Vostitsa Events

The “Secret Meeting of Vostitsa” has been a major point of interest during our National History. The Secret Meeting has been recorded by all the historical sources as a starting point for the Greek Revolution. It is closely linked with the history of the city of Aigio and its cultural identity.

This Secret Meeting took place in Aigio, on 26th January 1821 and the meetings lasted until 30th January. For this reason, many people like priests, clerics and other famous people from Peloponnese, visited Vostitsa to discuss about the decision taken by Filiki Eteria to start the Greek Revolution and fi ght for their independence and freedom, after 400 years of slavery.

The main speaker was Papaflessas. At the Meeting it was proposed that the Greeks should start with the preparations immediately (in terms of money, weapons, army, organisation). The attendants expressed their doubts on the timing of that revolution, as they had the “Orlov” still alive in their memories. Much more, they believed that the Greek nation was not prepared yet to start a revolution like that.

However, their urge for freedom made them decide that the time for revolution is now and set the date for it- March 25th or April 23rd, but in any case no longer than May 21st). They also tried to get organized and see if Russia could help.

Everything showed that the time for revolution has come. Some individual attacks against the Turks had already begun to take place, while Lontos, Meletopoulos and Messinezis began the preparations. Lontos with his own funds organized the army in Peloponnese which consisted of 400 men from the wider area of Aigialeia.

The formal announcement of war was made in St. Lavra, on March 25th, 1821. Then Lontos arrived in Patras and put in the city the fl ag of revolution (red with black cross in the middle). It is mentioned that some Turkish families who lived in Aigio, panicked and left the city.