Celebration of Panagia Chrysopigi in Sifnos
Ascension Eve in Sifnos
Ascension Eve: June 12, 2024, May 28, 2025, May 20, 2026
Our Lady
The icon of Panagia Chrysopigi, which is a true treasure for the Sifnians, was found in the sea by fishermen during the Iconomachia period and was transferred to the holy rock where her Temple was built on the site of a pre-existing temple. It is even said that as many times as they tried to transfer her to another temple, the Virgin became unliftable like a pencil. So this area with its rich tradition and history, as it dominates between the land and the sea, imposes itself on the consciousness of all of us and strengthens the religious feeling of every Christian.
And there are many surviving testimonies about the miracles of our Virgin Mary. The cutting of the rock in order to save the devout Christian women from the persecutors corsairs, the intervention of the Virgin who saved the island from the terrible disease of the plague twice in the past, in 1676 and 1811, but also later in 1927 from her wound locust after the procession of the Holy Icon, many miracles of healing from incurable diseases, but above all miracles of spiritual rebirth and moral regeneration. After all, this justifies the awe with which we look at her venerable and miraculous image, not only us Sifnians who were born and grew up under her protection, but also most of the visitors to our island. And in difficult times we invoke her help, thanking her at the same time for the warm love with which she surrounded our island so many times in the past. "Warm love surrounding Sifnon, overfilling it with many miracles".
Text: Maria Nadali
Celebration
The celebration of this great feast begins on the eve of the Ascension with the "raising" of the Holy Icon of Chrysopigi from the house of each "panigiras".
The icon is directed, accompanied by believers, to the Church of Agios Georgios in Kamares, where a prayer is made. The icon is then transported with honors by a ship waiting for it in the port, to the Holy Rock of Chrysopigi, accompanied by other vessels. From here a boat will pick her up to take her to the Holy Rock. For safety reasons, the ship does not carry passengers to Chrysopigi. The transportation of the faithful to the Holy Rock is done either by private vehicles or by hired buses, which are routed especially for the occasion.
This is followed by a Great Vespers and dinner with a "table of love".
The icon remains in the Holy Temple throughout the evening, where there is a Prayer and a Holy Vigil.
On the day after the Ascension Day, the Orthrus Service and Divine Liturgy are held in the Holy Church of Agios Spyridon, in Apollonia. Then there is a procession of the image and a commemorative ceremony in the central square of Apollonia.
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