Artist: Christos Symeonidis Chrisimos
Location: Stasinou Avenue, Elenio elementary school, Nicosia. Nicosia district
Material: Bronze
Dimensions: 190 cm
Category: ΕΟΚΑ 1955-59
Photography: Evangelia Matthopoulou
The initiative was taken by an ad hoc committee for the memorial which coordinated the fundraising. The statue was placed outside the elementary school he attended, and the unveiling took place on April 24th 1996. The date was scheduled to coincide with the 40th anniversary of his arrest, on April 24th 1956.
Patatsos is also known as “The struggle’s saint” because of his devotion to religion and to spiritual matters. An inscription in byzantine style letters attests this image of him. For that reason he is symbolically depicted holding a book with a cross. The base is designed on two levels which seek to give the impression of relaxed motion, although, according to the sculptor, he is depicted the exact moment he goes to the gallows. The construction with the cubes and the doves, symbols of peace and/or victory, and the Holy Spirit, followed some time after the original unveiling. A second inscription on the wall behind him commemorates the names of the nine fighters who were hanged in Nicosia central prison.
Selected sources:
~ Μάχη (Mahi), April 3, 1996, p. 3.
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), January 5, 1994, p. 19.
~ Φιλελεύθερος (Fileleftheros), March 16, 1995, p. 15.
~ Κρατικό Αρχείο Κύπρου, Αρχείο Πολιτιστικών Υπηρεσιών Υπουργείου Παιδείας & Πολιτισμού (State Archive of Cyprus): 268/1968/12, document December 17, 1993; Meetings Minutes May 24, 1994; July 25, 1994.
~Κρατικό Αρχείο Κύπρου, Αρχείο Πολιτιστικών Υπηρεσιών Υπουργείου Παιδείας & Πολιτισμού (State Archive of Cyprus): 268/1968/13, document April 19, 1995.
~ Αρχείο Δήμου Λευκωσίας (Nicosia Municipality Archive), 06-7.8, document October 29, 1992.
~ Αρχείο Δήμου Λευκωσίας (Nicosia Municipality Archive), 06-7.10, document February 22, 1996.
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