On the Road in Albania: Greek Military Cemetery in Bularat, Vouliarates, Northern Epirus, Southern Albania

Mrs. Kostoula Kapogiannis, leader of this historic excursion, at monument in honor of fallen heroes.

“Only the Dead have seen the end of war”.  – Plato

Tombs of fallen heroes

 

The Kapogiannis Travel excursion from Tripoli’s, Greece, of the Dalmatian coast concluded

July 30   with a visit to the WW II military cemetery in Bularat, known as the Greek village of Vouliarates, Southern Albania, The six-day excursion was under the leadership of Kostoula Kapogiannis and Agia Saranta guide Ioan Mitrou.

Agia Skepi

Our visit began with a patriotic ballad played in the bus. Let’s visit the glorious time in WWII (1940) when courageous, poorly equipped Greek soldiers defeated El Duce (Italy) went to Koritza and took Argyrocastro (Gjirocastro). All of United: Greeks, North and South Epirus as one nation. Our children and grandchildren must not forget. They must remember our blood written in the Albanian campaign. Greek Blood.” Constantine Katsiftas was killed on October 28, 2018.  Dimitris Filippidis, journalist/Hellas FM radio/ President of Pan Macedonian Federation of America, can explain the incident on his Facebook page, All interested can visit google.com.

Northern Epirus New York friends said “We spoke only Greek at home. Someday we would leave and go to the Greece.”

A bilateral agreement calling for exhumation, identification and re-interment at Albanian cemeteries of Greeks killed in the country began in 2018. A search for the remains began here in January 2017, and the first 100 found were reburied at Bularat (Vouliarates) in July (1917).

Sheep grazing at battle site

A joint Greek-Albanian specialists committee will continue its searches and exhumations in the other areas as well, the Greek Foreign Ministry said.

(Greek: Βουλιαράτι; romanized Vouliaráti) is a village in Gjirokastër County, southern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality of Dropull. It is inhabited solely by Greeks.[3] It is located just 6 km away from the Greco-Albanian border. Archeological findings (clay objects) discovered in 1979 prove that the village has been continuously inhabited since the 3rd century BC. The village has a 16th century Orthodox church, St. Athanasios. A battle occurred near the village during the Greco-Italian War, which resulted in a Greek victory with 15 casualties and 130 wounded (on the Greek side). Following the capture of the village and its surroundings by Greek forces, a temporary hospital was established to heal wounded soldiers, of whom 60 eventually died, however. A military graveyard was also erected, for casualties of other nearby battles. This is still open to the public today.

St. Cosmas Aetolos

The first school was established in the 1700s. It was repaired in 1830 by donations from wealthy Georgios Kouremenos, the name of which was found on an inscription of a slab. In 1905, a girls-only school was established from expenses of architect Vasilakos Kouremenos. In 1935, Albanian authorities temporarily closed the school, resulting in reactions from locals, following clashes with the Albanian gendarmerie on 17 June.

Monument to the Unknown Soldier Missing in Action

In 1993, Albanian authorities arrested the mayor of the village due to offence caused by waving of Greek flags in the village during annual celebrations commemorating Greece’s entry to World War II.

According to the local newspaper, Το Γραφικό Βουλιαράτι, the village had 1,308 inhabitants in 1912. According to a 1995 research, the village had 833 inhabitants, of which all were ethnically Greeks. Since 1990, many Northern Epirotes have migrated to Greece or other countries, making the permanent population of the village less than 400. Despite this, the population doubles in Easter, Summer and Christmas as most people return to their village to celebrate or have holidays with their families. 2

“May Their Excellence be remembered Eternally for Defending their country during the Greek-Italian War 1940-41” monument, with guide Ioan Mitros

Flocks of sheep were grazing on the site of one of the deadliest battles of the Greek/Albanian war. We entered the small church of Agia Skepi that houses the military cemetery of the Italian/Greek WWII war. Remains of ancient frescoes are displayed. The bones of a fallen hero are displayed with a Greek flag. An all-seeing Christ Pantocrator in the dome looked down on us. Inspiring icons decorated the altar.

Ancient frescoes

Records of heroes missing in action are displayed. “Many of the Fallen heroes were from Corinth, Peloponnese,” observed scholar Doris Christopoulou. A monument should be erected in memory of the civilian population. Families lost fathers, husbands, children and brothers, never having closure by burying their loved ones. They are the real heroes: rebuilding their lives without the young men, bread winners of their family. How many Mothers, sisters, wives died of heartbreak, not wishing to go on without their missing in action men?

