Grigoris Afxentiou was a Greek Cypriot national hero who played a significant role in the struggle for the independence of Cyprus from British rule.
He was born on February 22, 1928, in the village of Lyssi in Cyprus.
Afxentiou initially worked as a teacher and later became involved in the fight against British colonial rule in Cyprus. In the 1950s, he joined the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters (EOKA), an armed resistance group led by George Grivas, which aimed to achieve the island's unification with Greece, known as enosis.
Afxentiou's most notable contribution to the Cypriot struggle for independence came on March 3, 1957, during an encounter with British forces at the Machairas forest hideout. After a fierce battle and facing overwhelming odds, Afxentiou and his small group of fighters were eventually cornered and outnumbered. He refused to surrender and fought bravely until his last breath.
Despite being heavily outnumbered, Afxentiou and his comrades resisted the British forces for several days. Eventually, Afxentiou was killed in action when a bomb he was planning to use against the British accidentally detonated, burying him alive. His body was later recovered and given a proper burial.
Grigoris Afxentiou's sacrifice and bravery made him a symbol of resistance and national heroism in Cyprus. His memory is cherished in Cyprus and his name is honored with various memorials, including the Grigoris Afxentiou Museum in Nicosia, which showcases his life, achievements, and the struggle for Cypriot independence.
