Greece Events and Festivals

8/15/2009 - 8/15/2009Day of the Panagia

Throughout Greece, the day of the Virgin Mary's Assumption (her physical ascent to heaven) is celebrated with a public holiday. In addition, this is the day when Greeks like to return to their home town or village. It is the second biggest religious holiday after Easter and is celebrated with particular devotion on the island of Tinos. Thousands of pilgrims flock here, to crawl on their knees up the steps to the shrine. The day is celebrated in almost every town and village in Greece - at churches and monasteries everywhere, there are special services and, associated with them, music, dancing and feasting that often continues until dawn. At Agiassos on Lesbos, pilgrims start to arrive weeks before to take part in ceremonies and feasts. Similarly, albeit on a lesser scale, Petra and Stipsi (both on Lesbos) conduct extended celebrations. On Paros, the Panagiri coincides with the local wine festival.