August 15th resonates with special significance for Greeks all over the world. Not only does it commemorate the Dormition of the Mother of God, it also marks the sinking of the Greek cruiser Elli near the port of Tinos during peacetime on August the 15th, 1940.
The church of Panagia Megalochari in Tinos was built upon the location a Holy icon of the Virgin Mary was discovered in the 19th century; the icon dating back to the 7th century AD. The Elli was to take part in the religious festivities with sailors ascribed to the honorary guard for the procession of the Holy icon following the morning’s Holy Service. At 08:25 am, Elli was hit by an Italian torpedo, eventually sinking the ship more than an hour later, leaving 9 dead, 24 wounded, and the Greek nation in the wake of the coming Greco-Italian War.
Although Greece was not yet involved in WWII, Italy’s annexation of Albania, a hostile anti-Greece campaign in the press in Italy, and Italy’s declaration of war on the Allies on June 10th, 1940, led Greece to begin fortifying its defenses against an Italian invasion from Albania.
Two months after the unprovoked sinking of cruise ship Elli in Tinos, Italian Prime Minister Benito Mussolini issued an ultimatum to Greece on October 28th, demanding the cession of Greek territory. The demand was rejected by Prime Minister Metaxas - “OXI” - leading to the Italian Campaign in Greece. Subsequently, Greece surprised and inspired the whole world with its ferocious resistance which resulted in disastrous defeat for Italy, and the first major defeat for the Axis in WWII.
