04 September 2012

Ermioni - Hermione........name day

Today in Ermioni, the community celebrated the name day of Ermioni, or Hermione as it is sometimes written from ancient texts.  Ermioni is actually a female Greek name which derives from the Greek messenger god Hermes. Hermione means "gorgeous as Hermes".  Hermione is an ancient Greek name which continued to be used in the early Christian years to date.

For the Greek Orthodox church, it is associated with Hermione, the daughter of Apostle Philip.  She had the gift of prophecy and was buried in Ephesus.  Ermioni was declared a saint by the Greek Orthodox Church, and the memory and name day of Aghia Hermione is celebrated on 4 September in Ermioni.

There is an evening service on the 3 September, followed by the official morning service, held at the Byzantine church of Aghia Hermione, on Pronos Hill.

The original Hermione was the daughter of Helen and Menelaus of Sparta, who married the son of Achilles, who was the Greek hero of the Trojan War.  Hermione later eloped  and married Orestes (pictured above).

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