The religious feast of the Epiphany is celebrated throughout Greece on Thursday with the traditional "Blessing of the Waters" Orthodox Church ritual in ports, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and fountains in front of cathedrals.
The ritual commemorates Christ's baptism in the River Jordan, termed the Epiphany by St. John Chryssostom (from the Greek word for 'manifestation', 'epifaniea').
On Epiphany daring youth and adults brave the cold waters to dive for the Cross after it has been blessed by a priest and thrown into the waters, and the one who recovers the cross is blessed with good luck throughout the year.
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece officiated at the main ceremony in Piraeus, Greece's largest port. President of the Republic, Karolos Papoulias, participated at the Evros Blessing od the Waters rite.
(ANA)
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW IN THE BOSPHORUS
PIRAEUS
ATHENS
THESSALONIKI
IOANNINA
IRAKLIO, CRETE
TYRNAVOS
ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW IN THE BOSPHORUS
PIRAEUS
ATHENS
THESSALONIKI
IOANNINA
IRAKLIO, CRETE
TYRNAVOS
