According to the Greek Orthodox religion, nearly every day of the year is dedicated to a Christian saint or Martyr. Each church is devoted to a particular saint and that saint’s name day is celebrated on the saint’s birthday or day of death. These celebrations are usually celebrated with a Panigyri (fair or festival) and a religious service.
15th August is one of the main name days, and public holidays of the year, known as Assumption Day (Assumption of Mary day). What’s the story behind this?:
The Assumption of the Virgin Mary into Heaven, informally known as the Assumption, according to the beliefs of the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodoxy, Oriental Orthodoxy, and parts of Anglicanism, was the bodily taking up of the Virgin Mary into Heaven at the end of her earthly life – it is important to many Catholic and Orthodox Christians as the Virgin Mary’s heavenly birthday (the day that Mary was received into Heaven). Her acceptance into the glory of Heaven is seen by them as the symbol of the promise made by Jesus to all enduring Christians that they too will be received into paradise.
The feast of the Assumption is a public holiday in many countries, including Austria, Belgium, Chile, Colombia, Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, France, Germany (Bavaria and Saarland only), Greece, Lebanon, Lithuania, Italy, Malta, Mauritius,Poland, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland (8 cantons only) and Vanuatu. In Eastern Orthodox churches following the Julian Calendar, the feast day of Assumption of Mary falls on August 28.
In Cyprus, hundreds of locals travel up to Trooditissa Monastery in Troodos, as this monastery is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. In celebration of Assumption day a fair is hosted within the Monastery grounds and it is also common practice that prayers to the holy icon of Panagia (Virgin Mary) are carried out here to give hope to childless couples wishing to have children.
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