If you are in Kavala or anywhere in Greece on 28 October, you will notice something different – closed shops, flags flying and a rather festive mood in the streets. This is Ochi Day – one of the most important national holidays in the country. Here is a short look at the story behind it and what exactly will happen in Kavala this year.
What actually happened on 28 October 1940
At around 3 a.m. on 28 October 1940, the Italian ambassador in Athens, Emanuele Grazzi, arrived in person at the residence of the Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas in Kifisia. He carried an ultimatum on behalf of Italy: free passage for the Italian army across the Greek-Albanian border and the occupation of strategic sites – ports and airfields – for supply purposes and a later advance towards Africa.
According to Grazzi’s own memoirs, Metaxas replied in French – the diplomatic language of the era – with the phrase “Alors, c’est la guerre!” (“Then it is war!”). About two and a half hours later, at around 5:30 a.m., Italian troops crossed into Greece – the start of the Greco-Italian War and Greece’s effective entry into the Second World War.
Myth or fact: did Metaxas really say “Ochi”?
Here comes the interesting detail that few people know. According to historical records, Metaxas never literally said the word “Ochi” (“No”) in his conversation with the ambassador – his reply was in French, as mentioned above. The word “Ochi” itself first appeared only two days later, on 30 October 1940, as a headline in the newspaper “Elliniko Mellon”. Other publications quickly took up the word as a symbol, and so it became fixed in collective memory as Metaxas’s actual answer – even though the historical documents suggest otherwise.
How the day became a national holiday
The first commemoration took place in 1941 at the University of Athens, during the occupation. In 1942 the day was marked in Syntagma Square, organised by the resistance organisations EPON and PEAN. The first official celebration with a parade – in front of Prime Minister Georgios Papandreou – was held in 1944. A curious fact: in 1952 the Church moved the Feast of the Holy Protection of the Theotokos from 1 October to 28 October, linking it to the help that, according to the faith, the Virgin Mary gave the Greek army during the war in Albania.
The programme in Kavala on 28 October 2026
For those in the city this year, here is the full programme announced by the Regional Unit of Kavala:
- 08:00 – official flag raising in Admiral Konstantinos Kanaris Square
- 09:45 – honorary ceremony with the participation of the XX Armoured Division and the Kavala Municipal Brass Band
- 10:15 – thanksgiving service (Doxology) at the cathedral of St Paul the Apostle, celebrated by the Metropolitan of Philippi, Neapolis and Thasos, Stefanos; the keynote speech of the day will be given by MP and former minister Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos
- 11:00 – memorial prayer and wreath-laying at the war memorial (Heroon), a minute’s silence and the national anthem
- 12:00 – parade along Paralia Avenue
- 17:05 – flag lowering in Admiral Konstantinos Kanaris Square
The wreath-laying at 11:00 is expected to be attended by a government representative, members of parliament, the Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, the Deputy Regional Governor of Kavala, the Mayor of Kavala, the commander of the XX Armoured Division, the rector of the Democritus University of Thrace, the director of Kavala Police, the commander of the 2nd Regional Coast Guard Command, the fire service commander and representatives of veterans’ and resistance organisations in the region.
The parade along Paralia Avenue (from the Kavala Regional Unit building to the traffic island with the statue of Stylianos Mavromichalis) will include pupils from primary and secondary schools, associations, scouts and army units. The master of ceremonies for the wreath-laying and the parade is Ekaterini Drakou. The pupils will also hold their own wreath-laying at the memorial on 27 October at 11:30.
Flags are flown from 08:00 on 26 October until sunset on 28 October, and public buildings, municipal offices and banks are illuminated on the evenings of 27 and 28 October.
Something to keep in mind
Ochi Day is an official national holiday in Greece, so banks, government offices and many shops are usually closed. If you are planning shopping or a visit to a public office in Kavala on 28 October, it is better to postpone it by a day. On the other hand, if you are just passing through the city, the midday parade along Paralia Avenue is a good chance to feel the atmosphere of the holiday up close.
In conclusion
Ochi Day is more than just another national holiday – it carries the story of a moment when a small country refused to give in to an ultimatum, whether or not the word we remember it by today was actually spoken at the time. And if you are in Kavala on 28 October 2026, you now know exactly where and when to be to see the parade.