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It is with reverence, pride and deepest respect that we honor and testify today, once again, our eternal love and gratitude to the immortal figure of the unsurpassed hero of the heroes of the Cypriot land, the immortal of the immortals, the legendary deputy leader of the epic struggle of EOKA, the "Crosshair of Machairas", Grigoris Pieris Afxentiou.
He who, with his glow, marked the path to the freedom of our homeland and with his unsurpassed heroic sacrifice embodied the ambition, militancy, pride and unadulterated patriotism of the Cypriots, but also of the entire Greek Nation.
The self-sacrifice of Afxentios became our pride and boast.
The direction of his mother became our prayer and our national salute.
His hideout, a place of holy pilgrimage and reflection.
His memorial, a sacred amulet and a baptismal font in the wake of democracy and freedom.
And if we owe anything to our heroes, it is the opportunity they gave us to live free.
We owe this freedom to Grigory Afxentiou.
We owe this freedom to Grigory Afxentiou. We owe this freedom to all the fighters - heroes of EOKA, to all the fighters of Cyprus.
We owe it to those fine young men of the heroic generation of 55-59, who bore on their shoulders the fate and the sufferings of Cypriot Hellenism.
Who fought for the rights and ideals of our people.
Who did not submit to the forces of gross injustice.
Who never reckoned that unarmed and few had to face the ironclad army of the British.
Those who unconditionally submitted and tolerated their conquerors never made history.
They never preserved their long past and did not build the future that future generations deserved.
"The fugitive is the most dangerous of all those who flee."
Pericles' speech to the Athenians is repeated stentoriously through the unparalleled self-sacrifice of the hero we honour today. This, Gregory knew all too well. He knew that those who avoid danger, rather than those who stand up and face it head on, are more worthy, more reprehensible.
This is what he did throughout his life.
During his service on the Greek-Bulgarian border as an Officer of the Greek Army, during his action in the Struggle as section chief of Famagusta initially and of Pitsilia later.
He did the same in the famous battle of Spilia, where he masterfully turned the terrain of the area into a field of mutual elimination for his pursuers.
He did the same in the consecrated site of the hideout at Machairas.
"If we who are called leaders," he said, "f we do not want to expose ourselves to danger, how will these young men dare to resist the enemy? I have done enough service by teaching them how to hold a gun and fight, but I must finish by teaching them how to die."
"O children of the Greeks,
liberate your fatherland,
[...]
[...] now above all agon."
The paean that, according to Aeschylus, the Greeks shouted at the battle of Salamis, when Euribiadis' trumpet sounded the charge, echoed with power in the mountains of Machaera, forever sewing the site of the epic battle.
The sun had already risen on the day of duty and honour.
"I will fight and die. I must die."
With these words he ordered his comrades, Augustis Efstathiou, Andreas Stylianou, Antonis Papadopoulos and Phidias Simeonidis to come out of the hideout.
The English called on him to surrender.
The grenade thrown into the hideout exploded, wounding Grigoris, who continued to fight fiercely. Augustus, returned to the hideout to carry out the supposedly dead body of Augustus.
"Come, now there are two of us," came from inside the crypt.
The battle continued for eight long hours.
Until the English decided to end it, in the most inhuman and horrible way.
They doused Gregory's hideout with gasoline and in a few seconds turned it into a furnace.
A furnace of heroism and self-sacrifice.
Augustis Efstathiou left the hideout and was captured by the English.
Afxentios remained and was burnt alive.
His charred body was identified by his father, in the Nicosia military hospital, and his mother directed him with a stirring poetic masterpiece:
"A mother of such a hero in insult to weep, insults her lover, a cynic she will enjoy.
My son, my life, my son, my life, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son, my son.
Our freedom, the ideal of our ideals, was signed by Gregory Afxentiou - as he wrote to his personal friend Sotiris Ellinas in February '50 - not only on paper, but wearing the honoured uniform of the Greek soldier.
"And I will sign it", the hero continued, "any time our Cyprus asks for it, even with my blood".
Grigoris Afxentiou, the life-giver of the Solution, the pride of Cyprus and of all Hellenism, the pillar of our national liberation uprising, was enthroned in all our souls and became one with the thoughts and concerns of our people.
He triumphantly crossed the gates of daffodil-mouthed immortality, leaving his sacrifice as a sacred legacy for future generations.
No matter how much circumstances have changed, no matter how different the facts may be.
We must be inspired by the same ideals today in order to respond to the call of the times, ensuring the future of Cyprus, the future of Hellenism.
We owe it to Gregory to continue the struggle for freedom.
Here, where for almost half a century we have been experiencing the consequences of the Turkish invasion.
Today, when Turkey is challenging our national borders and directly threatening the existence of Hellenism throughout the Aegean.
Particularly, here in our small homeland, in the heartland of Hellenism, where our physical and national survival is threatened.
Particularly, here in our small homeland, in the heartland of Hellenism, where our physical and national survival is threatened.
On the occasion of today's event, I would like to express, once again, the sincere gratitude of the State of Cyprus and the entire Hellenic community of Cyprus to Greece, which unceasingly supports the Republic of Cyprus and our struggle for the liberation of our occupied territories and the restoration of justice in our martyred homeland.
The presence of the ELDYK in the mainland is a factor of security and deterrence for the suffering Cypriot people and proof of our enduring, stable and unwavering relationship.
Today's ceremony of unveiling and handing over the bust of Gregory Afxentios at the ELDYK Camp, apart from being a sign of honour and gratitude to the Zedar of EOKA, also underlines our own responsibilities, our debt to our heroes and the historical imperative we carry.
Therefore, with rationality, but also with unity and unanimity, we must walk on the road that will lead to the redemption, salvation and liberation of our homeland.
Until the day when, free, we will gaze at the sea from the castle of Kyrenia and the bells of Our Lady of Lysis will ring joyfully.
Until the day when we will proudly return to the Prisoner's Memorial, to the holy of holies of the struggle of EOKA, and will carry the message of freedom to our heroes.
Honor and glory to Gregory Afxentiou.
Honor and glory to all the heroes of the Greek Nation.
Thank you.
(NΓ/EXP)
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