Nursery in costume

The 25th March is a very important day in the Greek calendar, as not only is it the feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary but is also the Greek Independence Day. This religious and national, holiday is known as Evangelismós and most people bearing the name of Evangelos or Evangelia will celebrate this day as their name day.

On this day in 1821, Germanos, the Bishop of Patras hoisted the Greek flag in defiance of the Turks at the Monastery of Ayia Lavra. This symbolic action was enough to prompt the War of Independence against the occupying Turkish forces.

It is a time remembered with church services, parades and wreath laying throughout Greece.

On Hydra all the school children take part in the parade with the top of the class children getting the honour of carrying the national flags.

Cathedral wreath layingThe kindergarten children are dressed in national costume and the little boys get a legitimate reason to make as much noise as possible with their drums which they beat with much enthusiasm!

The parades starts from the schools, nursery, junior & high schools as well as the Merchant Seamans College at around 9am and converge on the Cathedral in the town for a huge service and laying of wreaths.

Once the readings have been made in the Cathedral Square, the children parade the length of the harbour accompanied by the band. The cafes and tavernas bustle until late in the afternoon and after more wreaths have been laid at the memorial on the east side of the port, there is Greek dancing on the harbour to watch.

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