The Panagia Faneromeni Festival in Nea Michaniona (22 to 23 August)

If you're in Nea Michaniona in late August, you'll notice it from a distance. The smell of loukoumades, stalls lining the streets, brass bands tuning up. These are the days of Panagia Faneromeni, the village's biggest celebration.

An icon that came with the refugees

To understand why this festival means so much here, you have to go back to 1922. The people of Michaniona, a village on the Kyzikos peninsula in the Sea of Marmara, left their homes in August of that year. The church's lamp keeper, a woman known as Kyra Katingo, wrapped the icon of the Virgin in clothes and took it with her. Sources differ on the details, on the names of those who helped her and on the exact date, but they all agree the icon was saved by ordinary people who took a risk to keep it.

After stops in Eastern Thrace and in Aidipsos on Evia, the refugees reached the Thermaic Gulf in spring 1923 and built their new village. At first the icon was kept in a wooden shelter next to their tents. The first church opened in 1932 and today's church, which holds around 4,000 people, in 1984. You can read the whole story in our history of the village.

What happens each day

From 18 August: the fair

Stalls start going up around 18 August. Clothes, shoes, toys, trinkets, religious items and, of course, loukoumades. The traditional ones, with a hole in the middle, are a must. Kids disappear into the games, grown-ups into the food stands.

22 August: vespers and procession

In the evening there's a festive vespers, followed by the procession of the icon through the streets, with brass bands, crowds and local officials. It's the most moving moment of the festival. Many of the people walking behind the icon are the children and grandchildren of those who carried it here.

23 August: the big day

In the morning a bishop leads the Divine Liturgy at the church of Panagia Faneromeni. It closes the feast of the Dormition, the so-called “nine days” of the Virgin. Thousands of pilgrims come from all over northern Greece, many to pray for the health of their loved ones.

Practical tips

• Parking: On 22 and 23 August the centre fills up. If you're staying at Theodoras House, leave the car at home and walk.
• Bookings: The harbour tavernas get packed. Reserve a table early.
• Church: If you go inside, cover your shoulders and knees. During the liturgy it's full, so arrive early.
• Accommodation: It's one of the busiest weeks of the year in the village. If you're thinking of coming, book early.

Even if religion isn't your thing, these days are worth seeing. It's when a whole village remembers where it came from.

FAQ

When is the Nea Michaniona festival?

Every year on 22 and 23 August, during the “nine days” after the Dormition of the Virgin. The fair opens a few days earlier, around 18 August, and runs for about a week.

Can non-religious visitors go?

Of course. The procession with brass bands and the fair are a celebration for the whole village. Just dress respectfully if you go into the church.

Sources: voria.gr, Η Παναγιά της προσφυγιάς · The Opinion, τα Εννιάμερα της Παναγίας · parallaxi, η διάσωση της εικόνας