OXI Day
Celebrating Modern History’s Most Consequential David vs. Goliath
Courage for Freedom and Democracy – the Greeks in WWII
ANDY MANATOS
Y
ou can be proud of being part of the most consequential David vs. Goliath exhibition of courage for
freedom and democracy in modern history – the Greeks
in World War II. Their actions following Prime Minister
Metaxas’ rejection of the Axis Forces surrender request
with the word “OXI” (no) literally changed the outcome
of WWII and the world.
British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said, “If there
had not been the virtue and courage of the Greeks, we do
not know which the outcome of World War II would have
been.” Hitler’s Chief of Staff Wilhelm Keitel said, “The
Greeks delayed by two or more vital months the German
attack against Russia; if we did not have this long delay the
outcome of the war would have been different.” It’s little
wonder Churchill said, “From now on we will not say that
Greeks fight like heroes but that heroes fight like Greeks.”
Cretans can be proud of the fact that the first citizen counterattack the Nazis faced was at the Battle of Crete. More Nazis died during the first day of that battle than on any day in
that year-and-a-half-long war. With Cretan men fighting on
the mainland, Cretan women stepped forward. In reprisal
the Nazis killed more than 1,000 Cretan women and sent an
additional 500 to camps. The Nazis barely won that battle,
primarily because of a strategic error by an Allied
Commander on Crete.
A Holy Visit by Joanna Kamvouris
A
slick black car pulled up to the lobby of
the Sheraton Hotel in Cuyahoga Falls,
Ohio, where District 3 youth members clad in
traditional Cretan costume awaited the arrival
of His Eminence Archbishop Eirinaios of Crete.
Committee members opened the door
of the car to reveal His Eminence. A warm
smile illuminated the Archbishop’s face as he
made his way into the hotel to greet the crowd.
On July 1, 2013, the Archbishop arrived in Ohio
to join PAA members in celebrating the 43rd
National Convention.
“I was inspired by his gentleness, his pure heart, and desire to
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KPHTH | October 2013
Had Greece not shown such extraordinary “Philotimo” (love of honor), said “OXI,” delayed Hitler’s invasion of Russia long enough for them to cease being
vulnerable, we Allies may well have lost the war. It is
extraordinary that the small country of Greece could
have a comparable impact on modern history as giants
like the United States, Great Britain and Russia. Had
the Allies lost the war and freedom and democracy
taken a back seat to the “police state” our world today
would be a much different place. K
Note: Manatos & Manatos annually contributes services for Orthodoxy and Hellenism. They are making
America aware of OXI Day and the Battle of Crete by
the creation of the Washington OXI Day Foundation.
The Foundation annually issues prestigious awards and
two prizes to people who fight for freedom and democracy. For more information please visit their web site at
www.OxiDayFoundation.org.
Andy Manatos is president of
Manatos & Manatos, founder and
president of the Washington OXI
Day Foundation and former
Assistant Secretary of Commerce.
keep doing the Lord’s work,” Father Jerry Hall said. “He had a
beautiful spirit of patience and peace about him.”
One of the first things His Eminence expressed to Father
Jerry was his desire to reunite with his old friend, Metropolitan
Maximus, whom he had first met during his seminary in Halki.
Father Hall arranged a meeting with Metropolitan Maximus
and escorted the Archbishop to Pittsburgh for a visit.
On July 4, the Archbishop had the opportunity to reunite
with a few of his old friends who were former Mennonites.
Father Hall contacted the Mennonites and they drove more
than three hours from Archbold, Ohio, to reacquaint with the
Archbishop.
“His connection with the Mennonites goes back to his early
days as a priest in Crete,” Father Jerry explained. “Since His
Eminence spoke English, he was asked to communicate with