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It is with great emotion, but also with deep pride that we gathered today to pay tribute, as we owe, to the heroes of the loving Community of St. John of Pitsilia.
At this hour we bow reverently before the greatness of the sacrifice of our heroes, who vigorously opposed the Turkish invader, putting above all the defence of the Homeland, of democracy, the idea of freedom and the institution of the family.
The month of July, ladies and gentlemen, which is considered the saddest for Cyprus, because of the painful events of the coup d'état and the Turkish invasion of 1974, which were marked and engraved in the memory of its people, while they were generally written as black spots in the overall history of the island.
The month of July, ladies and gentlemen, which is considered the saddest for Cyprus, because of the painful events of the coup d'état and the Turkish invasion of 1974, which were marked and engraved in the memory of its people, while they were generally written as black spots in the overall history of the island.
July 9 for Cyprus, but also for the whole Greek world, is not just another date in time, but also a place of martyrdom. The events of that martyrdom day of 1821, with the hanging of Archbishop Kyprianos of Cyprus, cannot be ignored.
The great poem by the Cypriot poet Vassilis Michaelides, written in the Cypriot dialect "The 9th of July 1821 in Nicosia Cyprus", which refers to the sacrifice of the bishops and primates of Cyprus for the sake of freedom, is well known. An important milestone that is a beacon of resistance of the Cypriot Hellenism against the Ottoman Empire. The fighters of 1821 fought and sacrificed with faith in God to throw off the Ottoman yoke, aiming initially to liberate every inch of the glorious Byzantine Empire, before having to compromise with the geographical limits of a limited Greek state.
Similarly, the will of Cypriot Hellenism for national redemption and freedom is expressed in dozens of struggles over the years.
Similarly, the will of Cypriot Hellenism for national redemption and freedom is expressed in dozens of struggles over the years. It is witnessed with non-negotiable bravery and courage that constitute the seal of an indomitable desire of centuries, which is conveyed by the passion of the struggle that defeated death. It is demonstrated by enduring the countless hangings of the Turkish occupation and the yatagani around the necks of the martyrs. It is complemented by the horror of the torture of the English rule. "Blessed are those who pave roads, blessed are those who follow them" wrote EOKA hero Kyriakos Matsis during the epic struggle against British occupation and union with Greece in 1955-59.
Unquenchable is the flame of pure patriotism and the desire for freedom, which led equally in 1974 the heroes of the community of Pitsilia to walk with unparalleled courage, sacrificing their lives and watering with their blood the tree of freedom for the national restoration of our homeland, thus writing their names in gold letters in the Pantheon of Heroes.
Today we commemorate the heroes of the Community of St. John during the Turkish invasion of 1974. A tragic account, since it counts many victims compared to the small number of its inhabitants. These are none other than Kostas Mioranthi-Hatzigiannis, the Ranger Sergeant Anastasis Andreas Pitta, the Ranger Savvas N. Malekkidis, the Corporal Christoforos Savvas Yatrou and the Reserve Soldier Demos Chr. Demosthenous, whose fate is still unknown.
They fought with dignity, in hand-to-hand battles, and fell heroically, fighting their way to immortality. They did not bend, they did not kneel, but courageously and asymmetrically, they fought there high on the impenetrable rocks of the Cypriot land.
It is difficult to recount their manliness or to describe the greatness of their valour and daring. After all, no sacrifice can fit into any description.
Kostas Moirants
Kostas Moirants, teacher and writer, was born in 1904. He lived with his wife Olga Dimitri Hatzigiorgis in Kyrenia. In 1974 he served in the Civil Defence. While carrying food to the soldiers defending the homeland, he was killed by Turkish troops in Kyrenia.
A lover of literature, he published short stories in magazines of the time and wrote several novels, bold for the time. He intended to publish them, but the Turkish invaders ransacked his house. According to his nephew, poet Yannis Papadopoulos, " ...his papers melted in the lemon trees at first light, first and last edition from Attila's press...".
Ranger Sergeant Anastasis Andreas Pitta
The third of nine children in the family of Andreas and Anna Pitta, Anastasis from a young age helped his parents in the construction and orchards. He was characterized by courage and determination, loved nature and was fond of hunting.
When his country called him on January 20, 1974, he enlisted in the KEN Pafos as a commando. He was distinguished by his dedication to service. In those tragic days of the invasion, he was called up with his squad and they successfully captured the Agios Hilarion hill. Due to insufficient support, the hill was subsequently abandoned and his group was ordered to hold the defensive line at Agios Georgios Kyrenia.
According to reports, his group was surrounded by the Turkish invaders. Efforts to extricate them proved futile. They fell heroically in an attempt to escape. Pittas was killed by machine gun fire while trying to help his wounded comrade, true to his oath of honour. His sacrifice is etched in the memory of his comrades. An example of heroic self-denial, he passed into immortality.
His remains were found in a mass grave in the Templos area of St. George of Kyrenia 40 so many years later. They were identified by the DNA method and buried with proper honors on November 15, 2014.
Ranger Savvas N. Malekkidis
The only son, the second of five children in the family of Nikola and Elli Malekkidis, stood out for his Greek-Christian principles and his dedication to his family. When his country called him for service on January 20, 1974, he enlisted in the KEN Paphos as a commando.
