The celebration of Epiphany started on Friday morning within the backyard of the Fener Greek Patriarchate in Istanbul.
According to Christian perception, a service is held yearly on the anniversary of the baptism of Jesus Christ. This yr marked the 2023rd commeration of the occasion.
Kadıköy Metropolitan Emmanuel Adamakis performed the service and prayers had been mentioned on the ceremony, which began at 9 a.m. Visitors lit candles and attended the mass prayer. As a precaution, intensive safety measures had been taken across the Patriarchate.
The mass lasted for about 4 hours. Later, Istanbul Greek Patriarch Bartholomew I and people who attended the service proceeded to the Golden Horn coast, the place Bartholomew threw a cross into the ocean. Twenty folks promptly jumped into the frigid waters to retrieve it. By custom, a crucifix is forged into the waters of a lake or river, and it’s believed that the one that retrieves it is going to be free of evil spirits and be wholesome all year long. After the cross is fished the priest sprinkles believers with water utilizing a bunch of basil.
Thanos Apostolakis, who mentioned he got here from the island of Crete, was the one who succeeded in grabbing the cross. The seaside ceremony was watched with curiosity by many individuals close by.
The occasion was additionally monitored by the maritime police and coast guard groups for safety measures.
The Epiphany ceremony was additionally held in different districts of Türkiye and nations world wide, together with in Türkiye’s neighbor Bulgaria the place Bulgarians celebrated Epiphany with conventional rituals. As in Istanbul, 1000’s of younger males are plunging into rivers and lakes throughout Bulgaria to retrieve crucifixes in an outdated ritual marking the feast of Epiphany.
Epiphany marks the top of the 12 days of Christmas, however not all Orthodox Christian church buildings have a good time it on the identical day.
While the Orthodox Christian church buildings in Greece, Bulgaria and Romania have a good time the feast on Jan. 6, Orthodox Churches in Russia, Ukraine and Serbia observe the Julian calendar, in line with which Epiphany is widely known on Jan. 19, as their Christmas falls on Jan. 7.
Some Western Christian church buildings have a good time the non secular vacation of Epiphany as Three Kings Day, which marks the go to of the Magi, or three clever males, to the newborn Jesus and shut out the Christmas season.
