The magnanimity of Stelios Mavrommatis, a few hours before he went up to the gallows, is monumental. He had the power to forgive the one who betrayed him. The priest writes:"Mavrommatis was a very sentimental guy, but active and energetic and full of patriotic enthusiasm. He was very magnanimous and showed sympathy to all, and even to those who made revelations. It's not his fault, he told me about one of his fellow prisoners, who used to meet him in the yard when they were taken out for a while to numb themselves".
"The revelations he made after horrible tortures were also made by others, and he tried to cheer him up and give him courage, despite all that he told him, "spit on me, Stelios, because I don't deserve it". With a restrained complaint he tells me:For what they condemned me, they have no evidence, but they relied on the Intelligence Service, that is, on information they had from a traitor".
"Charilaos Michael was very young and every time I went to him he always had a smile on his face, as if something pleasant was waiting for him. He was taciturn and appeared neither thoughtful nor sullen. I am sure that he went up to the gallows with the same smile".
"Andreas Zakos was educated and was inspired only by Greece and that is why he devoted himself wholeheartedly to the struggle for the freedom of Cyprus. He gave me this impression the two or three times I talked to him. Iakovos Patatsos was the personification of innocence, devoted soul and body to the idea of Religion and Country". "...At about twelve o'clock, I distinctly distinguished the voice of Patatsos singing "Ekstisthi fritton, urane...", "When he descended to death...", which they did not finish, because they reached the gallows and there the light went out. voice of Patatsos".
Michalakis Karaolis:"I sin, father, with these people and many times I insult them." Andreas Dimitriou:"I am sorry that my sister will be left without protection". Only a few hours before the murderous rope is passed around their young necks, one confesses to the priest and asks for forgiveness for insulting those who will so brutally and inhumanely cut the thread of his life! The second, instead of thinking about himself and the life he will lose, thinks about his sister, who will be left unprotected. Greatness of soul!
"At a quarter past one (12.45 am) exactly, I hear the hurried steps of the executioners. They are in a big hurry. I hear Panagidis shouting with all his might:"Come on guys", and they start the national anthem. I mentally watch all the movements in the gallows part. I kneel, make my cross and ask God to strengthen the martyrs. The national anthem is repeated as if by choked voices, because they enter the place of the gallows. I hear a loud voice, "Hello, children, long live Liberty," and then I can no longer see, because they would have covered their heads with the black garment to put the gallows rope around their necks.
"As soon as I arrived in Fylakas, I was led near Pallikaridis to give him Holy Communion. I found him perfectly calm without the slightest manifestation of agitation or faint-heartedness. His words in our conversation were sharp and measured... When he was captured in the woods with a weapon, which could not be used, it was night, and his companions ran and fled and were not captured. But he didn't run away, and curious that's why I put the question to him.
"Why didn't you run away like the others did?" With a slight sneer he tells me:"I took them for cowards when I saw them running." I advised him to have courage to the end, and not to give the impression to the English executioners that he had fainted. "I have courage, he tells me, and I will not be afraid, and I hope to be the last." His last words were:"My greetings to everyone, and I wish for the freedom of Cyprus soon".
All the aforementioned references are testimonies of Father Antonios Erotokritos, priest of the Central Prisons. He is the only eyewitness to the last moments of the nine hanged young men of EOKA, as he recorded them in his book "How I lived the drama of the hanged", which was kindly offered to the column by his daughter, Mrs. Maro Sereti, for whom I am deeply grateful. From time to time the column presented excerpts for each individual hero.
On today's glorious anniversary, an overall picture is given from the last words of the 9 great young people, who 63 years ago, climbed the scaffold and from there flew to immortality. We respectfully bow to the eagles who today - like every April 1st - return. At a time when our country is going through extremely difficult times. Today the officials will not honor them with ceremonies and memorials. However, ordinary people honor them. Even today, the eagles will try to electrify their souls. Hoping they stop languishing because of being trapped in squalor, rot and filth. They will attempt to show us the way to redemption. The one from which we have been outmaneuvered for several decades...
SOURCE:PHILELEFTHEROS