Greeks all over the world celebrated the Epiphany, the Blessing of the Waters, on Thursday. The tradition wants the faithful to dive into the waters not matter how cold or warm to catch the Holy Cross a local priest has thrown into it in a ceremony called the “Diving of the Holy Cross.”
Video: Thessaloniki
Also this year and with largely mild temperatures and sunshine the faithful jumped into sea, in lakes and in rivers the faithful kept the tradition and there was always one lucky one to catch the Cross and be declared the Blessed of the year.
Video: Piraeus
In big urban cities, the clergy of big Metropolises had the divers to submit vaccination and negative Covid-test to the port authorities before they could participate in the traditional ceremony.
Epiphany Zakynthos
Safety measures were also maintained by the crowd that attended the Divine Liturgy and the Blessing of the Waters.
Blessing the Water in “Greek village” Tarpon Springs in Florida, USA – via ERT TV.
In areas where there is no natural water sources nearby, the ceremony is normally held only in the church court yard, where the clergy and the faithful gather around a baptismal font.
The faithful take a bottle of the Blessed Water home, family members drink a sip and the rest is sprinkled all over the house with a sprig of fresh basil for Blessing and Good Luck.
In the ceremony held at the Metropolis of Larissa, the faithful jumped into the cold waters of Pineios river. The Blessed of the Year was a father who jumped together with his 14-year-old son.
Be blessed also in 2022.
I don’t know, tradition, …but… perhaps they’d better throw lifeboats