{"id":3673,"date":"2026-03-23T16:10:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T14:10:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/?p=3673"},"modified":"2026-03-27T17:24:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T15:24:00","slug":"my-homeland-little-forgotten-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/my-homeland-little-forgotten-one\/","title":{"rendered":"My Homeland, Little Forgotten One!"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greece, within and beyond its borders, celebrates a unique double feast. March 25th, 1821, is both the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and the anniversary of our National Rebirth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From early on, the conscience of the Nation united these two celebrations; the proclamation of the Incarnation of God the Word and the proclamation of our national freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s anniversary is an occasion for joy and, at the same time, for reflection. Do we imitate the heroes\/saints whom this day honors? Are we worthy successors of the heritage of our ancestors?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saint Gregory Palamas writes that human nature was \u201cdeified,\u201d so that through it we might be restored to our primordial beauty. This teaching shows that the Incarnation of Christ is not merely a historical moment, but the restoration of our fallen nature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saint John Chrysostom, in his homily on the Annunciation, explains that \u201can angel converses with the Virgin, so that the devil may no longer speak.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Archangel Gabriel was sent to reveal \u201cthe universal salvation of humankind,\u201d and the Virgin Mary became the bridge between God and humanity, the \u201cnew Eve,\u201d through whom the \u201cNew Adam,\u201d Christ, is born and \u201ca new humanity\u201d is created.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Saint Athanasius teaches that God became man so that we might become \u201cgods\u201d by grace; and the Virgin Mary, with her humble \u201cLet it be to me,\u201d cooperates in the plan of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The fighters of 1821 saw their struggle as a continuation of faith and national consciousness. The Revolution erupted under the motto \u201cFreedom or Death,\u201d but also \u201cFor the Holy Faith of Christ and the Freedom of the Fatherland.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Church preserved language and memory during the Ottoman period, and as Nikolaos Ypsilantis emphasized, the Revolution was associated with the Annunciation, since that day was regarded as \u201cthe proclamation of our national redemption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greek poets praised freedom in verses that became national symbols. Dionysios Solomos writes in the Hymn to Liberty<\/em>: \u201cFrom the sacred bones of the Greeks arisen.\u201d Freedom is born from the sacrifices of our forebears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the same spirit, Andreas Kalvos warns that freedom demands virtue, bravery, and self-sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Kostis Palamas, in the hymn Victory<\/em>, beholds Greece as sacred ground and sees before him Victory crowned with the wreath of freedom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In The Free Besieged<\/em>, Solomos captures the tragedy of those besieged in Mesolongi. The besieged sacrifice their lives in order to remain free.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Greek poets of every era connected national freedom with religious tradition. Michail Mitsakis and Miltos Sachtouris wrote collections entitled The Forgotten One<\/em>, \u00ab\u0397 \u039b\u03b7\u03c3\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u00bb, foretelling that historical memory is in danger of fading.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nikos Gatsos and Manos Hadjidakis composed Tsamikos<\/em>, \u00ab\u03a4\u03c3\u03ac\u03bc\u03b9\u03ba\u03bf\u03c2\u00bb, in which the Theotokos implores God to see \u201chow much slavery weighs upon\u201d the Greeks, and with her blessing, Metropolitan Germanos of Palaiai Patrai raises the Banner of the Revolution. The song encapsulates the connection between the Annunciation and the uprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Manos Hadjidakis, composer and poet, created in 1973\u20131974 the work The Age of Melissanthi<\/em>, \u00ab\u0397 \u03b5\u03c0\u03bf\u03c7\u03ae \u03c4\u03b7\u03c2 \u039c\u03b5\u03bb\u03b9\u03c3\u03c3\u03ac\u03bd\u03b8\u03b7\u03c2\u00bb, an autobiographical musical theatrical piece reflecting on the period of the Occupation and Liberation. At the end of the cycle is included the poem\/song The Forgotten One<\/em>, \u00ab\u0397 \u03bb\u03b7\u03c3\u03bc\u03bf\u03bd\u03b7\u03bc\u03ad\u03bd\u03b7\u00bb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He notes that this setting concerns a liberation \u201cwhich carried within it a second painful uprooting; violence, betrayal, and freedom granted without measure.\u201d Thus he writes the verse: \u201cThey broke your bones, our frail children,\u201d as a reversal of Solomos\u2019 line: \u201cFrom the sacred bones of the Greeks arisen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201clittle forgotten one\u201d is Greece herself, with her ideals of freedom and justice that were once glorified but quickly forgotten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe wind has risen and tears our sails,
the rain falls and drenches our most hidden dreams,
but you, little mad and sorrowful one,
kept saying they would come to pass, little forgotten one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our feet trampled upon you,
our violence made you bleed,
they broke your bones, our frail children,
and when, dry and senseless, they threw you to the ground,
