Maria Menounos traveled to the Church of Panagia Evangelistria on Tinos this summer with her daughter Athena, calling it...

Maria Menounos traveled to the Church of Panagia Evangelistria on Tinos this summer with her daughter Athena, calling it one of the holiest experiences of her life. The Greek American television personality shared the pilgrimage with her followers on Instagram, describing the visit as deeply personal and spiritually overwhelming. Menounos explained that her mother named her after the Panagia, and that she has felt the Virgin Mary's protection throughout her life. Since becoming a mother, she said that connection has grown stronger, and she prays every night for Panagia to watch over Athena and guide her as a parent. In recent years, Menounos had made pilgrimages to Saint Nektarios on Aegina, a saint she feels a particularly close bond with. This summer, though, she said she felt called to Tinos instead. Inside the church, she described being overwhelmed with emotion and feeling an extraordinary sense of love. She prayed for Athena, for family members, and for friends, asking that the same protection she has felt throughout her life surround her daughter. Athena's godfather joined them for the visit, and Father Peter George showed the family sacred areas of the church and shared its history. Menounos also shared with her followers the tradition of pilgrims approaching the church on their knees from the port below as an act of faith, gratitude, or a fulfilled promise to Panagia. The Church of Panagia Evangelistria, which overlooks the port of Tinos, is one of the most important pilgrimage sites in Greece. For Menounos, the visit carried a three-generation meaning: her mother who gave her the name in honor of the Virgin Mary, Menounos herself, and now young Athena. #Tinos #Panagia #GreekOrthodox