Experiencing rituals in other countries: I love it! We filmed the Greek Orthodox holiday of Epiphany on January 6th with the ritual called the “blessing of the waters”.
⭐ The Greek Orthodox priest blesses a cross and throws it into the water of the harbor. This symbolizes the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan by John the Baptist.
⭐ Young men (and in some areas women) dive into the water to retrieve the cross. It is considered a great honor and blessing for the person who brings the cross back to the priest.
⭐ Before the ceremony there is a church service and after the ceremony there is a party, music, and traditional meals. Flares with colored smoke are set off on the water.
We were moored with the catamaran at the quay of this harbor, which was full of people, and 30 meters in front of us the ritual took place! So we had a front row seat and filmed everything with our drone.
Epiphany literally means “appearance” or “manifestation” and marks the end of the Christmas season and symbolizes the renewed blessing of nature, water, and community.
