Pantelis Katelaris Monument
Pantelis Theodoulou Katelaris
Pantelis Theodoulou Katelaris is one of the young men of Cyprus who fought for the homeland. Pantelis Katelaris was one of the members of E.O.K.A. who contributed significantly to the struggle against British rule. On January 18, 1958, Pantelis Theodoulou Katelaris was killed after his hideout in Agios Ioannis, Nicosia was blown up. He was buried in Agios Ioannis, Nicosia the same night by a group of his fellow fighters. A marble plaque dedicated to the hero has been placed at his burial site. His death remained a secret until the end of the struggle. On January 24, 1965, when his bones were moved.
The following is an excerpt from a reprint dedicated to Pantelis Theodoulos Katelaris, from the magazine “Kairoi tis Kyprou”, April 1959:
“Black Saturday dawned, January 18, 1958. A deafening explosion at 7 o’clock shook the surrounding area to its foundations within a radius of 5 miles. It was Pantelis’ hideout that was blown up. Ais Giannis was becoming agitated. The entire village ran to the scene of the explosion. Among them were our associates who knew, of course, who the victim of the tragedy was. They immediately dispersed the crowds and instructed them to keep the event a secret, and if they were asked by anyone about the explosion to say that they heard a loud explosion coming from the Mitsero mines, which are only three miles away. The hideout was located on the bank of the river (Serrachi). From the explosion, the contents of the hideout – gunpowder, dynamites, mines, cannons, hand grenades, blankets, various cans, scales and his beloved ‘Beretta’ – were reduced to rubble, while he himself was dead (and dismembered) in the waters of the river.... On the night of the same day, a group of EOKA men accompanied by the village priest (Aredios, Father Charalambos), took Pantelis’ dead body to bury it in an open field about a mile outside the village (specifically, a mile from the center of the village - on the opposite side of the “Galefterka” area, east of Agios Ioannis Nicosia). Here it is worth mentioning a tragic coincidence when a few months later the unfortunate mother, having no news of her son, went to the neighboring village of Arediou and asked the priest of the church of Agios Georgios, the same one who secretly buried her son, to pray for his health and safe return to her home. As the priest later told me, he had never felt greater sorrow in his life since he was forced to play the theater since on the one hand he prayed and on the other he remembered him from within. Thus, along with the sacrifice of death, he also accepted another sacrifice while dead since no honor was given to him”* (p.13-14).
* The spelling of the original Greek reprint has been retained, while translated to English and information from the Council has been added in parentheses
The burial site of Pantelis Theodoulos Katelaris was beautified by the Community Council with the financial support of the Council for the Study of Deviations (SYMEPA).
Sources:
- Reprint dedicated to Pantelis Theodoulos Katelaris, from the magazine "Kairoi tis Kyprou", April 1959
- Agios Ioannis Nicosia Community Council
