Filiki Eteria Filiki Eteria or Society of Friends ( " or " ) was a secret 19th - century organization whose purpose was to overthrow the Ottoman rule of Greece and establish an independent Greek state . Society members were mainly young Phanariot Greeks from Russia and local chieftains from Greece . One of its leaders was Alexander Ypsilantis . The Society initiated the Greek War of Independence in the spring of 1821 . Translations and transliterations . The direct translation of the word " Filiki " is " Friendly " and the direct translation of the word " Eteria " is " Society " ( also " Company " or " Association " ) . The name of Filiki Eteria has been transliterated in numerous publications with combinations of Filiki , Filike , Philiki , Philike with Eteria , Etairia , Etaireia , Etereia , Hetairia . Foundation . In the context of ardent desire for independence from Turkish occupation , and with the explicit influence of similar secret societies elsewhere in Europe , three Greeks came together in 1814 in Odessa to decide the constitution for a secret organization in freemasonic fashion . Its purpose was to unite all Greeks in an armed organization to overthrow Turkish rule . The three founders were Nikolaos Skoufas from the Arta province , Emmanuil Xanthos from Patmos and Athanasios Tsakalov from Ioannina . Soon after they initiated a fourth member , Panagiotis Anagnostopoulos from Andritsaina . Skoufas liaised with Konstantinos Rados who was initiated into Carbonarism . Xanthos was initiated into a Freemasonic Lodge at Lefkada ( " Society of Free Builders of Saint Mavra " ) , while Tsakalov was a founding member of the Hellenoglosso Xenodocheio ( Greek : Ελληνόγλωσσο Ξενοδοχείο , meaning " Greek - speaking Hotel " ) an earlier but unsuccessful society for the liberation of Greece . At the start , between 1814 and 1816 , there were roughly twenty members . During 1817 , the society initiated members from the diaspora Greeks of Russia and the Danubian Principalities of Moldavia and Wallachia . The lord ( " hospodar " ) of Moldavia Michael Soutzos himself , became a member . Massive initiations began only in 1818 and by early 1821 , when the Society had expanded to almost all regions of Greece and throughout Greek communities abroad , the membership numbered in thousands . Among its members were tradesmen , clergy , Russian consuls , Ottoman officials from Phanar , Serbs one of them the revolutionary Karageorge and many non - Greeks . Members included primary instigators of the revolution , notably Theodoros Kolokotronis , Odysseas Androutsos , Dimitris Plapoutas and the metropolitan bishop Germanos of Patras . Hierarchy and initiation . Filiki Eteria was strongly influenced by Carbonarism and Freemasonry . The team of leaders was called the " Invisible Authority " ( " Αόρατος Αρχή " ) and from the start it was shrouded in mystery , secrecy and glamour . It was generally believed that a lot of important personalities were members , not only eminent Greeks , but also notable foreigners such as the Tsar of Russia Alexander I . The reality was that initially , the Invisible Authority comprised only the three founders . From 1815 until 1818 , five more were added to the Invisible Authority , and after the death of Skoufas ' another three more . In 1818 , the Invisible Authority was renamed to the " Authority of Twelve Apostles " and each Apostle shouldered the responsibility of a separate region . The organisational structure was pyramid - like with the " Invisible Authority " coordinating from the top . No one knew or had the right to ask who created the organisation . Commands were unquestionably carried out and members did not have the right to make decisions . Members of the society came together in what was called a " Temple " with four levels of initiation : a ) " Brothers " ( " αδελφοποιητοί " ) or " Vlamides " ( " βλάμηδες " ) , b ) the " Recommended " ( " συστημένοι " ) , γ ) the " Priests " ( " ιερείς " ) and d ) the " Shepherds " ( " ποιμένες " ) . The Priests were charged with the duty of initiation . When the Priest approached a new member , it was first to make sure of his patriotism and catechize him in the aims of society ; the last stage was to put him under the lengthy principal oath , called the Great Oath ( " Μέγας Όρκος " ) . Much of the essence of it was contained in its conclusion : When the above was administered the Priest then uttered the words of acceptance of the novice as a new member : Afterwards the initiated were considered " neophyte " members of the society , with all the rights and obligations of his rank . The Priest immediately had the obligation to reveal all the marks of recognition between the " Vlamides " or " Brothers " . " Vlamides " and " Recommended " were unaware of the revolutionary aims of the organisation . They only knew that there existed a society that tried hard for the general good of the nation , which included in its ranks important personalities . This myth was propagated deliberately , in order to stimulate the morale of members and also to make proselytism easier . Change of Leadership . In 1818 , the seat of Filiki Eteria had migrated from Odessa to Constantinople , and Skoufas ' death had been a serious loss . The remaining founders attempted to find a major personality to take over the reins , one who would add prestige and fresh " impetus " to the society . In early 1818 , they had a meeting with John Capodistria , who not only refused , but later wrote that he considered Filiki Eteria guilty for the havoc that was foreboded in Greece . Alexandros Ypsilantis was contacted and asked to assume leadership of Filiki Eteria , which he did in April 1820 . He began active preparations for a revolt and with the setting up of a military unit for the purpose that he named the Sacred Band . The society especially wanted to take advantage of the involvement of significant Ottoman forces , including the pasha of the Moreas , against Ali Pasha .