Fanouropita

Information

St. Fanourios is commemorated on August 27th, the day his icon was found in Rhodes, around 1500 AD., revealing the torture scenes showing the saint being stoned, in prison, slashed, standing in front a Roman magistrate, tied to a frame, thrown to wild animals, crushed by a boulder, holding hot coals etc.
A fanouropita is a sweet baced pie, made of olive oil, sugar, flour, cinnamon, wine or cognac and orange juice, the promised offering in return for Saint’s Fanourios help. As his name implies, Saint Fanourios reveals lost things, people, animals, even solutions to problems if one invokes his name (Fanourios < ancient greek verb Faino = reveal). According to St. Fanourios’ custom, the pies are brought to the churches, where they are blessed by the priest. After Mass, they are cut and offered to the faithful, with the wish to forgive the soul of St Fanourios’ mother, a sinful woman, held in hell for her sins.