Ohi Day

"OXI" redirects here. For other uses, see OXI (disambiguation).

Ohi Day (Greek: Επέτειος του Όχι, romanized: Epéteios tou Óchi, lit. 'Anniversary of the No'; Greek pronunciation: [eˈpetios tu ˈoçi]) is celebrated throughout Greece, Cyprus and the Greek communities around the world on 28 October each year. Ohi Day commemorates the rejection by the Greek dictator Ioannis Metaxas of the ultimatum made by Italian dictator Benito Mussolini on 28 October 1940 and the subsequent Hellenic counterattack against the invading Italian forces at the mountains of Pindus during the Greco-Italian War and Greek resistance during the Axis occupation.

Ohi Day (Ημέρα του όχι)
Observed by	Greece, Cyprus, and Greek diaspora
Celebrations	Family reunions, military and student parades
Date	28 October
Next time	28 October 2025 (2025-10-28)
Frequency	Annual

Emblem of the 8th Infantry Division, the first unit to face the Italian invasion: its motto is Ohi.

Ultimatum

Shortly after 03:00 am on 28 October 1940, the Italian ambassador to Greece, Emanuele Grazzi, came from a party in the Italian embassy in Athens and visited Metaxas. He presented Metaxas with an ultimatum: allow Axis forces to enter Greek territory and occupy certain unspecified "strategic locations" or otherwise face war. Metaxas allegedly answered with a single laconic word: όχι (No!). However, his actual reply was, “Alors, c’est la guerre!” (Then it is war!).^[1][2]

In response to Metaxas's refusal, Italian troops stationed in Albania, then an Italian protectorate, attacked the Greek border at 05:30 am – the beginning of Greece's participation in World War II (see Greco-Italian War and the Battle of Greece).

On the morning of 28 October, the Greek population took to the streets, irrespective of political affiliation, shouting 'ohi'. From 1942, it was celebrated as Ohi Day, first mostly among the members of the resistance and after the war by all the Greeks.

The Greek island of Poros decorated for Ohi Day.

Anniversary

A student holds the Greek flag during a student parade in Argos.

During the war, 28 October was commemorated yearly in Greece and Cyprus, as well as by Greek communities around the world. After World War II, it became a public holiday in Greece and Cyprus. The events of 1940 are commemorated every year with military and student parades and on every anniversary, most public buildings and residences are decorated with national flags. Schools and all places of work are closed.^[3][4]

In popular culture

• Kontserto gia polyvola (1967)
• Ohi (1969)
• The Battle of Crete (1970)
• October 28th, Time 5:30 (1975)
• Lieutenant Natasha (1970)
• Oi gennaioi tou Vorra (1970)
• The Mediterranean in Flames (1970)
• Submarine Papanikolis (1971)^[5]
• The title track from Sabaton's Coat of Arms is about Ohi Day
• Greek-American Comedian Yannis Pappas & His Mr. Panos "Oxi Day" Routine (2010)

See also

• Axis occupation of Greece
• Battle of Greece
• Greco-Italian War

References

1. Δημήτρης Σταθακόπουλος (25 October 2014). ""Alors, c'est la guerre" "επομένως πόλεμος", ή αλλιώς το λεγόμενο ΟΧΙ" ["Alors, c'est la guerre" "therefore war", or otherwise the so-called NO]. Καλάβρυτα NEWS [KALAVRITA - NEWS] (in Greek). Archived from the original on 6 January 2015. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
2. "Οχι. alors c'est la guerre" [No. alors c'est la guerre]. Iefimerida (in Greek). 25 October 2013. Archived from the original on 29 October 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2015.
3. "October 28 Holiday In Greece - Oxi Day". XPat Athens. 22 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 February 2019. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
4. "OHI Day - The 28th of October | Η Μέρα του ΟΧΙ - Η 28η Οκτωβρίου". I Learn Greek. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
5. "Αγαπημένες ελληνικές ταινίες για το έπος του '40" [Favorite Greek movies about the 40's epic]. Newpost.gr. 28 October 2016. Retrieved 28 October 2017.