fanouropita

English

Etymology

From Greek φανουρόπιτα (fanourópita), from Φανούριος (Fanoúrios, “Saint Phanourios”) + -ό- (-ó-, linking vowel) + πίτα (píta, “pita, pie”).

Noun

fanouropita (countable and uncountable, plural fanouropitas or fanouropites)

  2. A Greek oil-based sweet cake, traditionally Lenten and served on Saint Phanourios’ feast day on August 27, not containing any butter or eggs so that it can be eaten on holy fasting days.
    • 2007, Tina Zisimou, translated by Jill Pittinger, Rhodes, Rethymno: Mediterraneo Editions, →ISBN, page 78:
      By common consent, Kyria Rena makes an extremely delicious fanouropita. […] Here, therefore, is the way to make fanouropita which, as she used to say, has to consist of 7 ingredients.
    • 2009 September 7, Nikos Konstandaras, “Saints, fines and elections”, in Kathimerini, English edition, number 27,267, Athens, →OCLC, page 1, columns 3–4:
      The parked cars stretched for kilometers in each direction. Next to them – on the highway – walked families of the faitful, carrying fanouropites (cakes dedicated to the saint) and candles taller than a tall man, pushing baby strollers or wheelchairs, all hoping that the saint would give them what they sought, would reveal what they had lost.
    • 2018, Katerina Tsemperlidou, translated by Alexandra Kalapothaki, Greek Women Are Goddesses: A Modern Love Story That Highlights the Similarities Between the Goddesses of Mythology and Contemporary Greek Women‎[1][2], London: AKAKIA Publications, →ISBN:
      [T]hey cook fanouropita, a cake exchanged for the guarantee to track down lost items under the auspices of St. Fanourios, and they make votive offerings both tangible and spiritual. […] “And you started cooking! What are you making Auntie, cake?” asked Greg lightly. / “No my child, I’m preparing a fanouropita for the saint and I’m praying!” answered his aunt.
    • 2019, Lucy Ellmann, Ducks, Newburyport‎[3], Norwich, Norfolk: Galley Beggar Press, →ISBN:
      […] the fact that a fanouropita cake’s got to have either seven or nine ingredients, because they’re lucky numbers in Greece, the fact that my fanouropitas usually have seven, because I skip the nuts and raisins, but sometimes it’s nine, because I like to add brandy and olives now, sliced up thinly, […]
    • 2020 August 28, Michalis Kakias, “St. Fanourios Celebrated in Elizabeth, NJ”, in The National Herald‎[4], New York, N.Y., archived from the original on 28 January 2022:
      On August 26, on the eve of the feast of St. Fanourios, the Great Vespers service with Artoklasia was held at the Church of St. Fanourios in Elizabeth, NJ, with many of the faithful present. There were dozens of fanouropites which were brought in by the faithful for the annual blessing.
    • 2021 August 26, Andriana Simos, “St Fanourios, the traditional fanouropita and our favourite recipe”, in The Greek Herald‎[5], Sydney, N.S.W.: Foreign Language Press, archived from the original on 6 May 2025:
      Traditionally, on the eve of the St Fanourios’ feast day, a fanouropita is baked and taken to church for blessing at the Great Vespers, the evening service, in honour of the saint. At the conclusion of the service, the fanouropites are shared among those in attendance.

Further reading

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