The 113th anniversary of the liberation of Konitsa from the Turks on February 24, 1913, was celebrated with splendor in the border town of Konitsa, three days after the liberation of Ioannina, in the presence of the President of the Republic, Costas Tasoulas, who sent a message of unity for the achievement of national goals.
After the divine service at the pilgrimage church of Saint Kosmas Konitsa, a doxology was celebrated with the local Metropolitan Alexios officiating.
Subsequently, a memorial service was held at the "St. John" site, where the then Metropolitan of Vella and Konitsa, Spyridonas, solemnly welcomed the 1st Battalion of the 22nd Infantry Corps, led by Captain Dimitrios Papanikolaou. The President of the Republic, Mr. Tasoulas, laid a wreath at the busts of the two men, who then attended the student and military parade in the center of Konitsa.
Speaking, he emphasized the historicity of the day, highlighting the contribution of the Greek Army to the Balkan Wars and emphasizing the importance of the unity of political and military leadership in order for national goals to be realized.
He added: "The freedom that the Greek people enjoy today is the fruit of the unity and sacrifices of the past, emphasizing that the plans for the future must be peaceful and creative."
He also emphasized that "we should not start initiatives just for the inauguration. We must be sure that what we are going to do we also have the means to maintain it. Maintenance is progress."
Mr. Tasoulas was proclaimed an honorary citizen of the municipality of Konitsa in a modest ceremony at the City Hall, where he noted that "I am, therefore, from now on, with this title that your Municipal Council generously and unanimously awarded me, your fellow citizen at the service of the needs, ambitions and prospects of Konitsa...".
After Mr. Tasoulas' visit to the 3rd Primary School of Konitsa, where he was given a tour by the principal Maria Mantziou of the renovated indoor gymnasium, a donation from the "Together for the Child" Association, he sat down to a meal hosted by the Deputy Mayor of Konitsa, Dimitrios Kotsiaftis, on behalf of the mayor, who was absent for personal reasons.
There, Mr. Tasoulas said that "we conquered the borders of today's Greece thanks to the efforts, valor and victorious march of the Greek Army. The memory of the events of 1913 remains alive, constituting a foundation on which the future is built. Everything we do, everything we aspire to, everything we hope for, rests on those foundations."
The history of genocides
Since 1906, when Spyridon Vlachos was elected bishop of Vella and Konitsa, he has been mobilizing guerrilla forces throughout the province.
In 1912, Czavit Pasha settled in Konitsa with 2,000 soldiers, because he had information that Konitsa, led by Metropolitan Spyridon, was organizing resistance against the Turkish army.
In early February 1913, the ardent and indomitable patriot Spyridon Vlachos was imprisoned in a house above the city's market, because they suspected his secret communication with Ioannina.
Ο Τζαβήτ έψαξε να βρει ανθρώπους να στοιχειοθετήσει κατηγορία για την εσχάτη των ποινών, αλλά απέτυχε. Αγανακτισμένος τότε παρέπεμψε το δεσπότη στο στρατοδικείο. Με τις ενέργειες του γραμματέα του Σπυρίδωνα Δόβα και του εθνικού κομιτάτου Κόνιτσας, ο διάδοχος Κων/νος τηλεγράφησε στον Εσάτ – πασά των Ιωαννίνων ότι είναι υπεύθυνος για τη ζωή του Δεσπότη. “Ούτε τρίχα της κεφαλής του Δεσπότη να μη θίξεις”. Την ίδια στιγμή οι Τουρκοκονιτσιώτες, που αγαπούσαν τον Σπυρίδωνα, επενέβησαν για τη σωτηρία του.
On Sunday, February 24, word spread that the Greek army would come and all the residents, Christians and local Muslims, gathered outside the city, at Agios Ioannis, led by Spyridon and all the prelates) and awaited the military battalion.
After noon, the cheers of the slaves in front of their liberators shook the surrounding mountain peaks. Captain Papanikolaou dismounted, saluted the Metropolitan militarily and embraced his hand. And he embraced him, kissed him and blessed him. After the fervent speeches, they all headed together towards Saint Nicholas and performed a joyful doxology.
Και κατά την επέτειο απελευθέρωσης της Κόνιτσας η σκέψη στρέφεται σ’ όλους αυτούς, που ζήσανε με του ραγιά τον μόχθο και τη στέρηση, αλλά ακούραστοι, πλούσια επότισαν της Ελευθερίας το δέντρο. Με πόνο και ιδρώτα. Με θυσίες και αίματα. Κάτω από τη βαριά ταφόπετρα αιώνων, οι πόθοι τους και των ιδανικών τους οι παλμοί, ζωηροί και αθάνατοι ηχούσαν. Και η κραυγή τους ασίγητα δονούσε μυριόστομη τους μυστικούς κόσμους της. Για του Χριστού την Πίστη την αγία και για της Πατρίδος την ελευθερία. Στη «φοβέρα» εμείνατε οι άφοβοι. Στη δουλεία οι αδούλωτοι. Οι πανελεύθεροι στη σκλαβιά!