who then remembered you, so saddened, little forgotten one?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the first stanza, the poet speaks of storms and rain destroying dreams. Yet the forgotten one continues to hope amid the tempest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the second stanza, the poet becomes accusatory. We ourselves trampled and wounded the little forgotten one. Our \u201cfrail children\u201d broke her bones. Here the Solomian verse is reversed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead of rising \u201cfrom the sacred bones of the Greeks,\u201d our children break the bones of Greece. The forgotten one is cast to the ground like a lifeless body; no one remembers her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hadjidakis implies that the freedom gained through struggle was squandered in civil strife and violence. The \u201clittle forgotten one\u201d represents the ideals that were forgotten amid wars, divisions, and selfishness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some appropriated and betrayed the vision. The reversal of Solomos\u2019 verse is a cry: instead of drawing strength from the bones of the heroes, did we ourselves shatter our inheritance?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This interpretation combines poetic sensitivity with historical critique. The \u201cforgotten one\u201d calls all of us to seek lost unity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question today is whether our modern Greek consciousness is summed up in the exaltation of the verse \u201cFrom the sacred bones arisen,\u201d or in the sorrowful realization of the little forgotten one, that \u201cthey broke your bones, our frail children.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This reference invites us to examine whether we truly live in a manner worthy of our freedom and our faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The celebration of March 25 shows that Orthodoxy and Hellenism journey together. The Fathers of the Church emphasize that true freedom is first internal; liberation from the ego and from sin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The heroes of 1821 lived freedom as inner redemption; in place of the ego, God and others reigned. Heroism is sacrifice for a spiritual ideal that inspires and transforms. This means we cannot speak of homeland and freedom without cultivating virtues such as unity, concord, and self-sacrifice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Orthodox Tradition views history within the plan of salvation; thus the God-bearing Fathers call the faithful to unite national memory with spiritual memory; to remember the miracles of God and the achievements of the heroes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let us, therefore, keep alive the vision of the heroes; let us cultivate the virtue and boldness that freedom requires; and let us remember that the homeland is our daily responsibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long live March 25, 1821!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Long live the Nation!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden Greece, within and beyond its borders, celebrates a unique double feast. March 25th, 1821, is both the Feast of the Annunciation of the Most Holy Theotokos and the anniversary of our National Rebirth. From early on, the conscience of the Nation united these two celebrations; the proclamation of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3674,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[21,34,15],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3673","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-homilies","category-metropolitan","category-news"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/featured-11.jpg?fit=800%2C805&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1938,"url":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/the-feast-of-saint-nicholas-at-the-finnish-parish-of-stockholm\/","url_meta":{"origin":3673,"position":0},"title":"The Feast of Saint Nicholas at the Finnish Parish of Stockholm","author":"mplexus","date":"December 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"[:en] On the morning of Saturday, December 6, 2025, His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia presided over the Divine Liturgy in Chorostasia at the festal Finnish Parish of Saint Nicholas in Stockholm. Concelebrating with him were the Very Rev. Archimandrite Bartholomew Iatridis, Parish Priest of Saint George\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Homilies"","block_context":{"text":"Homilies","link":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/category\/metropolitan\/homilies\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/featured-3.jpg?fit=800%2C415&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/featured-3.jpg?fit=800%2C415&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/featured-3.jpg?fit=800%2C415&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/featured-3.jpg?fit=800%2C415&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4642,"url":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/program-of-the-50th-anniversary-celebrationsof-the-saint-george-cathedral-of-stockholm\/","url_meta":{"origin":3673,"position":1},"title":"PROGRAM OF THE 50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS OF THE SAINT GEORGE CATHEDRAL OF STOCKHOLM","author":"mplexus","date":"April 25, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"[:en] On the occasion of the completion of fifty (50) years since the transfer\/donation of the Saint George Cathedral of Stockholm (Birger Jarlsgatan 92, 11420 Stockholm) from the \u201cCatholic Apostolic Church\u201d to the Holy Metropolis of Sweden and All Scandinavia, it is announced with pleasure that the Holy Metropolis is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/featured-25.jpg?fit=800%2C463&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/featured-25.jpg?fit=800%2C463&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/featured-25.jpg?fit=800%2C463&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, 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Their inclusion aims to further support and strengthen the Metropolis\u2019 ongoing missionary and pastoral ministry across Scandinavia. This\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "News"","block_context":{"text":"News","link":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/category\/news\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/featured-21.jpg?fit=800%2C384&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/featured-21.jpg?fit=800%2C384&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/featured-21.jpg?fit=800%2C384&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/gomos.se\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/featured-21.jpg?fit=800%2C384&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4845,"url":"https:\/\/gomos.se\/en\/remarks-from-his-eminence-metropolitan-cleopas-of-sweden-and-all-scandinavia-on-the-celebrations-of-the-50th-anniversary-of-the-transfer-of-the-st-george-cathedral-of-stockholm-from-the-catholic-apo\/","url_meta":{"origin":3673,"position":5},"title":"Remarks from His Eminence Metropolitan Cleopas of Sweden and All Scandinavia on the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the transfer of the St. George Cathedral of Stockholm, from the Catholic Apostolic Church to the Holy Metropolis of Sweden","author":"mplexus","date":"May 3, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"[:en] Your Eminence Archbishop Julio of Orange,Your Eminence Cardinal Anders of Stockholm,Your Grace Bishop Anba Abakir,Your Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Elaia,Reverend Members of the Clergy,Your Excellencies,Honorable Members of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic Apostolic Church,Esteemed Guests,Dearly Beloved Brothers and Sisters in the Risen Lord, Christ is Risen! 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