Names from the feasts of the Virgin Mary: Maria, Panagiotis, Despina, Evangelia

The Virgin Mary, whom Greeks usually call the Panagia (“the All-Holy”) and the Church calls the Theotokos (“the one who gave birth to God”), is honoured with a series of feasts through the year, known in Greek as the Theomitorikes feasts. Some of the best-loved Greek names are celebrated on them: some are Mary's own name, others come from her titles or from the events being commemorated.

The Virgin Mary's feasts through the year

• The Annunciation, 25 March: the Archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear Christ. It is the name day of Vangelis (Evangelos) and Evangelia, and also Greek Independence Day, the anniversary of the 1821 revolution.
• The Life-giving Spring, the Friday after Easter: the name day of Zoe (Zoi, meaning “life”). The date moves every year with Easter.
• The Dormition, 15 August: known simply as Dekapentavgoustos, “the fifteenth of August”, and a public holiday. It is the name day of Maria and Marios, Panagiotis and Panagiota, and Despina. The feast is preceded by a two-week fast starting on 1 August.
• The Nativity of the Virgin, 8 September: the birth of Mary to Joachim and Anna, who are commemorated the next day. It is the name day of Despina and of Tsampika, a name tied to Panagia Tsambika, a local title of the Virgin on Rhodes.
• The Holy Protection (Agia Skepi), 28 October: the feast of Mary's protecting veil. In 1952 the Church of Greece moved it from 1 October to 28 October, the anniversary of Greece's “No” (Ochi) of 1940. By custom it is the name day of Nefeli.
• The Entry into the Temple, 21 November: the dedication of the young Mary in the Temple. Maria, Marios and Despina celebrate again. Because it falls within the Christmas fast, fish is allowed that day.
• The Synaxis of the Theotokos, 26 December, the day after Christmas: the name day of Manolis and Emmanouela.

Maria: 15 August or 21 November?

Maria's main name day is 15 August. According to a popular custom, however, many unmarried Marias celebrate at the Entry into the Temple in November, and married ones in August. This is not a rule of the Church: each family does what it is used to, so if in doubt, simply ask. Everyday forms of the name, such as Mairi (Mary), Marika, Maroula or Marianna, celebrate with Maria.

Marios follows the same two dates and also celebrates on 13 March. See also the guide to names with more than one name day.

Names from Mary's titles

• Panagiotis and Panagiota come from Panagia, “the All-Holy”. Common short forms are Panos, Takis and Giota, which celebrate in mid-August too.
• Despina (Δέσποινα) means “lady” or “mistress” and is one of the titles with which the Theotokos is praised in church hymns, much like “Our Lady” in English. That is why it is linked to several of her feasts: mainly 15 August, but also 8 September and 21 November.
• Evangelos and Evangelia refer not to Mary herself but to the “good news”, the evangelion, that the archangel brought her.
• Zoe celebrates on the feast of the Life-giving Spring, a title of Mary as the source that receives and gives life.

Local feasts of the Virgin

In a number of places the patron is the Virgin herself, under a local title: Panagia Myrtidiotissa on Kythira, Panagia Faneromeni on Lefkada, Panagia Kounistra on Skiathos and Panagia Kathariotissa on Ithaca, while the town of Chania has the Entry into the Temple as its patronal feast. Such local devotions also produce names heard mainly in one place, such as Myrto on Kythira or Tsampika on Rhodes. Read more in the guide to patron saints of Greek cities.

Alongside the feasts of the Virgin there are the feasts of Christ, with names of their own such as Christos and Stavros. See names from the feasts of Christ.