During the invasion, his unit successfully held the defensive line until August 14, when the "Mias Milia" defensive line was broken. The unit was ordered to retreat as they were surrounded by the Turks. The commandos divided into small groups and moved towards the reconstruction point, which, unfortunately, Malekkidis and his small group did not manage to reach.
According to testimonies, they attempted to extricate themselves without success, due to the presence of Attila and the lurking paramilitary groups of Turkish Cypriots.
Savvas, according to his fellow fighters, was a model of character, a man of principle, meek, benevolent, loyal to the call of the Fatherland.
Savvas, according to his fellow fighters, was a model of character, a man of principle, meek, benevolent, loyal to the call of the Fatherland. He took part in all the missions of his unit and supported his comrades with self-denial in those tragic hours.
His remains were found in a mass grave, between the villages of Kiados and Kornokipou, were identified by the DNA method and he was buried on 28 October 2015.
Reserve Corporal Christoforos Savva Yatrou
The fifth of the six children of the family of Savvas and Anthousa Yatrou. Christoforos was characterized by sensitivity. A laughing, cheerful man, ready to help anyone in need. The tragic July of 1974 found him rushing to meet his two brothers, Kostas and Chrysanthos, at the front.
He went to Syrianochori together with Savvas Pissides, Petros Ellinas and Kyriakos Loozidis, where, according to testimonies, an attempt was being made to form a platoon of reservists, which went directly to "Five Mile", the site of the landing.
Savvas Pissides reports that, at "Six Mile", the bus was intercepted by soldiers. The platoon leader realized that they were Turks and a fierce exchange of fire ensued. The reservists abandoned the bus. During the exchange of fire, Yatrou was wounded in the leg. Wounded, he took refuge in the evening in the village of Elia in a shelter in the house of Harita Madoles. The exhausted wounded man was treated by her husband in a semi-basement shelter used as a stable.
Forty people, mostly women and children, took refuge in the place. Finding that the place was overrun by Turkish invaders, they raised a white cloth. The barbarians, bloodthirsty conquerors, led the prisoners to a field of olive trees, where they subjected them to merciless torture. With the intervention of a benevolent invader, 28 of the 40 prisoners managed to escape, who were subsequently rescued by two commandos. Of the remaining 12, none returned.
The hero's remains were found decades later in a mass grave in the village of Elia in Kyrenia. They were identified by the DNA method and buried with the honours befitting a hero in 2008. Demosthenous
The stepchild of the seven children of Christoforos and Eleni Demosthenous. Demos was a well-intentioned individual with a love for sports
Born into a family with a tradition of fighting for freedom, he too gave his presence to the call of his country in 1974. He was modelled on his father, who fought fiercely in the anti-fascist struggle of 1940-1945, and his brother, Kostas, who also gave his "presence" in the 1955-1959 epic.
In the call of the fatherland, Demosthenous was called by police order to enlist in the commando camp at Agios Chrysostomos. Subsequently, according to testimony, Demnos and the two commandos, loyal to duty, ignored exhortations to avoid Kyrenia, where the situation was raging out of control, and reported to the commando camp at Pellapais.
According to the testimony of Isidoros Isidoros from Ormideia, Dimos and a group of commandos proceeded to the site of the Turkish pre-bridge at Kyrenia. According to Isidorou, who was following with other commandos, the leading group must have fallen into a Turkish ambush, since his own following group was involved in an exchange of fire incident. None of the leading group of the Demosthenes Municipality returned.
Costas Palamas
Together with the heroically fallen and murdered, the Community honours yet another of its children. Private Kostas I. Palamas. He was the second of the two children of the family of John and Evanthia Palamas, a cheerful man, a lover of life and people.
He answered the call of his country in early 1973. During those tragic days of the Turkish invasion he served under the command of Charalambos Lottas in Trachona. His unit came under incessant enemy fire, resulting in him being severely wounded on the first day of the invasion and becoming disabled. Despite this, being a fighter for life, he managed to stand upright and looked to the future with hope.
On 23 October 1984, however, he died in a road accident on his first trip in his wheelchair. A fateful, unfulfilling journey, a consequence of his disability since the invasion.
Ladies and Gentlemen.
The hanging of Archbishop Kyprianos in July 1821 in conjunction with the Greek Revolution of 1821, the EOKA struggle in Cyprus in 1955-1959, as well as the subsequent Turkish invasion of the island in 1974, all coincide as a continuous and bloody national struggle with the eternal will of the Cypriots for the obvious, for freedom and self-determination.
As the Government, we assure you that our highest goal is none other than the reunification of Cyprus. The "two independent states solution" proposed by Turkey is by no means an option for the Greek Cypriot side. Finding a viable solution to the Cyprus problem remains a top priority for the Government of Nicos Christodoulides and we will make every effort to break the deadlock and resume negotiations in order to achieve tangible results. The European Union can play a decisive and leading role in the efforts to resume the talks and provide effective assistance to the talks under the auspices of the United Nations.
We therefore call for enhanced engagement of the European Union, given that our country is an equal member with a voice and a role, but without substituting the role of the United Nations and the relevant Security Council resolutions to achieve a just, viable and lasting solution on the basis of the UN resolutions.
