On Palm Sunday, April 28, 2024, at 10:00 a.m., immediately after the Divine Liturgy, in the courtyard of Panagia Chora, the annual commemoration took place. The event was attended by His Eminence our Metropolitan, Mr. Paisios, who conducted a memorial prayer.
This anniversary marks the courageous resistance of the people of Kalymnos and the Dodecanese during the period of Italian Occupation, against all forms of violence and oppression of their ideals. Emmanuel Kazonis, as well as other anonymous fellow citizens, emerged as heroes and demonstrated their free and indomitable spirit.
In 1934, the clergy of the Dodecanese gathered at the Church of Candlemas and signed a proclamation denouncing the bishop, Apostolos, expressing opposition to Italian policies. This heightened their resistance to foreign interventions and the locals’ commitment to freedom and the Orthodox Church. The Italian authorities responded by closing churches and schools, sparking unrest. The destructive consequences led to a major gathering and a stone-throwing conflict, marking the resistance of the people of Kalymnos against the occupation.
