On this day, 57 years ago, on February 27, 1968 (January 29, 1968 in the lunar calendar), people in the capital of Cyprus held a march to celebrate Makarios's election as the new president. On February 27, 1968, people in Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, held a march to celebrate Makarios's election as the new president. When Cyprus declared its independence in 1960, Makarios was elected as its first president. In the second presidential election, he was re-elected President of Cyprus with an absolute majority. He died of illness on August 3, 1977.