Today is Tuesday, August 27, and the Orthodox Church celebrates the memory of one of the most known Saints, Saint Phanourios the New Martyr. He is the patron saint of Rhodes, but throughout Greece, the so-called “fanouropites” are being prepared on the eve of his feast.
The paronymic derivation of his name from the Greek word “φανερώνω” (to reveal) has made him known in popular tradition as the figure who would always help find the lost or bring something desired. For this reason, in images, he is depicted holding a lit candle in his hand.
What we know about Saint Phanourios
His historical existence was not known to the Synaxarists until the 14th century, or according to others, until the 15th century, when an icon of him was found on the island of Rhodes.
According to this representation, Saint Phanourios wore military clothing and underwent 12 martyrdoms.
Since the discovery of the icon, he has been considered the protector of the island of Rhodes. His fame quickly spread to the Dodecanese, Cyprus, Crete, Chios, Lesbos, Patras, and the rest of the Greek area. Today, there are many churches built in his name.
Although the life of Saint Phanourios has nothing to do with the theatrical arts, he is the patron saint of shadow theater performers, precisely because he reveals jobs to them. There was also a banner of the Panhellenic Shadow Theater Association depicting Saint Phanourios, which unfortunately is not preserved today except in post-war black and white photographic material.
Read more about Saint Phanourios, HERE.
Which other Saints are celebrated today:
In addition to Saint Phanourios, the following are honored by the Church today:
- Saint Poimen
- Saint Anthousa the New Martyr
- Saint Liberius the Confessor, Pope of Rome
- Saint Osius, the Bishop of Cordoba, Spain
- Saint Arcadius the King
Who do we wish “happy name day”?
Some of the rarer names celebrated today include:
- Arcadius, Arcadis, Arcadia, Arcada
- Liberius, Liberis, Lymberis, Liberios
- Saint, Saintess
- Phanourios, Phanouria, Fani