Have you ever been in a “panigiri”?

A centuries old tradition of the island are the festivals or “panigiria” organised on the eve of the day a saint is celebrated. They attract crowds of cheerful islanders not only chanting and praying, but cooking, eating, and drinking, feasting long into the night outside in the whitewashed forecourts of the churches. The host of the festival is the “panigiras”, a local who has the honour to carry the icon of the saint to his home for a whole year and bring it back on the day of the festival to be blessed during the liturgy. After the ceremony, then pilgrims sit down around the “tables of love” to taste chickpea soup, olives, meat with tomato sauce and pasta, cod, and drink lots of red wine toasting the “panigiras”. People dance and sing until the early morning hours. The following morning after the mass the next “panigiras” receives the holy icon to bring home.

The most famous “panigiria” of Sifnos are:

Chrisopigi: In May or June, on the day of Ascension. The island celebrates its patron saint for three days.
Elisseos: On June 13^th in the little church under Agios Nilias
Taxiarchis: On 12^th July in Vathi and at the church of Agios Silvestros (on the way to Cheronisos).
Agia Marina: On July 17^th in Flabouro.
Profitis Ilias: On July 19^th there are many churches that celebrate on the island. The most famous is the Profitis Ilias church in Apsilou.
Agios Panteleimonas: On July 26^th in Cheronisos.
Panagia: On 14^th August in the monasteries of “Panagias to toso nero”, Platanisa and “Panagia tou Iliou”
Agios Yiannis: On August 28^th in Choni, Mavro Chorio, Siderou and in Faros (morning feast).
Agios Simeon: On August 31^st on the mountain above Kamares and in the church of Pantokratoras (on the way to Platys Gialos).
Taxiarchis: On September 5^th in Vathi.
Agios Sozon: On September 6^th
Birthday of Holy Mary: On September 8^th in the monastery of Vrisi in Exabela.
Holy cross: On September 13^th in Faros and in Choni.
Agios Nikitas: On September 14^th in Seladi.