If you grew up in our community, you probably know the feeling of pulling into the driveway at Panagia Soumela in West Milford. The road curves, the trees open up, and you see the white church against the green hillside. It is quiet for a moment until you step out of the car and hear the sound of a lyra warming up or someone greeting an old friend they have not seen in a year.
The pilgrimage and paniyiri return on the weekend of August 16 and 17 at 253 Marshall Hill Road in West Milford, NJ. It is one of those gatherings where the church and the festival blend together. You come to light a candle, to hear the hymns, and you stay for the music, the food, and the people. This year also marks more than sixteen centuries of Pontian tradition.
The church will be open Friday, August 15 for anyone who wants to pray or light a candle, but there is no service that day. On Saturday, things start in the afternoon and go until late. Vespers is at 6 PM, followed by live Pontiaka and Laika music. On Sunday, the Divine Liturgy begins at 9 AM, celebrated by Archimandrite Fr. Eugenios Tsaramanidis, who has roots in Pontos and serves as the presiding priest at St. Demetrios in Union, NJ.
If you cannot make it in person, services will be streamed on Facebook and YouTube.
Music lineup
- Saturday: Pontiaka with Christos Tiktapanidis and Dimitris Stefanidis on lyra, Sokratis Togridis on daouli, plus Laika from Fantasia with Mike Stoupakis on bouzouki, Dimitris Christopoulos on pliktra (keyboards), and Fotini Tsilioni on vocals.
- Sunday: Pontiaka with the same trio, starting right after church. Prerecorded music will play earlier on Saturday.
Bus from Astoria on Sunday
The Pontian Society Komninoi is running a bus on Sunday. It leaves from 31-25 23rd Ave in Astoria at 8 AM sharp and returns from Panagia Soumela at 4 PM. Tickets are by donation, and please tip the driver.
Whether you come for the liturgy, the music, the food, or just to see friends and family, this weekend is a reminder of why this place matters. It is a pilgrimage, a festival, and a gathering of our people, all in one. The smell of souvla in the air, the sound of the lyra, the sight of kids running through the grass, it is summer at Panagia Soumela, and it is ours.
A Look Back
Over the years, Cosmos Philly has covered many moments from Panagia Soumela in West Milford. In August 2012, we previewed the 29th Annual Pilgrimage and Festival, a weekend of liturgy services and Pontian music held in the hills of New Jersey. That same month, we reported from the grounds during the 6th Annual Pilgrimage to Panagia Soumela, which brought together visitors from across North America for three days of worship, culture, and community fundraising. The celebrations were also captured in Panagia Soumela Holds Service and Festival – Part 1 and Part 2, with scenes of traditional music, dancing, and even an air show over the church grounds.
Four years later, in August 2016, we returned for Bells Ring on as Panagia Soumela Celebrates 33 Years. The weekend included the Dormition services, a procession of the Virgin Mary’s icon, and speeches by AHEPA leaders pledging support for the reopening of the historic monastery in Trabzon, Turkey.
Cosmos Philly is made possible through the support of sponsors and local partners. If you’d like to become a sponsor or promote your business to our community, get in touch.
