Religious feasts in Paros

In small societies, such as Paros, festivals are an opportunity to have fun. Music, dancing, food and drinks... In each village and in each church, festivals are held on the day of the saint to whom the country churches, the small churches or the parish churches are dedicated.

All the residents of Paros participate in these festivals in their own way; bringing souma or wine, pies, chick pea soup and other delicacies. At the villages, the festivals take place on their squares or in the churches’ courtyards, the day before the feast or on the day of the feast of the Saint.

The community of each village doesn’t participate only in the festival but also in the vespers and the Divine Liturgy, with high religious devoutness.

At the country churches, after the Divine Liturgy follows a feast, which is organized by the owners of sites, where the small churches are situated.

Many festivals are held in Paros, since each saint has his own church on the island. And despite the fact that nowadays there are other ways of entertainment on the island, festivals are still binding people with tradition and they offer an opportunity of getting together and having a good time.

Of course the traditional tsampouna (gaida), the laouto (lute) and the violin are integral parts of the festivals.

In some churches festivals don’t have the typical festival form (feast, food and drinks); in those cases, the Parians only decorate the church and offer treats or something small to eat, souma and wine after the Divine Liturgy.

The most important festivals in Paros are:

• 8 May Saint John the Theologue, in Drios
• Movable feast. The Ascension in Piso Livadi
• Movable feast. The Holy Trinity in Lefkes
• 23 June Saint John the Prodrome in Prodromos
• 24 June Saint Athanasius in Kostos
• 30 June The Holy Unmercenaries (Agii Anargiri) in Parikia
• 7 July Saint Kyriake in Lefkes
• 17 July Saint Marina in Kostos
• 26 July Saint Pantaleon in Kostos
• 27 July Saint Paraskevi in Naoussa

• 6 August The transfiguration of Jesus in Marpissa
• 15 August Panagia Ekatontapiliani (The Virgin Mary of 100 doors) in Parikia
• 18 August Saint Arsenios in the Valley of the Butterflies
• 23 August Novena of the Virgin Mary in Naoussa
• 27 August Saint Fanourios in Ambelas
• 7 September Pera Panagia in Marmaras
• 14 September The True Cross in Agairia
• 20 September Saint Eustathius in Marmara
• 28 September Saint John Detis in Naoussa
• 29 September Saint John Kaparos in Lefkes
• Movable feast. The festival of Karavola in Lefkes