilis Spanakis, who has been in Psara since the morning.

“The destruction of the Fishermen and the Black Ridge Holocaust was one of the crowning events of our nation’s great struggle for freedom, self-determination and dignity. It finally went down in the history of our country, but also in everyone’s consciousness, not as a defeat but as an immortal glory for the whole of Hellenism”, notes in his announcement the Municipality of Iroiki Nisos Psaro.

Today, Saturday, June 22, a commemorative march is taking place that started from the Dormition Monastery in the northern part of the island, near the site where the Turks landed in 1824, and will end at the martyred Black Ridge, crossing the island. With intermediate stops at landmark locations where battles took place, participants will pay tribute to the island’s fallen defenders.

The participants take turns carrying the burning torch, symbolizing the fire and destruction left behind by the invaders. At the same time, however, it will also symbolize the flame of the revolution, as the blowing up of the powder warehouse in Mavri Rachi was a symbol of self-sacrifice and self-denial.

Early in the evening, the solemn vespers will be held in Mavri Rachi, followed by a trisago at the memorial of the fallen and an invocation of the dead.

At 9:30 in the evening in the Square of Holocaust Heroes there will be the greetings of the officials, recitation of poems, awards from the Municipality and a presentation of traditional dances by the dance sections of the “Konstantinos Kanaris” club. The event will conclude with the presentation of the Holocaust timeline and a representation of the blowing up of the powder magazine.

Tomorrow, Sunday, June 23, at 11 am the Doxology for the Holocaust of the Fishermen will take place, with the solemn speech of the day by the Metropolitan of Chios, Psara and Oinoussa Mr. Markos. A trisage will follow in the place where the house of Konstantinos Kanaris used to be and the events will end at noon, with a memorial service and laying of wreaths at the Memorial of the Fallen, recitations of poems and traditional dances by the dance sections of the cultural club “Konstantinos Kanaris”.