This Sunday, June 1st, 2025 at 5:30 PM at the Stathakion Cultural Center (22-51 29th Street, Astoria, NY 11105), Lou Katsos. The President of EMBCA and our 2026 Parade Chairman will be the Keynote Speaker for the Anniversary and Commemoration of the Fall of Constantinople (May 29, 1453).
Says Lou: “I accepted without hesitation, as the topic remains of deep historical and cultural importance—one that must never be forgotten.”
There will also be a screening of the award-winning documentary “The Unlost Homelands”, by Eftychia Frangou, not to be missed at Sunday’s event.
Lou Katsos’ presentation, titled “The Legacy of the Fall of Constantinople – May 29, 1453”, will reflect on the profound and lasting impact of that day, marking its 572nd anniversary, and how its echoes still shape our identity, values, and collective memory as Hellenes. The Fall of Constantinople was not the end, but the beginning of centuries of resistance. It set into motion a long and often brutal period of foreign occupation, yet also inspired a relentless spirit of defiance and hope. From the revolts of the Maniots and the Armatoloi to the Orlov Revolt and countless uprisings in the Moria/ Peloponnesus, Crete, Macedonia, and the islands, these persistent acts of rebellion over generations ultimately culminated in the Hellenic Revolution of 1821 and the creation of the modern Hellenic state.
This event marks in a way the first in a series of lectures and commemorative gatherings leading us into an extraordinary and historic year: 2026. In that single year, we will observe among many other things:
• The 205th Anniversary of the Hellenic Revolution of 1821
• The 250th Anniversary of the American Declaration of Independence
• The 250th Anniversary of the birth of Ioannis Kapodistrias, the first Governor of independent Hellas
• The 200th Anniversary of the heroic Fall of Messolonghi
These significant milestones will culminate with your help in what promises to be a significant and meaningful and momentous Greek Independence Day Parade in 2026, the largest parade outside of Hellas, uniting Hellenes and Philhellenes in celebration of shared ideals: freedom, democracy, sacrifice, and resilience.