Rows of marble tombs were in the cemetery. A tomb for “The Unknown Missing in Action Hero” was seen. An icon of St. George in an Epirotan Greek costume gave us another view of how Greeks viewed St. George in their culture. I saw similar icons in churches of Tripoli, showing the saints in Peloponnesian clothing   Guide Ioan Mitrou explained the importance of St. Cosmas Aetolos to the people of Epirus. “Over sixteen years, St. Cosmas established many church schools in villages and towns,” he said. St. Cosmas Aetolos’ preachings’ had aroused the opposition of the rich and powerful and others who felt their position threatened. He was executed at Kolkondas, Fier District, near the mouth of the Seman river (in present-day Albania) in 1779.

In 1813 Ali Pasha, the de facto independent Muslim Albanian ruler of Ottoman Epirus, southern Albanian and Macedonia, and an enemy of the Sultan – managed to have a church built near the site of Cosmas’ execution, in which the remains of Cosmas were placed. Ali Pasha went as far as having a date of celebration set in Cosmas’ honor. Some other Muslims disliked Ali Pasha’s “giving too much honor to a giaouri“, to which the Pasha reportedly replied: “Bring me a Muslim like him, I would kiss his feet.” 3

 

The Greek viewpoint is rarely seen. It was time for me to see a politically incorrect perspective that is not promoted by global interests.

Kostoula Kapogiannis, dynamic group leader of the Kapogiannis Tours, created a successful and historic excursion. Albanian guide Ioan Mitros was unique. Administrator Maria Kapogiannis has been working with me for several years in her excursions. Special appreciation to scholarly advice by retired Greek Guide Doris Christopoulou. Theodora Armoni of Replay Net and Billiards, Tripoli, Greece furnished technical support.

This visit to Bularat was part of a six-day Dalmation coast excursion for 330 euros. visit http://www.kapogiannistravel.gr/

https://photos.app.goo.gl/44WKx9RdJMikddbd7

References:

1. https://www.thenationalherald.com/216466/fallen-greek-soldiers-of-wwii-reinterred-in-albanian-military-cemetery/
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bularat
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bularat

Links:

https://www.google.com/search?q=churches%20of%20bularat%20albania&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiNjsWQj5zkAhWutlkKHcs_AHIQvS4wAHoECAkQEg&biw=1920&bih=969&dpr=1&npsic=0&rflfq=1&rlha=0&rllag=39913328,20294975,530&tbm=lcl&rldimm=12565369640743920704&rldoc=1&tbs=lrf:!2m1!1e2!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2#rlfi=hd:;si:12565369640743920704;mv:!1m2!1d39.9792543!2d20.3905211!2m2!1d39.841789899999995!2d20.1952446;tbs:lrf:!2m1!1e2!3sIAE,lf:1,lf_ui:2 

Greek military cemetery at the Church of Agia Skepi, Bularat (Vouliartes) Albania.

 

 

On the Road in Armenia: Sardarapat Memorial

Sardarapat Memorial. All photos by Lara Ciamician

 

“A good historian belongs to no age not to any country.” Fenelon¹

The Greeks had the “Three Hundred Spartans” at Thermopylae, changing the course of Western civilization. The Armenian nation had Sardarapat. The best of their culture in Western Armenia,  that was a force in western civilization from the Byzantine to Ottoman Empires, was wiped out in days by Kemal Ataturk’s nationalism forces. What stopped them from finishing their genocide? It can be summed up in one word: Sardarapat.

Holy Martyrs Church Rev. Fr. Abraham Malkhasyan with Aram Ciamician, Parish Council Chair of the  of the Bayside Armenian Holy Martyrs Church, New York with FAR,  organized a recent Armenian Pilgrimage, where we visited this memorial. In May 1918, Armenian troops defeated superior Turkish forces advancing Erivan. This victory on the threshold of Echmiadzin saved the heart of Armenia from conquest. This significant battle on the Caucasian front is passed over by WWI historians.

Russian troops were withdrawn as a result of the October 1917 Revolution. The Turkish Army regained all territories reaching pre-war Russian frontier. “The commanding officers of the Armenian corps did not belong to the aristocracy or to the well to do class. They were the sons of officers. They all joined the service to advance through hard, devoted work….All of them earned their promotions the hard way. Armenian officers were close in spirit to their men. They knew their own people better and came closer together in army life.”² This was a deciding factor in this unique victory.

View of Armenia from Memorial

Deserted by their Russian ally and Major Powers during WWI, the Armenian people could only count on themselves and their devotion to their Armenian Orthodox faith that existed from 301 A.D. In the face of catastrophe, persons look to his/her religious leaders for support. Catholicos George V was urged to leave Echmiadzin for security reasons. But His Holiness not only rejected the proposal, but also encouraged the military to resist the Ottoman advance.^[19] He ordered, church bells ring for six days as Armenians from all walks of life – peasants, poets blacksmiths, and even the clergymen – rallied to form organized military units.^[20] Civilians, including children, aided in the effort as well, as “Carts drawn by oxen, water buffalo, and cows jammed the roads bringing food, provisions, ammunition, and volunteers from the vicinity” of Yerevan.³ Catholicos George V and many religious leaders met their challenge. They took their place in history.

