Athens, Greece – Greece celebrated the anniversary of the 1821 Greek Revolution with grandeur on Tuesday, March 25, highlighted by a spectacular military parade in the capital. The event began at 11:15 a.m. in Syntagma Square and drew political, civic, judicial, religious, and military leaders to honor the nation’s historic struggle for independence.
The day’s festivities started at 6:20 a.m. with 21 ceremonial cannon shots from Lycabettus Hill, accompanied by a reveille performed by Armed Forces and Security Forces bands through Athens’ central streets. At 8:00 a.m., the Greek flag was raised at the Acropolis, followed by a doxology at 10:00 a.m. in the Cathedral Church of the Annunciation, led by Archbishop Ieronymos II. A second round of 21 cannon shots rang out at 10:01 a.m., and at 11:05 a.m., President Konstantinos Tassoulas laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The parade showcased an array of military might, including Leopard 2 tanks, MLRS rocket launchers, M-109 and PzH 2000 howitzers, and fighter jets such as F-16s, Rafales, Mirage-2000s, and F-4E Phantoms. Helicopters like Chinook, Apache, NH-90, and Super Puma also flew overhead, joined by historic aircraft like the T-6 Harvard and the iconic Spitfire, symbols of Greece’s aviation legacy.
The celebrations will conclude at 6:41 p.m. with the flag being lowered at the Acropolis and a final salvo of 21 cannon shots. Across Greece, military parades, flag decorations, and illuminations of units and warships underscored the occasion’s national pride.
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