Chrysanthos Mylonas: A Young Patriot
Chrysanthos Mylonas was born in the village of Galata in 1935. He answered the call to join EOKA in 1955 while he was still a fifth-grade student at Solea High School. He fought alongside his cousin, Evagoras Papachristoforou, serving the nationalist cause from a very young age.
A Soldier’s Calling
Mylonas possessed an unwavering commitment to uniting Cyprus with Greece. He immediately answered the call when General Georgios Grivas founded the E.O.K.A. movement in 1955. Grivas recognized Mylonas’s local knowledge and natural leadership, placing him in charge of vital operations in the Troodos Mountains. Mylonas’s band of fighters effectively harassed British forces across the region.
Dedicated Service
Mylonas demonstrated immense initiative and commitment, dedicating all his time to various missions. His duties included distributing leaflets, painting slogans, and monitoring the movements of British agents and informants.
Building a Sanctuary
In May 1957, EOKA commanded Mylonas and two other comrades to construct a forest hideout. The hideout was located in the forest, above the village of Kaliana, and the group of the hero Evagoras Papachristoforou from Kato Amiantos, who was a first cousin of Chrysantos Mylonas, settled there. This shelter would host a rebel group that included two wanted men. His cousin Evagoras Papachristoforou’s team settled there, and Chrysanthos took responsibility for providing the two rebels with their daily food rations.
A Treacherous Betrayal
On the evening of October 8, 1957, Chrysanthos Mylonas and his comrade Charalambos Koukoularidis left their village. They carried correspondence and food for the rebels stationed five kilometres away in the mountain hideout. The traitor Michael Assiotis, who had already murdered Evagoras Papachristoforou in his sleep, ambushed them. Assiotis then shot and killed Chrysanthos Mylonas in cold blood. British forces later took custody of the traitor and secretly smuggled him to England.
The Imposed Silence
The E.O.K.A. leadership deliberately suppressed the full story of the incident. Grivas believed public knowledge of his near-capture would harm the struggle’s image. This decision buried Mylonas’s heroism in secrecy for decades. The man from Galata became a casualty of strategic misinformation, his sacrifice fading from public memory.
Reclaiming a Heritage
Recent historical work has finally restored Chrysanthos Mylonas to his rightful place in Cypriot history. The people of Galata and all of Cyprus now honor their local son. His story embodies the ultimate price paid for freedom. Chrysanthos Mylonas is a forgotten hero no more.
