(6 Jan 2025)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Pireaus, Greece – 6 January 2025
1. Priests leading the liturgy
2. Priest tossing a wooden cross, faithful rush in water to retrieve it
3. Various of faithful in water retrieving the cross then celebrating
4. Faithful kissing cross
5. Faithful handing cross back to priest to toss it again
STORYLINE:
A large crowd watched on as dozens of swimmers rushed to retrieve a wooden cross thrown by a priest into the water, in a ceremony marking Epiphany near the port of Piraeus outside Athens on Monday.
The January 6 holiday is marked by blessing of the waters ceremonies, during which swimmers compete to retrieve the floating cross.
Hundreds watched as a man emerged victorious after catching the cross in the event marking the baptism of Jesus Christ.
The priest was handed back the cross and he tossed it twice more, giving the chance to two more people. All three received cups, and all faithful that dived received medals to remember their participation.
Epiphany, or "The Blessing of the Waters", is held every year on January 6 and is a public holiday across Greece.
Swimmers believe good fortune will come their way when they participate in this custom. By tradition, the person who retrieves the wooden cross will be freed from evil spirits and will be healthy throughout the year.
The religious holiday of Epiphany is also celebrated in some Western Christian churches as Three Kings Day, which marks the visit of the Magi, or three wise men, to the baby Jesus, and closes out the Christmas season.
Epiphany marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas, but not all Orthodox Christian churches celebrate it on the same day.
While the Orthodox Christian churches in Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania follow the revised Julian calendar and celebrate the feast on January 6, other Eastern Orthodox Churches, including those of Russia, Ukraine and Serbia, celebrate on January 19, as their Christmas falls on January 7.
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