Hundreds of young and old Greeks across the country defied the cold January waters and dived in the sea, in lakes and rivers to catch the Holy Cross and be be blessed throughout the 2026. It is considered a special honor to participate to the blessing of the waters on Epiphany day traditionally celebrated on January 6.
Epiphany 2026 in Kefalari, Drama, northern Greece.
The most impressive ceremony is at the port of Piraeus where active and retired members of the Navy jumped into the waters.
The ceremony of Epiphany was held also outside the borders of Greece, in Istanbul, Turkey, for example, the seat of the Greek Orthodoxy, or in Melbourne, Australia, among diaspora Greeks.
#θεοφανεια στην Κωνσταντινούπολη 2026 pic.twitter.com/2E67lrnSNN
— Ιωάννης Μπινιάρης (@J_Biniaris) January 6, 2026
✝️Πλήθος ομογενών στη Μελβούρνη γιόρτασε τα Θεοφάνια
🏊♂️Ο 18χρονος Κυριάκος από τη Ρόδο έπιασε τον Σταυρό
Συμμετείχε για τρίτη φορά στην τελετή
🎥Greek Plateia#ingr #insnapshot #θεοφανεια #Μελβουρνη pic.twitter.com/0aZ6G6UW5G
— in.gr/news (@in_gr) January 6, 2026
However, not everywhere the custom concluded in the appropriate atmosphere of religious devotion an respect: In Florina, northern Greece, the men who dived in the waters of Sakouleva river ended up fighting and swearing at each other and not allowing the guy who caught the Cross to enjoy the moment.
In Herakleio, the men who dived for the Cross were so zealous that they broke a piece of it.
Be blessed and enlightened.
