On Sunday, 26 May 2024, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, as representative of the Prime Minister, attended the events in memory of the Souli Holocaust and the self-sacrifice of the Monk Samοuil and the Souliots, held in Souli.
Mr Dendias attended the doxology at the Holy Church of St Donatus, officiated by His Eminence the Metropolitan of Paramythia, Filiata, Giromeri and Parga Mr Serapion. Subsequently, a reenactment of the blowing up of Kougki, a memorial service and laying of wreaths were held.
Mr Dendias also awarded the prizes to the winners of the 13th Mountain Run for the Souliots’ Sacrifice.
The events were attended by MP Vasilios Giogiakas, representative of the Hellenic Parliament, MP Angelos Syrigos as representative of Nea Dimokratia, Marios Katsis as representative of Syriza – Proodeftiki Symmachia, Dimitrios Billas as representative of Elliniki Lysi, Fotios Iliopoulos as representative of the Niki party, mayor of Souli Athanasios Danis, Regional Police Commander of Epirus, Brigadier General Vasilios Mouselimis as representative of the Chief of the Hellenic Police, Major General (Fire Service) Christoforos Bokas as representative of the Chief of the Hellenic Fire Service, the Commander of the 3rd Regional Command of the Hellenic Port Authority Commodore Pavlos Tiftikidis as representative of the Chief of the Hellenic Coast Guard – Port Authority, Deputy Head of Region for Thesprotia Thomas Pitoulis, Mayor of Kalavryta, and chairman of the Association of Martyr Towns and Villages of Greece Athanasios Papadopoulos, other local and regional administration representatives and representatives of associations of Retired and Reserve Officers, representatives of Associations and Clubs, descendants of Souliots, representatives of local bodies, as well as a sizeable number of people.
On the part of the military leadership, the ceremony was attended by the Commanding General of 1st Army/EU-OHQ Lieutenant General Dimokritos Konstandakos as representative of the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff and of the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff and the Commanding General of C Army Corps/NRDC-GR Lieutenant General Athanasios Garinis.
In his address, Mr Dendias stated:
“Dear colleagues in the Hellenic Parliament, Your Eminence, General Commander of 1st Army, Deputy Head, Mayors, Town and Regional Councilors, party representatives, General Officers, representatives of the Security Forces, Local Administration, dear guests, ladies and gentlemen.
It is a great honour for me to attend as representative of the Hellenic Government, but I think also of the whole of Greek Society, today’s memorial ceremony for the heroes of Souli. That is, for the women and men who sacrificed themselves for the sake of freedom.
The Holocaust of Souli constitutes one of the most well-known chapters of the prerevolutionary period. It has aroused and arouses collective interest since childhood. The Souliots used to have a strong sense of community, a particular trait of Greeks during Turkish rule, and managed to maintain their autonomy for more than two centuries, while fighting with bravery and mettle, adopting combat techniques which were innovative for the era.
They are mentioned by Lord Byron, who, referring to their night attacks, wrote: “who is more brave than a dark Souliot!”
Ali Pasha of Ioannina tried in vain, for 18 years to subdue them, and Souli yielded in 1803, through betrayal, according to expert opinion, with the last focus of resistance being the fortified wall of the Church of St Paraskevi, on Kougki Hill, which was set on fire, as a final act of resistance by the Monk Samοuil.
What followed is known. The Souliot women in Zalongo, like “The Free Besieged” chose an honourable death over captivity and dishonour.
I return to the fall of Souli, since Pilios Gousis was the Ephialtes of my childhood. The “Kerkoporta”, either as open gate, either as treasonous behaviour has marked the collective unconscious.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Souliots fought for our freedom and prepared the great struggle for our country’s liberation. The “Holocaust of Souli” was not only a bright prelude to the 1821 Revolution, but has been identified in the diachronic unconscious with the struggle for independence, freedom and dignity.
It forms a legacy for the nation’s freedom, and I have always stated that the basic meaning of anniversaries is the fitting promotion in the present and the future.
Today, in an age where challenges abound, I consider devotion to the country an indispensable condition for survival. And I think it is known to everyone that freedom, independence and sovereignty are not given, but conquered and maintained.
In our days, the authority commissioned with maintaining sovereignty, freedom and independence are our country’s Armed Forces. Not only the vaunted professionals, but the totality of the Armed Forces, which by open constitutional mandate constitute an army of citizens, which is upgrading and gaining in strength· by the 2030 Agenda, the greatest reform after 1974, and perhaps in all of modern Greek history.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Souliots shaped their own history. They also chose the ending of this history themselves, with dignity, defying death, which they considered a small price. They paid it to be rewarded with the entrance, in wreaths of laurels in the collective memory of the Hellenic nation.
Long live Hellas!”