"Kali Panagia", "Happy Feast of the Panagia" or "Happy Fifteenth of August"?translated
As we enter the blessed period of the Fifteenth of August, the wishes we exchange are many: "Happy Virgin Mary", "Happy Feast of the Virgin Mary", "Happy Fifteenth August" and even "The Virgin Mary with you".
By Archim. Makariou Tsimeris
In recent years there has often been a debate about which of these wishes is the "correct" one. However, it might be worth asking: is this really the most important thing, or are we in danger of missing the point? The Church teaches us to love truth and doctrinal accuracy.
But the Holy Fathers also teach us that the truth must always be accompanied by love, discernment and humility. Truth without love becomes cruelty, while love without truth loses its orientation. Orthodoxy calls us to walk with both.
The wish "Kali Panagia" is not a liturgical phrase nor is it found in the liturgical books of the Church. But it is a popular wish that was born out of the piety of the Orthodox people. For decades, perhaps even centuries, people have used it to express their joy for the upcoming feast of the Assumption of the Virgin and to wish each other that they deserve to celebrate it with…
