Cyprus Holidays - Cyprus National Day (Greek Cypriot National Day)

The history of the holiday dates back to the turning point of 1571, when the power of the Venetians in Cyprus was replaced by the Turkish, and the island was conquered by the Ottoman Empire. It belonged to the Turks until 1878, when rights were transferred to Great Britain as a result of a secret defensive alliance against Russia. During the same period, the Cypriot movement for the unification of their homeland with Greece was born. But hopes were not destined to come true. The island's fate was sealed in 1914 by the powerful Great Britain, which forcibly seized Cyprus, declaring annexation. And in 1923, Great Britain confidently declared the island its colony, proclaiming a new Constitution. Only several decades later was a patriot found who could change the course of history. He was Georgios Grivas, a retired officer of the Greek army. He headed the “National Organization of Cypriot Independence Fighters”, the official start date of which was April 1, 1955. Their activities stirred up the patriotic sentiments of the inhabitants so much that Britain was forced to declare a state of emergency. It took almost 5 years of irreconcilable struggle against the invaders for independence before Cyprus received autonomy, which was confirmed by the Zurich-London Agreement. It officially determined the state structure and international status of Cyprus, allowed the election of the first president and became an Independent Republic in 1960. Now the island has another problem: it is officially divided into 2 parts: Greek and Turkish. Greek Cypriots make up the majority of the population of Cyprus (about 80%) and are very proud of their independence. They do not forget the difficult period of liberation from the invaders and honor the memory of the heroes who took part in the civil war against the British. April Fools' celebrations necessarily include the laying of wreaths at the graves of heroes, for example at the monument to one of the leaders of the “National Organization” G. Afxentiou near the Macheras Monastery. All students and employees of government institutions traditionally take part in rallies and festive celebrations. Like other holidays in Cyprus, April 1 is not complete without colorful processions, sports competitions, fireworks and all kinds of treats. April 1 is declared a national holiday with an official day off.