Panagia

Panagia (Greek: Παναγία, "All-holy"), also transliterated Panayia or Panaghia, is one of the titles of Mary, the mother of Jesus, used especially in Orthodox Christianity.

There are many Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches dedicated to Mary that are called "Panagia".

Iconography

:"Main article: Our Lady of the Sign"

"Panagia" is also the term for a particular type of icon of the Theotokos, wherein she is facing the viewer directly, usually depicted full length with her hands in the "orans" position, and with a medallion showing the image of Christ as a child in front of her chest [ [http://www.rollins.edu/Foreign_Lang/Russian/panagia.html Panagia] ] . This medallion symbolically represents Jesus within the womb of the Virgin Mary at the moment of the Incarnation. This type of icon is also sometimes called "Platytera" (Greek: Πλατυτέρα, literally "wider" or "more spacious"); poetically, by containing the Creator of the Universe in her womb, Mary has become "Platytera ton ouranon" (Πλατυτέρα τῶν Ουρανῶν): "More spacious than the heavens". This type is also sometimes called the "Virgin of the Sign" or "Our Lady of the Sign", a reference to Isaiah 7:14 ("Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel"). Such an image is often placed in the apse of the sanctuary of an Orthodox temple (church building) above the altar [ [http://www.stpaulsirvine.org/images/interiort.jpgSt. Pauls Irvine] ] .

As with most Orthodox icons of Mary, the letters ΜΡ ΘΥ (short for ΜΗΤΗΡ ΘΕΟΥ, "Mother of God") are usually placed on the upper left and right of the halo of the Virgin Mary.

Vestment

By extension of this last sense, a "panagia" can also be an engolpion with an icon of the Theotokos, worn by an Orthodox bishop. They can be very simple [ [http://www.oca.org/Images/HolySynod/portraits/bp.seraphim.jpgOrthodox Church in America] ] or extremely elaborate [ [http://www.oca.org/Images/HolySynod/portraits/abp.peter.jpgOrthodox Church in America] ] [ [http://www.lavra.kiev.ua/photo/200_photo/person/pavel/200_person_pavel_h_2.jpgKyiv Pechersk Lavra] ] , depending on the personal taste of the particular bishop.

When an Orthodox bishop is vested for the Divine Liturgy or another service, he wears a panagia and a pectoral cross over his other vestments [ [http://www.svots.edu/Press-Releases/2004-0325-ordinations/pages/P3254784_jpg.htm Press releases] ] . The primate of an autocephalous church, when fully vested, wears a panagia, a pectoral cross, and an engolpion of Jesus [ [http://www.svots.edu/Three-Hierarchs-Chapel/2005-0521-powell-ordination/pages/DSC_0010_jpg.htm Three Hieararchs Chapel] ] . Bishops of all ranks when not vested will usually wear the panagia alone over their riassa [ [http://ocaphoto.oca.org/filetmp/2005/May/959/Detail/DSC_0011.jpgOCA photo] ] ; this is often the detail that, to the casual observer, distinguishes a bishop from a priest or a monk. The panagia is usually oval in shape and crowned with a depiction of an Eastern mitre. Sometimes, bishops will wear a panagia which is either square (see picture, right) or shaped like a Byzantine double-headed eagle; this latter is especially true of Greek bishops.

When the bishop is vested before the Divine Liturgy, the Panagia is presented to him on a tray. He blesses it with both hands and the subdeacons bring it to him to kiss and place the Panagia around his neck, while the Protodeacon swings the censer and says the following prayer:

May God create a clean heart in thee, and renew a right spirit within thee, always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

After the Liturgy, when the bishop takes the Panagia off to unvest, he would cross himself, kiss the Panagia and place it on the Holy Table (altar). After unvesting and putting on his outer riassa, he would bless the Panagia, cross himself again, and put it on, before exiting through the Holy Doors to bless the faithful.

Blessed bread

"Panagia" may also refer to a prosphoron (αρτος της παναγιας) which is solemnly blessed in honor of the Theotokos during the Divine Liturgy (see Prosphora for details). From this loaf is cut a large triangle in honour of the Theotokos and placed on the diskos (paten) during the Liturgy of Preparation. The remainder of the loaf is blessed over the Holy Table (altar) during the hymn "Axion Estin", just before the blessing of the antidoron. The priest makes the Sign of the Cross with the Panagia over the Sacred Mysteries (consecrated Body and Blood of Christ) as he says, "Great is the name of the Holy Trinity."

In some monasteries there is a special rite ceremony called the "Lifitng of the Panagia" which takes place in the trapeza (refectory). After the dismissal of the Liturgy, a triangular portion is cut from the prosphoron by the refectorian (monk in charge of the refectory). The Panagia is then cut in half and laid crust downwards on a tray. The brethren will go in procession from the "catholicon" (main church) to the trapeza, and the Panagia is carried on its tray at the head of the procession. Once there, the Panagia is placed on a table called the "Panagiarion".

After the meal, the refectorian takes off his klobuk (epanokamelavkion and kamilavkion), and bows to the assembled brethren, saying, "Bless me, holy Fathers, and pardon me a sinner," to which the brotherhood bows and replies, "May God pardon and have mercy on you." Then, taking the Panagia in his fingertips, he lifts it up while saying, "Great is the name," and then the community continues with "of the Holy Trinity." The rite then continues with, "O All-holy Mother of God, help us!" with the reply, "At her prayers, O God, have mercy and save us." Two hymns are then sung while the refectorian, accompanied by a cleric with a hand censer, offers the Panagia to those assembled. Each takes a piece between his finger and thumb, passes it through the incense, and then consumes it as a blessing.

Names

There are numerous islands and villages in Greece and Cyprus named "Panagia". Many of these take their name from the churches and monasteries there, which are dedicated to Mary. Some of them are:
*Panagia, Cyprus.
*Panagia, Chalcidice

From "Panaghia" derive the common Greek given names "Panaghiota" (feminine; pronunciation: "Pah-nah-YAW-tah"; common diminutive: "Ghiota") and "Panagiotis" (masculine; pronunciation: "Pah-nah-YAW-tees"; common diminutive: "Panos"). Both names signify that the person is named in honor of Mary, mother of Jesus and consequently their namedays are celebrated as if they were named Mary or Marios.

References

*"The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity", p. 368 (ISBN 0-631-23203-6)