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It is my honour to be here today, at the Holy Church of St. John the Baptist in Agros, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Mr. Nikos Christodoulides, to deliver the Commemorative Speech of Lieutenant-Colonel Christoforos Pissarides.
We bow with reverence to his valour and the greatness of his soul, who stood steadfast in the face of the conqueror, ethically upholding the timeless values and ideals of our people.
On 17 August 1974, at the age of just 21, Christoforos Pissarides fell fighting in the fierce battles on the heights of Troullo. If the village is inhabited today, it is due to the sacrifice of Christoforos Pissarides and his team, who fought with courage and self-sacrifice.
Today we are here not only to mourn his loss, but also to honour and celebrate his bravery and his unwavering commitment to his deep sense of duty. His story is a constant reminder of the cost of the freedom and security we often take for granted.
Christopher was born on 28 September 1953 in Agros. He was the youngest child of the large family of Nearchos and Panagiota Pissarides. Brother of Kostas, Eleni, Stavros, Maria and Neophytos.
Christoforos was nurtured with the ideals of our Greek Orthodox tradition by his honest, pious and hardworking parents. His role model was his brother Kostas Pissarides, the late EOKA fighter, friend and close associate of Grigoris Afxentiou and later a lieutenant colonel of the National Guard. He loved football and was a member of the sports club "Achilleas" Agros.
In July 1971 he joined the National Guard, trained in Crete and received the rank of Lieutenant. After completing his military service, he was recruited by the National Bank of Grindleys in Famagusta.
During the Turkish invasion of Black July 1974, Christoforos served in the area of the Turkish Cypriot village of Tziaos. The fighting was very fierce, but as a reserve lieutenant he successfully organised his team and the defence areas he was given.
On 10 August he took a leave of absence and came to his village, Agros. He saw his parents, brothers and sisters and friends and officiated in this very church. He then said goodbye to his family, received his parents' blessing and returned to his unit, the 241st Infantry Battalion.
He was instructed to organize his group in the heights of the village of Trullo. Defending this area was very difficult, as the Turks had already occupied the heights and were constantly firing mortar shells. Christopher and his team did not retreat and managed to prevent the Turkish invaders from descending and taking the village. Unfortunately, he paid dearly for it.
As Attila was advancing towards the hills on the north side of the village, Christopher's group managed to block him. According to eyewitness reports, the Turks suffered heavy losses. But the fight was unequal. Turkish mortar shells rained down. One of them hit Lieutenant Christoforos Pissarides and his death was instantaneous.
When a truce was called, his family was waiting for him to return to the village. But in vain. The days passed and Christopher gave no signs of life. Then his brothers, Stavros and Neophytos, rushed in with the instructions and help of Kostas, who was constantly on duty as a soldier. Along with them in this effort was Christoforos' comrade-in-arms and friend, Vasos Zafiris, from Kornos. They received a tip that in the Larnaca morgue there were dead people with unknown identities. The two brothers took on the thankless role of identification. The lifeless honoured body of Christopher was there. It was August 29, 1974.
His funeral took place the following day on August 30 at the Holy Church of Timios Prodromos.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The willingness of the heroic Lieutenant Christopher Pissarides to put the welfare of his comrades and his country above his own, is testimony to the unshakable sense of duty and honor that characterized him.
Through his sacrifice we find inspiration and guidance to demonstrate courage, integrity and selflessness in our own lives. His legacy is one of resilience and hope, reminding us that even in the darkest of times there are those who will stand up as a shining example and make the ultimate sacrifice for the common good.
This fiftieth anniversary of the treacherous coup and the brutal Turkish invasion of Cyprus is an anniversary that calls for collective reflection, an honest evaluation of what has already been done and a redefinition of principles and values, on the basis of which we will continue until the resolution of our national problem is achieved. The need to end the current unacceptable status quo and restore basic freedoms and human rights for all Cypriots without exception remains urgent.
The commitment of the Government of Nicos Christodoulides to continue efforts to break the deadlock and return to the negotiating table, with the sole aim of liberating and reuniting our country and its people in conditions of democracy, security, peace, progress and prosperity, remains unwavering and unequivocal.
Today, as we pay tribute to a brave soul who embodies the highest virtues of heroism, Christoforos Pissarides, let us seek the strength we all have within us to fight, each from our own perspective, to ensure that his story continues to inspire future generations.
We owe it to all those who fought and fell defending our homeland.
Eternal be your memory, Heroic Lieutenant Christopher Pissarides.
(NYAN/MS)
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