Young men in Greece dive for wooden cross in Epiphany celebration
Greece marked Epiphany on Tuesday with the traditional blessing of the waters, a ritual observed across the country each year on January 6. In the port city of Piraeus, dozens of young men plunged into the cold sea after an Orthodox priest threw a wooden cross into the harbour. The diver who retrieves it is believed to receive good fortune for the year ahead. The ceremony followed a Divine Liturgy and a short procession to the waterfront. Families and onlookers gathered despite water temperatures of around 10 to 15°C. Similar rites took place in coastal towns, rivers and lakes throughout Greece and Cyprus. In Nicosia, Epiphany was also observed. At Saint Barbara church, priests led a blessing of the waters attended by local families. Across the island, ceremonies focused on collective prayer rather than competition, reflecting the same spiritual meaning of purification and renewal.
