The Ecumenical Federation of Constantinoupolitans on Sunday honored the memory of the 78 volunteer soldiers, who were Greeks from Constantinople, and lost their lives when the boat that transported them to Constantinople was attacked by a submarine on July 4, 1941 as reported by vema.com.au.
On the initiative of the Federation, a Trisagion service was held by Metropolitan Joseph of Proconnesus, off Lavrio, Attica, near the scene of the tragic event, followed by the reading of the names of 78 heroes and the laying of wreaths at the sea.
Afterwards, a memorial event was held at the Lavrio Technological Cultural Park of the National Technical University of Athens.
It is recalled that the 78 citizens of Constantinople had fought voluntarily against fascism-nazism to defend the freedom of Greece in 1940-41.
After the end of the Greek-Italian war, they started from Piraeus to return to Constantinople with the boat “Evangelistria,” which was hit by a British submarine. The boat “Evangelistria” was unarmed.