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Greece Marks Anniversary of Asia Minor Greek Genocide
Greece commemorated the 1922 destruction of Smyrna and the uprooting of Asia Minor Greeks with a national day dedicated to preserving the memory of those who died or were displaced.
ATHENS — As reported by UOJ-Greece, Greece marked the National Day of Remembrance of the Genocide of the Greeks of Asia Minor on September 14, commemorating the displacement of Asia Minor Greeks from their ancestral communities and the destruction of Smyrna in 1922.
The anniversary was recognized by the Hellenic Parliament and is observed annually across Greece with commemorative events and religious services. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement recalling the fate of Asia Minor Hellenism during the upheavals of the early 1920s.
The ministry said Asia Minor Hellenism was “violently uprooted from its ancestral homes, after centuries of presence,” describing the Destruction of Smyrna in September 1922 as the “tragic climax” of the process.
The statement connects the commemoration to the broader displacement of Greek communities from regions of Asia Minor where they had lived for centuries. The anniversary also serves as a reminder of the lives lost and the people forced to leave their homes during the period.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance of preserving historical memory, saying it is “a duty towards those who were lost or displaced, as well as to future generations.” The ministry concluded its statement by declaring, “History is not written down or falsified.”
The annual observance includes religious and civic commemorations throughout Greece. The anniversary comes amid continuing efforts to preserve the memory of the Greek communities of Asia Minor and the events that brought their centuries-old presence there to an end.
Previously, the UOJ reported that Metr. Luke said pressure on the Ukrainian Orthodox Church showed signs of genocide.
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