Panagia

Well the biggest holiday of the season seems to be Panagia and for days the town has been getting ready. I have seen lines being painted, posters hung up, and decorations put up all over town and especially at the main churches. As you can imagine my excitement grew each day as the special even came closer.
Let me explain a bit of what Panagia is. Or at least what I understand it to be. It is a celebration for the Virgin Mary, and people all go to the big church during the day to kiss her picture and light candles. Then there is a procession down the Paralia, or the road by the water, twords the last church on the road. The procession has little kids, a band, priest and they carry the Mary painting down to the other church.
Then the festivities begin. The boats in the harbor light up one by one and move towards the port. As all the boats come in, representing the pirates trying to attack Paros and Steal the Ladies, there is a show of fighting between villagers and pirates. Of course the pirates loose and the townspeople save their fair maidens from doom. This wonderful ending to the show sets off fireworks that go out over the port and have have a fantastic birds eye view.
Malin was so kind as to have us for dinner and drinks while watching the fireworks and listening to the music wafting in the wind from town.