Famous churches dedicated to the Panagia (the Virgin Mary) - The Panagia of Tinos
In 1821, shortly after the Greek Revolution against the Ottoman occupation broke out, in Tinos the Virgin Mary had "revealed" herself in the dreams of a simple elder gardener, Michalis Polyzois, and indicated to him a field where he would have to dig and find her icon. However, the attempt was unsuccessful and the anticipation gave way to disappointment. Two years later, in 1823, Sister Pelagia contacted the Bishop of Tinos and requested that they dig at the same field since she had repeated visions of the Virgin Mary in her sleep for weeks who asked for her icon to be unearthed. However, this time too, all efforts were fruitless. On January 30, 1823, the pickax of Dimitris Vlassis, hit on the miraculous icon of Our Lady cutting it in two.
The recovery of the icon meant a lot for many believers who thought that the Virgin Mary had sent an omen for the successful outcome of the revolution. After the freedom of the Greek nation, the newly established Greek state erected a magnificent temple at the location where the icon was found, which was the first major architectural work.
The pilgrimage to the Church of Panagia Evaggelistria of Tinos, also known as Church of the Panagia of Tinos, is definitely the most important Orthodox pilgrimage in Greece and one of the most famous worldwide. The faithful arrive using every possible means available to worship the image, a process that is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and Religious Affairs, in the form of a body governed by public law. The Foundation of the Church of the Panagia of Tinos since its establishment and up to date has stood by the exhausted Greek people in dozens of sectors: In healthcare, education, financial aid of the state regarding the needs for support and protection of the country.
Our Lady of Tinos celebrates on January 30 the recovery of the icon of the Annunciation, on March 25 when a Hierarchical Liturgy is held, the procession of the Holy Icon, and the veneration at the beach, on July 23, the day that Saint Pelagia was blessed to have a vision of the Virgin Mary in her cell and of course on August 15, the day that our church celebrates the Assumption of the Virgin Mary.
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