Started 2 years ago
OXI Day
Ohi Day is Greece’s national holiday on 28 October each year. Ohi Day takes its name from the Greek word for “No” (Όχι, also written Oxi), and it marks the day in 1940 when Greece refused an Italian ultimatum. Greece, Cyprus, and Greek communities around the world hold the commemoration on the same date every year.
What Ohi Day means
Ohi Day means “the day of No” and commemorates a single act of refusal. Ohi Day takes its name from “Ohi” (Όχι), the Greek word for “No”, which stands for the country’s rejection of fascism in 1940. Greece and Cyprus mark the anniversary as a public holiday, and the Greek diaspora observes it worldwide. Together with 25 March, the day is one of Greece’s two national holidays.
The story behind the “No” (1940)
Ohi Day commemorates Greece’s refusal of an Italian ultimatum in the early hours of 28 October 1940. Shortly after 03:00 that morning, the Italian ambassador Emanuele Grazzi delivered Benito Mussolini’s ultimatum to the Greek Prime Minister, Ioannis Metaxas, in Athens. The ultimatum demanded that Greece let Italian forces enter and occupy strategic sites, or else face war. Metaxas refused, and his answer is remembered as “Ohi”, though he replied in French, “Alors, c’est la guerre” (“Then, it is war”). Italian troops stationed in Albania crossed the Greek border that morning, and Greece entered the Second World War. Greek forces then counterattacked through the Pindus mountains and pushed the Italians back into Albania.
How Ohi Day is celebrated
Greece marks Ohi Day with parades, church services, and flag displays. Military and student parades take place in towns and cities across the country. Orthodox churches hold services for the day, and Greek flags appear on streets and public buildings. Communities and families gather to remember the events of 1940. Greece has held the commemoration every year since the war, and the date became a national holiday afterwards.
Ohi Day parades on Crete
Towns across Crete hold Ohi Day parades on 28 October. The parades take place in the four main towns and beyond:
- Chania
- Rethymno
- Heraklion
- Agios Nikolaos
Schoolchildren and military units march through the town centres, accompanied by bands and traditional costumes. In Heraklion, Kournaros Square is a good place to watch the parade, and it sits at the end of 1866 Street, a short walk down from Liondaria Square. The main cathedrals in the capital towns also hold Orthodox services for the day.
What to expect as a visitor
Ohi Day closes many sites and slows traffic in the towns of Crete. The island closes its archaeological sites for the holiday, and most businesses and services shut as well. Streets on the parade routes close to traffic, and buses carrying schoolchildren add to the delays in the town centres. Plan museum and archaeological-site visits for the days on either side of 28 October. Expect a festive, busy atmosphere anywhere near a parade route.
Frequently asked questions
What is the meaning of Ohi Day?
Ohi Day means “the day of No”. The name comes from the Greek word “Ohi” (Όχι), meaning “No”, which stands for Greece’s refusal of the Italian ultimatum on 28 October 1940.
What happens on Ohi Day in Greece?
Greece holds military and student parades, Orthodox church services, and flag-raising on 28 October. Towns across Crete, including Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, and Agios Nikolaos, hold their own parades with schoolchildren and military units.
What is closed in Crete on Ohi Day?
Crete closes its archaeological sites, and most businesses and services close for the holiday. Streets on the parade routes also close to traffic while the parades pass through.
When is Ohi Day?
Ohi Day falls on 28 October every year. The date is fixed and does not change from one year to the next.
Visiting Crete around Ohi Day
Visiting Crete around Ohi Day pairs quiet archaeological sites with lively town centres on the same trip. With sites and many services closed on 28 October, the days on either side are the ones to use for driving out to beaches, villages, and museums at your own pace. A rented car lets you reach the morning parade in Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, or Agios Nikolaos and then see the rest of the island afterwards, which is simplest to arrange with car rental in Crete.
The venue
OXI Day is located at Crete, Greece. The map below shows the exact spot; Google Maps and Waze give turn-by-turn directions.
