panegyris

(πανήγυρις). A name applied by the Greeks to any gathering of the whole people at a fixed period. Examples are the Panionia (q.v.), the great national meetings on the occasion of the Olympian, Pythian, Nemean, and Isthmian Games; and in later times, the popular fairs, etc. On these occasions, besides other features, formal orations (λόγοι πανηγυρικοί) were delivered. See panegyricus.