At least once a year, the churches tucked away in the white-washed lanes of Sifnos’s settlements or enclosed with monastic compounds host a panigyri, or folk festival, on the eve of the observane of the saint’s feast day. These communal celebrations are lovingly organized by the panigyras, or host, who oversees the cleaning, white-washing, and decoration of the church with flags, ordering breads offerd during the service, and providing pastelli, sesame and honey bars, to treat pilgrims. On the day of the panigyri, the host returns the icon he has kept in his house during the year since the last feast day to the church; he does this on foot, followed by a small procession of faithful. After the evening church service, guests are treated to piping hot chickpea stew, olives, meat stewed in tomato sauce and served with macaroni topped with grated kefalotyri, cod, and local wine. It’s customary for those partaking of the feast to clink their cutlery against the china to wish the panigyri host good health. The merrymaking lasts until dawn, with dancing, music, and song featuring improvised lyrics composed of satirical verse. Following church services on the morning of the feast day, the icon is handed over to the next host, who will keep it in his home for twelve months until the next celebration. (The only icon that is never removed from its church is that of the Panayia Chrysopigi, the island’s patron saint.) The merrymaking continues until around midnight when the festivities wind down. The main observances on the Sifnos panigyri calendar are: Fifty days after Easter, the feast of the island’s patron saint Panayia Chrysopigi is observed on Ascension day with a three-day panigyri On July 19, the feast of Profitis Ilias is celebrated at several monasteries dedicated to the saint but the best-known is at Profitis Ilias Apsilos. On July 26, the feast of Ayios Pandeleimonas at Heronisos. On August 14, the feast of the Panayia at the Monastery of Panayia Toso Nero. On August 28, the feast of Ayios Yiannis Nisteftis at Faros. On August 31, the feast of Ayios Symeon on the mountain over Kamares. On September 5, the feast of Taxiarchis at Vathi. On September 6, the feast of Ayios Sozon. On September 8, the feast of the birth of the Virgin Mary at Moni Vrysis in Exampela. On September 13, the feast of Stavros at Faros and Honi. On September 14, the feast of Ayios Nikitas at Seladi.