The double celebration of Saint Demetrius the Patron Saint and the 113th anniversary of the liberation of the city from the Ottoman yoke takes place today in Thessaloniki with splendor.
Saint Demetrius was born in 280 AD and martyred in 306 AD, after being condemned to be speared by Galerius, at the spot where today his crypt is located in the church of the same name.
He was an active member of the Christian community and for his action he suffered persecution and torture.
His holy relics and his venerable chariot were located in San Lorenzo, Italy, and the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki, Panteleimon II, made the necessary arrangements for their transfer. Thus, on October 23, the venerable chariot arrived in Thessaloniki and on April 12, 1980, the holy relics. Since then they have been kept in the church of Agios Dimitrios where it is also the place of pilgrimage.
Orthodox tradition considers Saint Demetrius a miracle worker and protector of Thessaloniki, as he has been associated with the defense and protection of the city from foreign besiegers.
This tradition was strengthened by the fact that the liberation of Thessaloniki took place on his feast day, October 26, 1912.
Surrounded by the forces of the Greek Army, the commander-in-chief of the Turkish army, Hasan Tahsi Pasha, was forced to sign the surrender of Thessaloniki at 11 pm on October 26, 1912.
The Protocol of Surrender on the Greek side was signed by the representatives of the General Headquarters, Lt. Col. Victor Dousmanis and Captain Ioannis Metaxas, and Article 3 stated “the city of Thessaloniki is surrendered to the Greek Army until peace is concluded.”
Then 25,000 Turks surrendered hoplites and about 1,000 officers, while the possession of the Greek Army included 70 cannons, 30 machine guns, 1,200 horses and plenty of material of every category.
The first Greek military unit entered Thessaloniki at noon on the 27th of October and it was the Constantinopoulos Evzones Detachment with a Cavalry division. The townspeople welcomed them with enthusiasm and festive displays of joy. Through the main streets they headed to Diokitirio where they settled.
At 11 a.m. on October 28, the commander-in-chief and heir to the throne Konstantinos, head of the 1st Division, entered Thessaloniki triumphantly, and despite the rain, people poured into the streets to welcome them. A eulogy was held in the church of Agios Minas, then Constantine went to the Governor’s Office followed by a parade of the 1st Division in front of him and a presentation of the authorities of the city.
On the morning of October 29, King George entered the city and, together with the crowds that welcomed him with enthusiasm, headed to the White Tower where the flag was raised and cannons fired 21 salutes.
The headquarters of the Greek Army had been set up 25 kilometers outside of Thessaloniki, in Topsin (today’s Bridge of the municipality of Chalkidonos), and in the building where the negotiations took place, between the commander-in-chief of the Greek Army and heir to the throne Constantine and the commander-in-chief of the Turkish Army Hasan Tahsin Pasha (commander of Thessaloniki), from 24 to 26 October of 1912, for the surrender of the city. Today, the TOPSIN Military Museum of the Balkan Wars is housed there.
The Museum hosts war relics of the Balkan Wars, military uniforms of Greek officers, pistols and revolvers of the Greek Army, medals of warriors, Turkish, Serbian and Romanian war relics, paintings, furniture and household utensils.
In the forecourt of the Museum there is a burial monument of Hasan Tahsin Pasha and his son and assistant Kenan Mesare.
The Museum building was built in 1905 as a summer residence of the Italian-Jew Giacomo Modiano, who belonged to one of the most powerful families in Thessaloniki. His father, Saul Modiano, was one of the richest men in the Ottoman Empire.
In 1999 the building was bought by the Ministry of National Defense and turned into a Military Museum.
Three days of festive events
In the presence of the President of the Republic Konstantinos Tassoulas, the events for the triple celebration of the Patron saint Saint Demetrius, the anniversary of the liberation of Thessaloniki and the national anniversary of October 28, 1940 will be held.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will also attend the big military parade on Tuesday.
On Sunday, the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulidis, will also attend the eulogy and the solemn ceremony at Aristotle University, who earlier will inaugurate the first chair of Cypriot Studies in Greece at the Law School.
The schedule is as follows
Sunday, October 26
11:00 Doxology at the Holy Church of Agios Dimitrios, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides.
12:40 Opening of the exhibition “The country of my heart. Fotis Kontoglou on Mount Athos” at the Agioreitiki Hestia
13:30 Lunch at the Guard Officers’ Club of Thessaloniki
17:30 Ceremony to celebrate the Patron Saint of Thessaloniki, Agios Dimitrios, the 113th Anniversary of the Liberation of the city and the Epics of the 1940s at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. Awarding of honors to the Presidents of the Hellenic and Cypriot Republics.
Monday, October 27
11:00 New Officers swearing-in ceremony at the Military School of Corps Officers
19:00 Opening of the exhibition “Bringing History to Life” at the Ministry of Interior – Macedonia & Thrace (Thessalonica Directorate).
Tuesday, October 28
10:30 Placing a wreath on the Hero of the 3rd Army Corps
11:00 Parade
Source: Skai
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