Crete tourist guide

Epiphany 2024

2024-01-07 12:48:35

Yesterday, January 6, Greeks celebrated Epiphany, which is associated primarily with the interesting custom of consecrating water and the spectacular tradition of fishing out a cross. The Feast of the Epiphany ends the celebration of Christmas. Religious ceremonies are organized on this holiday, and after they are over, a procession of believers and clergy marches to the water reservoir available in the area. And this is where the most interesting part of this spectacle begins, i.e. the blessing of water. After reading a prayer from the liturgical book, the priest throws the cross into the water, and brave souls who are not afraid of cold baths try to fish it out. Since the person who catches the cross is (supposedly) particularly lucky throughout the year, there is usually no shortage of people willing to compete.

Epiphany in Heraklion. Photo source: https://flashnews.gr

In cities and towns located by the sea, the ceremony takes place on the coast. In small villages far from the sea or other water bodies, a vessel with water placed in the church is simply blessed. In villages near dams, celebrations take place there.

Yesterday in Heraklion, the Epiphany celebrations gathered a large number of people, including the mayor and the Minister of Agriculture and Food Development of Greece. Crowds of residents also took part in the celebrations on the coast of the Venetian Port in Rethymno. In the main cities of mainland Greece, the water consecration ceremony was held on an even grander scale. In Piraeus, Thessaloniki and Athens, in addition to residents and clergy, political and military leaders were present.

Epiphany in Rethymno. Photo source: www.rethemnosnews.gr

“ The Day of Consecration of the Waters is a great day for Hellenism and Orthodoxy, ” said Christos Stylianidis, Minister of Shipping and Island Policy. “ Greeks all over the world celebrate this day that unites us and makes us stronger. I wish Greek shipping and Greek sailors calm seas ."

What Epiphany traditionally looks like

Epiphany was established to commemorate the baptism of Jesus on the Jordan River, which is why the name Baptism of the Lord is also used to refer to this holiday. In the Greek Orthodox Church, as we described above, it is celebrated in quite a special way. Of course, the form of rituals and customs accompanying the main religious celebrations may be slightly different depending on the region of Greece. The festive atmosphere prevails the day before, on January 5. On this day, the faithful go to church, Lent dishes appear on the tables, and houses (and others) are visited by a priest who blesses them. On January 6, the faithful gather in churches for Divine Liturgies, i.e. the equivalent of the Holy Mass according to the Holy Liturgy. Basil the Great. Later, together with the priests, they go in a solemn procession towards the sea or another available body of water, where the water is blessed as described above.

Gosia,  2024-01-07 12:48:35

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