Sardarapat Memorial is a symbol of pride and survival. The Sardarapat Memorial marks the place of Armenia’s successful last-ditch effort to save the nation from obliteration at the hands of the Turks in the Battle of Sardarapat on May 22–26, 1918. Against tremendous odds, and during the haunting backdrop of genocide during the previous few years, Armenia’s makeshift army rebuffed the Turkish troops and safeguarded the small portion of historic Armenia, what became the current republic as it stands today. On the grounds of the historic battle one can today visit the Sardarapat Ethnography and Liberation Movement History Museum adjacent to the outdoor monument4

The Holy Martyrs Church Pilgrimage climbed to the Memorial at the village of Araks. It overlooks a landscape that inspires. The Armenians have been the backbone of the Eastern Roman/Byzantine military known for their unity and courage. The Battle of Sardarapat showed the unity and strength of the military and civilian population that led to survival and victory. We are all honored to know members of the Holy Martyrs Church. Their valor, endurance and unique contribution to Western Civilization is recognized by all. The Church will hold their annual Street Festival on September 14^th on their premises at 20915 Horace Harding Expressway, Bayside.

References

1. Kayaloff, Jacques, The Battle of Sardarabad. 1973,MOUTON Press, the Hague, preface.
2. Kayaloff, p. 72
3. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardarapat Memorial
4. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardarapat Memorial

In Byzantium’s Footsteps: Patriarchal Service in Neohori Church, Istanbul, Turkey

His All Holiness, Patriarch Barthomew performed a Patriarchal SERVICE on Sunday, August 4th at the Greek Orthodox Church of Dormition of the Mother of God Panayia Kumariotisa Yeniköy (Turkish: Yeniköy, “New Village”; in Greek known as Neohorion (Greek: Νεοχώριον) in the upper Bosphorus district of Istanbul, Turkey. It is located on the European shores of the Bosphorus strait, between the neighborhoods of İstinye and Tarabya.

Our Greek middle class group from Tripoli heard about the service accidentally. We filled the church, that would have otherwise had a small attendance. His All Holiness gave us the red carpet treatment. “ We welcome all who came tonight,” he said. “The man who fights the good fight is close to the church.” A person in black stood by the altar with a li candle. Her appearance gave me the pain of losing our Byzantine city. We were served refreshments upon the conclusion.

I was amazed with the icons that had the saints in Ancient Greek/ Roman garments. I have seen similar icons at the Kremlin, Moscow, Venice and Ravenna Italy. After seeing these treasures, I believe we must support the Patriarchate . We must not let our Byzantine heritage be desroyed: our treasures that belong to our DNA as Orthodox Christians. No one Asked us for a donation. UNBELIEVABLE.

St. George killing the dragon in Roman garments

Yeniköy began in the 16th century and became a prestigious place of residence in the 19th century. The Köybaşı Caddesi (Köybaşı Avenue) runs through the neighbourhood close to the Bosphorus shoreline. Yeniköy was until the 1955 Istanbul pogrom a neighbourhood with a considerable Greek population. The Greek Orthodox church of Dormition of the Mother of God (Panayia Kumariotisa Rum Ortodoks Kilisesi, Koybaşı Cad. No. 108) was built in 1837 at the request of sultan Mahmud II′s personal physician Stefanos Karatheodori (Greek: Στέφανος Καραθεοδωρής). His and his son Alexander Karatheodori Pasha′s tombstones are next to the wooden bell tower west of the church.

The Egyptian Greek poet Constantine Cavafy lived here together with his parents in 1882–1885 as an adolescent; his bust is in the yard of the Panagia church. In his poem “Nihori” (Greek: Το Nιχώρι) (1885), he praises the place.1

Takis Kapogiannis, group leader of the Kapogiannis Tours, accomplished a totally unique event with the Patrriarchate. He was assisted by the following persons: tourist Mrs. Athena Lykouretzos; guide Mesout; Sofi Goc of Aziz Moderno Travel and assistant George. Administrator Maria Kapogiannis has been working with me for several years in excursions. Special appreciation to Theodora Armoni of replay net and billiards, Tripoli, Greece for technical support.

This visit to to Constantinople was part of a seven day excursion for 430 euros.

Famed bell tower

Reference:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yenik%C3%B6y,_Sar%C4%B1yer

Links:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/A17Nw1KyTEdauGpf9 – photo album

http://www.kapogiannistravel.gr/ – attention Maria Kapogiannis

https://www.facebook.com/AzizModernoTravel/  – attention Sofia