Ioannis Boubaras was born at the end of the 19th century in the mountainous village of Vlasti Eordaia, southwest of Ptolemaida. The village offered to the Nation the new martyr Markos and his lads in the various revolutions of the Greeks against the Turks. Father Kosmas Aitolos had passed through there twice.
With the start of the Macedonian Struggle, Boubouras joined the Greek rebel corps and served as a guide to the corps of Vardas (Georgios Tsontos) and Rouvas (Georgios Katehakis). However, in 1905, after the battle in Muriki, he was captured by the Turks while carrying messages. Boubaras succeeded and destroyed (ate) the messages just before the Turks caught him.
The barbarians took him to Ptolemais. There, in the square, the Turkish squad leader said to him:"You fell into our hands, bitch. Tell me now where those who ate so many of our boys today are hidden"...
– "And what are you asking me", he replied coolly.
– "My child, you are their guide. Without you, they wouldn't do anything", the Turk told him angrily.
– "I don't know what you're talking about", answered the Greek again.
– "We will make you learn," said the Turk with hatred.
- "Whatever you do to me, neither you will know, nor will I tell you", the Greek fighter told him arrogantly.
- "Hey, dog, aren't you afraid?", screamed the Turk furiously.
- "Are you cursing me because you have so many spears around you?" Boubaras said to him, looking into his eyes.
- "What if I was left alone, what would you do?", said the Turk ironically.
– "That's what I'm going to do now too," answered Boubaras and slapped the Turk terribly.
The Turkish officer blushed all over from the insult in front of Greeks who were also watching his men. He ordered the Greek to be tied to a tree. Then he asked him again:"Are you going to testify or not?"
"No" was the dry answer of the hero. Immediately the Turk ordered and both his ears were cut off.
-"Will you testify or will it get worse?", the Turk asked again.
- "Whatever I suffer, I testify to nothing", Boubaras told him.
– "Are you going to talk or will I tear you to pieces?", screamed the Turk again.
- "Kill me if you have the heart of a man", the Greek told him.
- "No, I will not kill you... I will break your bones," said the Turk happily.
He immediately ordered one of his soldiers to take a large chisel and crush the fingers of the Greek hero with the broad part. In no time flesh and bones had become a shapeless pulp. Boubaras, however, endured! Enraged, the Turk ordered:"Cut off his leg"! Immediately a soldier thrust a lance into his shin. The spear pierced the bones and broke embedded in his leg.
The Turks laughed, but the Greek looked at them with contempt.
– "You're not testifying now either?", the officer told him again.
- "I will never be a traitor to my country", he replied while his blood was watering the holy Greek land.
– "Lay him down?", the officer then ordered. "Break his bones," he shouted.
All the soldiers fell upon him. Only the crunch of his bones breaking could be heard. He wasn't even talking.
– "Stop," ordered the Turk. "He must not cool off, he must be tyrannized".
But the martyr of Freedom had already surrendered his soul. Only then did the Turk understand what kind of man he was dealing with and said respectfully:"The dog is a lad and a great patriot. Joy to kings and states say such great men'! A bust of the hero has been erected in Ptolemaida, a small tribute to Katsantonis of the Macedonian Struggle who, if he were alive, would probably have something to say about the Prespa Agreement.
