In the early hours of Friday, April 1, Karios and Pantelis are preparing to carry out the operation, as assigned to them. Although they took their own measures and wore rubber gloves and shoes, the torrential rains that night were what led to the sacrifice of one of the two.
See the interview given to Famagusta.News in 2018 by the wife of Modestos Pantelis, Apostolos:
Sixty-six years are completed today by the sacrifice of the first witness of the National Liberation Struggle of EOKA Modestos Pantelis in Liopetri. A sacrifice that heralded the beginning of the Struggle of the National Organization of Cypriot Fighters. A heroic figure to this day is his joyful wife, Apostolos, who, like a Spartan, raises, despite her ninety years, the stature and the flag of the struggle and still keeps alive in her memory the night of her husband's sacrifice.
The farewell
As Apostolou remembers, on that Thursday night, March 31, 1955, the then 31-year-old Modestos went to the Union of the Liopetrio community and met with his brother, Panagiotis. Then he returned home and said to her: "Apostle, get dressed to go to the cinema". She started to get ready, but before she could finish, Modestos said to her: "Stay another night to go to the cinema, because tonight there are no tickets for women. Only for some men it does. Let's go some other night and take the babies too".
At that moment, as Apostolou narrates, there was a knock at the door and he heard a voice calling him: "Modeste, are you ready? So, let's go...". Then, he bent down and kissed the babies, Panagiotis, who was three years old, and Pantelis, who was four and a half years old, and said to them with unprecedented affection: "Don't sleep. Wait for me and I will come early. And tonight I won't tell you a fairy tale, but a long story and then we'll sleep in each other's arms."
"Then he put us all in his arms and said goodbye. The car that was going to take him out was on the road and was waiting for him with the engine on. It is believed that the car that transported him belonged to Grigoris Afxentiou ".
"I", Apostolou continues, "anticipating what was going to happen, I did not turn a blind eye. Kyriakos's twin brother, who knew where he was going, kept coming and going to our house and asking me if Modestos had come. When dawn broke on Friday, April 1st, Kyriakos came again and asked me for the last time if Modestos had come. When I said no, then he put his cross and said: “My Lady, why did he not come? "It should have come by now."
His brother Kyriakos left the hero's house and returned after a while bringing the evil manta with him, saying to the children: "Your priest went to cut the electricity and was electrocuted and killed".
"We all started to cry," Apostolou recounts. "The babies were screaming and looking for their papa. Within minutes, the mantato was learned throughout Liopetri. The house was filled with people who came to support us. On April 2, his funeral was held, in the presence of a large number of people. The funeral was performed by father Georgios from Sotira, with whom Modestos was a friend and fellow competitor in the Race".
It keeps his memory intact
One can only get a thrill from his visit to the house of Modestos Pantelis, which is located today on the homonymous street of the heroic village of Liopetri.
Their room is still pristine, with the blue and white flag covering the bed, as Modestus requested and as he foresaw: "When I die, cover me with the Greek flag", he often said, foreshadowing not only his sacrifice, but also the that he would be sacrificed first. "She had a special love for Greece", tells us the black-clad Apostolou, who, despite so many years of hardship, with a bitter smile brings back to her memory those sweet last hours with her husband. There were frequent pauses and tears streaming down her tortured face as she tried to tell us about that final parting time. "In jiai I forget", he said, and stared at the dozens of photos that are hung on the wall and in their room.
The proclamation of the Struggle
The operation to cut off the power was planned by the then head of Famagusta, Afxentiou, following an order from Chief George Grivas Digenis. EOKA fighters Modestos Pantelis, from Liopetri, and Andreas Karios, from Avgorou, would cause a short circuit in the high voltage power line, which passed through the neighboring villages of Avgorou and Liopetri and supplied the surrounding areas. This action would mean, on the one hand, the start of the National Liberation Struggle, on the other hand, it would help the other fighters in their missions in the region.
In the early hours of Friday, April 1, Karios and Pantelis are preparing to carry out the operation, as assigned to them. Although they took their own measures and wore rubber gloves and shoes, the torrential rains that night were what led to the sacrifice of one of the two.
After several attempts, they manage to pass the rope with the chain on the electrical cables to cause sabotage. Modestos was electrocuted and died instantly. Carrios suffered severe back burns when he came in contact with the wet rope.
Poem by Pantelis Kakolis for Apostolos
The armies, cannons, and mortars do not benefit you
the moral if high
gums are roaring and talking
the courage of the man.
On April XNUMX, a decision was made to fight
Modestos said "present"
with the mind clear
yes the cold in the stoman.
Your husband was called on March XNUMXth
without saying where to go
I was told that he loves you
yes in time it will come.
You told him, "Good night, our babies."
to the scepter of God to go
but either when or on them
to subdue. "
Your husband was put in the Pantheon by the Homeland
we have you in us
model of good life
you are a heroine.
Pantelis Kakolis, March 24, 2013
Famagusta.News