Panagia

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
For other uses, see Panagia (disambiguation).
13th-century Great Panagia from Yaroslavl.

Panagia (Greek: Παναγία, fem. of panágios, pan- + hágios, the All-Holy, or the Most Holy; pronounced Greek pronunciation: [panaˈʝia]) (also transliterated Panaghia or Panajia), in Medieval and Modern Greek, is one of the titles of Mary, mother of Jesus, used especially in Eastern Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity.

Most Greek churches dedicated to the Virgin Mary are called Panagia; the standard western Christian designation of "St. Mary" is rarely used in the Orthodox East, as Mary is considered the holiest of all created beings and therefore of higher status than the saints.

Iconography

Main article: Our Lady of the Sign

Panagia is also the term for a particular type of

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,[citation needed] 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 on the inside of the apse which rises directly over the altar of Orthodox churches.[2] In contrast with standard religious mosaics which usually have gold backgrounds, the Platytera is often depicted on a dark blue background, sometimes dotted with gold stars: a reference to the Heavens.
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.[citation needed

]

Vestment

18th-century Byzantine-style bronze panagia from Jerusalem

By extension of this last sense, a panagia is an engolpion with an icon of the Theotokos, worn by an Orthodox bishop. They can be very simple[3] or extremely elaborate,[4] depending on the personal taste of the particular bishop.

Saint Patriarch Tikhon in monastic habit with panagia and engolpion of Jesus

When an Orthodox bishop is

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

Holy Doors
to bless the faithful.

Blessed bread

Lamb
, the triangle to the left is the particle for the Theotokos taken out of the Panagia.

Panagia may also refer to a

prosphoron
(Ἄρτος της Παναγίας, Ártos tēs Panagías, "Bread of the All-Holy") which is solemnly blessed in honor of the Theotokos during the Divine Liturgy (see Prosphora for details). From this loaf, a large triangle in honour of the Theotokos is cut and placed on the
Holy Table
(altar) during the hymn
Holy Trinity."[citation needed
]

In some

monasteries there is a special rite ceremony called the "Lifting 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.[citation needed
]

After the meal, the refectorian takes off his

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.[8]

Names

From "Panagia" derive the common Greek

Mary or Marios
.

In the Orthodox world, specific icons and churches of the Virgin Mary are often given particular names, which reflect certain theological or intercessory aspects of Mary, or certain standardised depictions in hagiography, or peculiarities of the particular church or monastery. Some examples of such names (in Greek) are:

  • Angeloktiste (Angel-Built)
  • Bebaia Elpis (the Certain Hope)
  • Boetheia (the Helper)
  • Brephokratousa (the Infant-Holder)
  • Chrysopege (the Fountain of Gold)
  • Deomene (the Supplicant)
  • Eleousa (the Merciful)
  • Eleutherotria (the Liberator)
  • Evangelistria (the Bearer of Good News)
  • Galatiane or Galatousa (the Nurse)
  • Giatrissa (the Healer)
  • Glykophilousa (of the Sweet Kiss)
  • Gorgoepekoos (the Quick-To-Listen)
  • Gregorousa (the Vigilant)
  • Hagia Skepe (the Sacred Protection)
  • Hagia Zone (the Sacred Girdle)
  • Hodegetria (the Leader)
  • Hypermachos Strategos (the Defending General)
  • Kataphyge (the Safe Haven)
  • Megalochare (Of Great Grace)
  • Myrobletissa (the Spring of Myrrh)
  • Myrtiotissa (of the Myrtles)
  • Nerantziotissa (in the
    Bitter Oranges
    )
  • Pantanassa (the Queen of All)
  • Paraportiane or Portaitissa (by the Gate)
  • Paregoretria (the Giver of Solace)
  • Phaneromene (the Revealed)
  • Pharmakolytria (the Deliverer from poison)
  • Platytera ton Ouranon (the Wider than the Heavens)
  • Ponolytria (the Deliverer from pain)
  • Thalassine (of the Sea)

References

  1. ^ Great Panagia, History of Russian Painting, by Boguslawski
  2. ^ "St. Paul's Irvine". Archived from the original on Mar 5, 2006. Retrieved Dec 25, 2022.
  3. ^ "Orthodox Church in America". www.oca.org. Retrieved Dec 25, 2022.
  4. ^ "Orthodox Church in America". www.oca.org. Retrieved Dec 25, 2022.
  5. ^ Press releases, Saint Vladimir Orthodox theological seminary
  6. ^ Three Hieararchs Chapel, Saint Vladimir Orthodox theological seminary
  7. ^ "OCA photo". Archived from the original on Mar 4, 2006. Retrieved Dec 25, 2022.
  8. Washington, DC
    .
  • The Blackwell Dictionary of Eastern Christianity, p. 368 (
    ISBN 0-631-23203-6
    )

External links

Media related to Panagia at Wikimedia Commons

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