Panigiri

Maybe you already heard the word “Panigiri”, but you do not really know what it means. At least that is how it was for me before coming to Greece.

However, now I know better. A Panigiri is a celebration in honour of the patron saint of a village or town and the tradition of Panigiris has been lasting for centuries now. Especially on the multiple Greek islands, where the life is calmer and the people have a strong connection with their environment as well as a strong believe in their saints, Panigiris are THE cultural festivities. During the summer months many of these little festivals are celebrated on the name day of the respective saint. The most important Panigiri is on the 15^th of August, or Dekapendavgousto, the name day of Panagia, or the Virgin Mary and her death. Even though the Corona pandemic made it impossible to celebrate this event with a Panigiri this year, many people went to the church to pass by at the icon of the Virgin Mary and the churches were decorated with flags. Usually the event would have been celebrated not just with a ceremony in the church in the morning but with a music, food, wine and of course a lot of dancing later in the day.

A Panigiri brings the people together, no matter of which age and background. It is the time to celebrate, laugh, feast and dance together. Often enough the festivities last until early morning and even though the 15^th of August is the celebration of the death of the Virgin Mary, a Panigiri clearly is a celebration of Life. So in case there is a Panigiri nearby, don’t let yourself get bamboozeled by the fact that it is a religious event with a mass. It is much more than that and you will enjoy it!