25th of March 1821. All Greeks around the world, from L.A. to Melbourne and London to Cape Town, resonate strongly at the sight or hearing of this date. It is the time of the year we commemorate the beginning of the nation’s uprising against the Ottoman Empire and celebrate the religious holiday of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary when the Archangel Gabriel appeared to her and told her she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus, the Son of God. If you have an account with us click here to see the full collection of videos, games and activities for the celebration of the 25th of March. If you do not have an account with us, watch the beautiful video below and then sign-up to create an account. The first month is free anyway.
At Ellinopoula, we are committed to passing down Hellenism and Greek culture through Greek language for kids. We find immense inspiration in the small band of Greek heroes and heroines who set out to liberate the motherland in 1821 on the date of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary. It is significant to teach kids the symbolism of this date our ancestors chose. They knew that just as humanity was liberated from paganism through the coming of Jesus Christ, so too the nation of Greeks would be liberated from Ottoman oppression.
The small number of heroes and heroines struggling for freedom under a Christian banner in 1821 inspired the western world to reexamine Hellenism from Ancient to modern times. It allowed for the Greek motherland to regain its Christian and Hellenic identity and carve out its independent future and liberation of other Greek territories. It enabled all Greeks to dream of our own Enlightenment, the Greek ideal of Αιέν αριστεύειν from the time of Homer.
To ensure we do our part to pass down their legacy, we honor their memory, life stories, and teachings by incorporating them into our curriculum through the study of Greek language for kids. We believe the legacy of Hellenism instills bravery in the face of challenges, and the passing on of the living memory of those who sacrificed themselves so that all Greeks can live free, today.
