The "Holocaust of Arkadi" is remembered as a profound act of self-sacrifice for freedom, symbolizing a key moment in Greece’s fight against oppression. On November 9, 1866, over a thousand Cretans chose death over capture, detonating munitions to avoid falling to the Ottoman forces during their siege of the Arkadi Monastery. This act was part of the larger Great Cretan Revolution (1866-1869), aimed at ending Ottoman rule and uniting with liberated Greece.
Prior to the siege, the Pancretan Assembly petitioned the Sultan for fairer treatment and religious respect. When negotiations failed, Cretan revolutionaries, led by Abbot Gabriel Marinakis, gathered at Arkadi Monastery. The Ottoman assault began on November 8, with reinforcements arriving on November 9. Despite fierce resistance, the invaders breached the monastery’s defenses and began massacring those inside. In a final act of defiance, Kostis Yamboudakis (or possibly Emmanuel Skoulas) set off the gunpowder storage, resulting in massive casualties among both Cretans and Ottoman soldiers.
The event resonated powerfully within the Christian world, sparking renewed European support for the Cretan cause. Figures like Giuseppe Garibaldi and Victor Hugo voiced their support, while financial aid from Russia and the U.S. bolstered the revolution. Although Crete did not achieve union with Greece until 1912, the Arkadi tragedy galvanized international attention and advanced the island's eventual path to freedom.