Greek Independence Day Grand Military Parade

The Greek Independence Day Grand Military Parade is the annual state ceremony in Athens that commemorates the uprising against Ottoman rule begun on 25 March 1821. The 2026 parade took place on Wednesday 25 March, the 205th anniversary, before the Hellenic Parliament at Syntagma Square. President Konstantinos Tasoulas took the salute, with the country’s political and military leadership in attendance.

The Hellenic National Defence General Staff set the day’s programme. A twenty-one-gun salute from Lycabettus opened it at 06:21, and the flag was raised on the Acropolis at eight. Archbishop Ieronymos II led the doxology at the Metropolitan Cathedral of the Annunciation at ten, and the President laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at 10:55 before the parade began at eleven.

Three volunteer units of the Hellenic Red Cross with injured war veterans led the march, followed by infantry and mechanised units of the Armed Forces and Security Forces and the Evzones of the Presidential Guard. The Kentavros anti-drone system, developed by the Hellenic Aerospace Industry and the Hellenic Centre for Defence Innovation, was among the systems on show. F-16 and Rafale fighters took off from Tanagra for the flypast, followed by Mirage 2000-5 aircraft and F-4 Phantoms.

The date is also the Orthodox feast of the Annunciation. Military parades were held the same day in cities and towns across Greece.