Yesterday, Sunday, July 19, Metropolitan Ioannis of Zambia and Mozambique celebrated a Trisagion Memorial Service at the Holy Church of the Wisdom of God (Hagia Sophia) in Lusaka, in honour of those who gave their lives defending the sacred soil of the martyred island of Cyprus.
A memorial event followed at the Exhibition Centre of the Holy Metropolis, where a historical documentary on the events of 1974 was presented.
The keynote speaker was retired Colonel of the Hellenic Army, Mr Ioannis Kourtellis, who presented a historical account of the Turkish invasion and the military operations known as “Attila I” and “Attila II”. Among the distinguished guests who honoured the event with their presence were the Ambassadors of Somalia, Mozambique, Italy, and Cuba, the Consuls General of Greece and the Republic of Cyprus in Zambia, as well as Mrs World Zambia 2026–2027.
The event was covered by Zambia’s national television broadcaster, ZNBC, and the newspaper Zambia Daily Nation. Following the conclusion of the ceremony, the Metropolitan hosted a fellowship meal for all those in attendance.
In his address, Metropolitan Ioannis stated: “We stand in silence and with bowed heads before the sacrifice. We stand before men and women who did not hesitate for even a moment. When the hour of trial arrived, they placed above themselves their homeland, their families, their honour, and their freedom.
We remember the soldiers who fought in the fortifications, in the villages, and on the mountain ridges of Cyprus during the summer of 1974.
We remember the National Guard soldiers, the reservists, and the volunteers who took up arms, knowing that they might never return.
We remember the civilians who were suddenly caught in the turmoil of the invasion and who defended their homes with whatever means they had.
These people were not merely numbers recorded in the pages of history. They were fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and friends. They had dreams and plans for tomorrow. They had fields to cultivate, children to raise, and weddings to celebrate. And yet, when their homeland called upon them, they answered: ‘Present.’
For us today, these heroes must become examples worthy of emulation. Examples of selflessness, courage, and faith. Examples of what it means to love one’s homeland more than one’s own life. Their sacrifice was not in vain, because through it we are able today to speak freely, to remember, and to honour.
Their memory must become a legacy for future generations, for our children, our grandchildren, and all those who will come after us. They must learn their names. They must learn their stories. They must learn that freedom is not granted freely; it is won and defended every day. They must learn that Cyprus paid a heavy price to remain Greek and free.
Because if we forget, if we allow memory to fade, then we betray not only those who have fallen, but also our own future.
Let us never forget that a people who forgets its history is condemned to relive it.
These words are not merely a saying. They are a warning. They are a lesson written in blood. When a people ceases to remember where it came from, whom it lost, and for which struggles sacrifices were made, it becomes vulnerable. Then the same mistakes are repeated. Then invasions, displacement, and missing persons return once again.
That is why we are not simply holding a formal ceremony today. Today, we renew a promise. A promise that we will not forget. That we will speak of the fallen, the prisoners of war, and the missing. That we will seek justice. That we will keep alive the memory of the Great Island of Cyprus within our hearts and souls.
Fifty-two years later, the pain remains fresh. The wounds have not healed. There are still families waiting for news of their loved ones. There are still refugee homes that bear witness to the uprooting of an entire people. There is still a divided Cyprus.
And for this reason, our responsibility is even greater. A responsibility to prove ourselves worthy of their sacrifice. A responsibility to pass on to the younger generations not only the pain, but also the hope. The hope that the struggle continues, that memory is strength, and that our history is our compass.
Today, therefore, we light a candle. Today, we speak their names aloud. Today, we promise not to betray them through forgetfulness.
Eternal be the memory of our heroes.
Eternal be the memory of the victims of the Turkish invasion.
We do not forget. We will never cease striving for a free and united Cyprus.”
