St Phanourios: Patron Saint of Lost Things

Feast Day August 27th

Have you ever heard of St. Phanourios, the patron saint of lost things? St Phanourios is known in the Orthodox Church as a saint who helps people find lost or stolen items. We can ask the Saints for help! We ask St. Phanourios to help us find whatever we lost, and when we find it, we bake a cake and share it with friends and loved ones as a way of giving thanks. This special tradition comes from Greece and the special olive oil citrus cake is called “Phanouropita!” In this blogpost, I am sharing the recipe for a simple baked phanouropita donut, which is ideal for sharing with others, an important element in the tradition!

Watch our latest episode about baking Phanouropita Donuts with Patristic Nectar Kids YouTube:

I first learned about this tradition from my friend Kh Alexis El Massih while we were living in New York. She is a dear friend of mine, a fellow priest-wife, sister in Christ, and amazing photographer! My oldest daughter and I (just a toddler at the time) showed up to her house for a usual playdate/mommy-hang-out and the entire house smelled absolutely scrumptious with this warm citrusy smell. She set out homemade donuts on a pretty wooden cake stand on her kitchen island and had iced coffee ready for us to enjoy. I was struck with how adorable these donuts looked all covered in yummy powered sugar and inquired more about them. She said "Oh this is my St. Phanourios cake I was telling you about! I just made it in donut form!"  I'm pretty sure my response was something dramatic like, “I’m sorry what did you say?” We still laugh at my inability to hear Greek words and understand them. She repeated herself “Phanouropita! The cake you make when St Phanourios helps you find an item that was lost!”

You can read more about St Phanourios in this blogpost:

This year, we happened to be together as I was preparing to record an episode for Patristic Nectar Kids YouTube channel, so we had the opportunity to bake this exact Phanouropita recipe together alongside our 7 children! It was a joyous moment, seeing how far we’ve come in our lives and also reminiscing about the day I first learned about this tradition from my sweet friend!

Scroll Down to Find the Recipe for St Phanourios Donuts!

Later Kh Alexis explained how she lost her daughter's earrings that were a very special gift, so she prayed and asked for St. Phaniourios help to find them, and she found them! So as a way of giving thanks, she baked Fanouropita (or St. Phanourios cake). I asked her if other people make this cake into donuts too, because clearly I've never heard of it, and she actually wasn't sure if anyone did, but she had a really great recipe from Figs and Feta Blog that she adapted and made into donuts. GENIUS! What a fun way to give thanks to God for His saints for helping her find those special earrings that went missing. Not to mention a very delicious little “t” tradition.  I love sharing this tradition with my own family and parishioners and teaching my children these rich traditions as we live out the life of the church! 

Recipe

Ingredients

1-1/4 cups vegetable oil (or substitute for oil of choice)

2-1/2 cups sugar

1-1/4 cups warm water

Grated rind of 1 orange

1/2 cup orange juice (fresh orange juice is best)

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 tsp baking powder

4 cups white flour

1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1/4 cup raisins (optional)

Instructions

1. Pre-Heat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Sift flower, baking powder and cinnamon together in a large bowl and set aside.

3. Using a wisk, combine oil and sugar until blended.

4. Add the warm water, orange rind, orange juice and walnuts and mix well.

5. Slowly add the flour mixture and combine until smooth.

6. Add raisins and walnuts (if adding).

7. Pour batter into well greased donut pans

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until the cake springs back when lightly touched.

9. Cool on a wire rack.

10. Top with powdered sugar.

Recipe originally published by Figs & Feta Blog, which is no longer available online.

*** Donut pan from Amazon which you can see here

What’s extra fun about this particular story is the introduction I had to St Phanourios through my friend Kh Alexis is what ignited in me the desire to share feast day traditions! Shortly after this experience, I created a blog, Ascetic Life of Motherhood, which you are currently reading. I fell in love with learning more about these traditions and had a hunger and thirst to learn more! You can read my original blogpost shared “St Phanourios Donuts posted on August 27th 2018, St Phanourios’ feast day! Special thanks to Kh Alexis for sharing him with me so that I can now share him with you, passing down these little “t” traditions for the next generation of Orthodox Christians!

Whatever you do, I pray the Lord blesses your efforts!

Blessed Feast, friends!

Meet our baker, Khouria Alexis El Massih:

I have been dear friends with Kh Alexis for several years. Both of our husbands are priests and we met when we were living in New York as my husband was attending St Vladimir’s Orthodox Seminary. We met on Instagram, which always makes me laugh, but it’s true! We found out that her husband was my husband’s chant professor, and planned to meet up in person in New York city one afternoon. As new-ish moms, we were hoping to find a like-minded friend in the area. We hit it off immediately and spent the next 3 years nearly inseparable. Although we live in different states now, and our husbands are both Orthodox Priests with busy schedules, it was a joy to reunite for a few days and find a reprieve from the busyness of parish life!

P.S. If you are looking for an Orthodox Wedding/Family Photographer, look no further than Kh Alexis El Massih Photography

-Kh Destinie

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