Anargyres, Festival of The

Anargyres, Festival Of The (from ἀ, not, and ἄργυρος, money), celebrated by the Greek Church Nov. 1 in honor of two saints named Cosmus and Damianus, who were brothers, and both physicians. The Greeks called them Anargyres because they practiced medicine out of pure charity, without claiming any reward for their services. A legend mentions a miraculous fountain at Athens, near a chapel consecrated to these two saints. The fountain never flows but on their festival, as soon as the priest has begun to say mass, and in the evening it is dried up again.