Residents of Athens and Thessaloniki woke up today in the most iconic way, to the sound of the traditional ceremonial cannon salutes that honor the national anniversary of “No” early on the morning of Wednesday, October 28.
The cannon salutes are not merely a resounding ritual, but mark the beginning of the celebrations commemorating the anniversary of October 28, 1940, when Greece rejected the Italian ultimatum.
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ERT broadcast the cannon salutes simultaneously from Lycabettus Hill and the White Tower, offering a powerful image of the commemoration of this historic day.
In Athens, the Artillery Corps was ready early on at Lycabettus Hill, with the gunners receiving the order at 6:47 to begin the procedure, followed by 20 more cannon salutes, 30 seconds apart, as prescribed by established protocol, thereby honoring the heroes of the Albanian front.
This ceremony essentially kicks off the festivities, which will culminate at noon in Athens with the student parade in Syntagma Square.
A similar scene unfolded in Thessaloniki, where a 21-gun salute was fired from the White Tower at the same time.
The cannon salutes are part of the established ritual for national holidays, honoring this historic day, while the origin of the 21-gun salute is linked to naval tradition: ships would fire their cannons to signal peaceful intentions upon arriving at a friendly port. The establishment of the 21-gun salute is historically linked to the seven cannons on ships and the practice of coastal batteries responding with three shots for each shot fired from the sea.
Source: ertnews.gr
