The 67-year-old woman who set herself on fire outside Aigli Zappeiou on Wednesday, July 30, has died.
Specifically, just after 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, the woman self-immolated in front of Aigli Zappeiou. Presidential Guards (Evzones) who were nearby at the time managed to save her life momentarily.
She set herself on fire during the guards’ rehearsal for the weekly Sunday ceremonial changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
The woman, who reportedly suffered from psychological issues, was transferred to the hospital with burns but succumbed to her injuries on Thursday.
According to reports, she was a journalist who had worked for the Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation (ERT) and the newspaper Eleftherotypia.
Journalist Yiannis Pantelakis wrote on social media:
“Just after 10 a.m. last Wednesday, outside Aigli Zappeiou, a commotion was heard. Passersby saw a tall woman engulfed in flames—she had set herself on fire. Officers from the Presidential Guard rushed over with a fire extinguisher and managed to put out the flames. She was taken to a hospital with severe burns but died a few hours later. Witnesses said she had been shouting, ‘I don’t even have food to eat,’ before trying to take her own life.
Many years ago, in a major media outlet, during the nightly chaos as we rushed to finalize the news for printing, a sweet girl with blond hair, upright posture, and large glasses that highlighted her beautiful face, would walk into the newsroom like a calm oasis. Smiling, she spoke just a few words—enough to bring brief moments of peace. Everyone respected her for her work and her presence. She had a special aura. Aura—that was her name. I never asked why.
Years later, I ran into that sweet girl—now a woman—by chance in the city center. It had been years since I’d seen her, ever since the collapse of that large media company left deep wounds in hundreds of lives. Some deeper than others. She hadn’t lost her trademark calmness or sweet smile—now adorned with a few lovely wrinkles that made her seem even kinder. We exchanged a few words about life and the past, then went our separate ways. Whenever her name came up in conversation afterward, I remembered that calm, kind face from our days working together.
The day after the incident, the President of the Republic visited the Presidential Guard to commend them for their efforts in saving the woman. Neither he nor anyone at the scene ever learned her name—she was simply a 67-year-old woman who shouted that she ‘didn’t even have food to eat’ before setting herself on fire. Even if they had known her name, it likely wouldn’t have meant much. She wasn’t one of the high-profile journalists—the kind politicians respect and seek out. She was simply a good journalist. Her name was Aura…”
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