THE REVOLUTION OF 1821

When the flag of Revolution was raised in Saint Lavra on 25th March 1821, Serres revolted as well, under the leadership of the fervent patriot Emmanuel Papas, with whom all the History of those Revolutionary years is connected.

Emmanuel Papas was born in Do vista in 1773, a village which is near Serres and was named after him. His father Dimitrios, a wealthy notable of his area, was ordained a priest at a very young age and he was soon honoured with a high church dignity. That is where the family name "Papas" comes from. After having his basic education in his village, Emmanuel Papas moved to Serres, in order to finish off his studies in the famous School. When he graduated from the School, he moved back to Dovista, where he got married. However, his business acumen took him back to Serres when trade was really blooming. Soon, he become a great Banker and wholesale merchant of his time, a respectable person even for the Turkish Beys.

Papas was soon initiated in the "Society of Friends" by John Pharmakis and he didn't have any trouble introducing his 4 brothers into the Holy war of Independance and the most skilful notibles of Dovista, who took good care of the armament of the nearby villages. However, he had to leave Serres, because of a severe dispute he had with Serres' Bey, and move to Constantinople, where he had the chance to cooperate better with the members of the Society of Friends. Meanwhile, his fame concerning his patriotic actions were spread throughout every part of Greece. He had also planned an attempt on the Sultan's life, which finally failed because of betrayal.

When the Revolution was proclaimed, Emmanuel Papas left Constantinople and went to Holy Mount, where he was welcomed with enthusiasm, by the monks and he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Macedonia. As soon as he set up his Headquarters in Holy Mount, he took action with his 2.500 men.

Meanwhile, a revolutionary movement broke out in Serres under the direction of the Metropolitan, which was soon quelled. The city had narrowly escaped devastation and slaughter. That happened on 8th May 1821, the feast-day of John Theologos the Evangelist, who is considered to be the protector and saviour of Serres. So, 14 years later, in 1835, the inhabitants of Serres built the homonymous church in the area of Ano Kamenikia, in order to honour him. But although the city's devastation was avoided, the avenging fury of the Turks broke out in Emmanuel Papas' family. His wife and children were sent to prison. His property was confiscated and his house was burnt to the ground.

But Papas himself continued the tough struggle without any help in Halkidiki. While the Turks had started a general attack against the Greeks, Papas kept on appealing to Ypsilantis, but nothing happened in the end. His achievements in Kassadra and the disposal of his property didn't save the revolutionary movement. So, after the expedition of Avdoul Aboud, the destruction of Kassadra and the subordination of the monks of Holy Mount forced Papas to leave Holy Mount while the Turks were hounding him. He sailed for Hydra, but because he was exhausted by the severities and the emotions of his tragic adventure, he died after a heart attack on the boat at exactly the moment that it was sailing round Kafirea. The hero's body was taken to Hydra where he was buried with the trimmings of a general. In 1843, his name was hung up in the Greek Parliament as one of the protagonists in the Revolution of 1821.