Both in Greece and abroad, the double holiday of March 25^th is celebrated in manifold ways, with holy services, student shows, parades, etc. The annual celebration of this sacred and auspicious day serves as both an invitation and challenge to observe it in the matter befitting it to avoid losing sight of its deeper essence.

In Greece, national holidays are threatened by ethnonihilism, which aims to dissolve the very fabric of national identity. Its ‘professional’ historical revisionists try to disparage historical figures, cynically question the importance of holidays, or paint their observation as outdated or extremist, or downplay their significance by extolling the Ottoman Empire or other occupational powers.

It will be interesting to observe how the Church reacts to related provocations expected to follow in the immediate future. After clashing with the Government over the legalization of gay marriage, some question whether the recent reclusive tendencies of the Archbishop of Athens might somehow foreshadow a previously agreed decision to formalize the separation of Church and State. Self-styled progressives in Greece have long called for this ‘reform’, as if other EU member states that they so eagerly seek to emulate don’t have their kings serve as heads of their state churches. This discussion is rather ironic when considering how the Greek Revolution was specifically planned to coincide with the feast of the Annunciation.

As for the Church of Greece, the only reason that it originally became a state institution was so the Bavarocracy ruling at the time could sever it from the Ecumenical Patriarchate and form a ‘state church’, then prevalent in Europe. Essentially, the same people who lobbied for the formation of a state church back in the 19^th century are the ones advocating for the separation of Church and State today. In either instance, their impetus is based solely on peddling foreign ideas and does nothing to serve the interest of either institution. Furthermore, it reveals a profound ignorance of the traditional role of the Church in Orthodox Christian society.

Ethnonihilism and ill-conceived reformism seek to create a Greece devoid of its unique history and worldview, which ultimately threatens the existence of an independent Hellenic identity.

Meanwhile, the Diaspora has its own issues – chiefly organizational. At some point, there needs to be a serious discussion regarding the type of events that should be organized to commemorate national holidays, as well as the audiences being targeted. If these events are aimed at a mainstream audience, then the issue of ‘branding’ needs to be seriously examined. Overarching themes must emerge beyond the limitations of provincial boundaries around which many Greek societies and associations are organized and focus on cultural elements of Hellenism that invite spectators into an ongoing dialogue. From theatrical and musical presentations to exhibitions, lectures, and celebrations, the underlying theme must be to promote distinct features of Hellenism that distinguish it and highlight its singularity.

Wherever parades are held, the Community must seriously contemplate and create a hierarchy of values that showcase timeless priorities for Hellenism, such as education, democracy, and resistance to tyranny, the metaphysical importance of communion in our various relationships and institutions, etc. All too often, parades in the Diaspora sacrifice order, central unifying themes, and strategic showcasing of Community needs for mass participation that can be messy, confusing, and at times, quite kitschy. For example, if schools are in fact a vital component for the future of Hellenism and the survival of the Greek language, then they need to be given the necessary position of prominence in parades and recognized, not relegated to the lowest marching order or squeezed in between organizations whose contribution, albeit welcome, is nowhere near as significant.

Most importantly, however, the challenge of celebrating March 25^th is to remain ever conscious of the timeless message of hope born by this holiday. The good news that “God defeats the order of nature wherever He wills” and in doing so, invites us to overcome the laws of mere biological existence and become “gods by grace” through a life in Christ. The good news of the Gospel spilled out into other aspects of our national life, serving as the inspiration to rise up against the Turkish yoke and regain independence, despite being heavily outgunned, outmanned, and facing resistance from external centers of power. This same spirit allowing our forefathers to take a leap of faith and “attain miracles” in the face of all sorts of adversity must guide our aspirations both in Greece and the Diaspora, to struggle to overcome those things keeping us down and realize our true potential. At the end of the day, March 25^th should stand as a perennial reminder for the Greek Nation and Diaspora that “all things are possible to him who believes!”

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