Panagia

[ pah-nah-yee-ah ]

noun

, Eastern Church.

, plural Pa·na·gi·as

1. a ceremony in a monastery, commemorating the assumption of the Virgin Mary, in which a loaf of bread on a plate is elevated before being distributed to the monks.
2. (lowercase) an encolpion bearing the image of the Virgin Mary.

Word History and Origins

Origin of Panagia¹

1680–90; < Late Greek Panágia the Virgin, feminine of Greek panágios all-holy, equivalent to pan- pan- + hágios holy

Example Sentences

The island is most well known among the Christian community, which sees thousands make an annual August pilgrimage to the Holy Church of Panagia Evangelistria of Tinos.

From BBC

Early Friday morning, the tracking data showed the Beijing Spirit docking in Santa Panagia, an oil terminal on the eastern coast of Sicily, Italy.

From New York Times

"The recent images that were displayed on social media, in which a foreign band seems to be dancing disco in the area of the Historical Monastery of Panagia Soumela, are a desecration of this Monument," it said.

From Reuters

"It is surprising that the permit was given to the band, as the Monastery of Panagia Soumela opens only for pilgrims," the Greek foreign ministry said.

From Reuters

The air in the Panagia church has “a stale wood and mold base, top notes of apple and rosewater, and a spicy heart of myrrh and cinnamon.”

From Washington Post