The light of the Epiphany sends a strong message of hope for our country, emphasised Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in his statement after the water consecration ceremony in Chania.
"And as we are at the dawn of 2024, we have the right to look to the future with more optimism and more self-esteem," added Mitsotakis.
He noted that "difficulties are not lacking, from the major geopolitical crises in our neighbourhood, the imported precision, and we are at the forefront of dealing with them."
He said, "We will continue to fight for a better everyday life for all Greek men and women, a rapidly growing economy that creates well-paid jobs, a quality public education, good health for all with more security in all neighbourhoods of our homeland."
"At the same time, we will also be on the lookout for seasonal problems such as the outbreak of the flu and the coronavirus, which is why we vaccinate and protect ourselves and protect our most vulnerable fellow citizens," added Mr Mitsotakis.
"I wish every Greek woman and every Greek man all over the earth a happy new year and enlightenment, health, a joy to all your loved ones," he concluded.
In the Venetian Port, the sanctification of the waters in Chania
The prime minister attended the doxology at the Holy Metropolitan Church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary and then went to the water consecration ceremony in the Venetian Port of Chania.
The prime minister, in fact, congratulated the brave people who dived into the waters to grab the cross while his son Konstantinos Mitsotakis was with him.
Mitsotakis arrived at the Holy Metropolitan Church accompanied by the Mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simandirakis, the ND deputies of the prefecture Sevi Voloudakis and Alexandros Markogiannakis, and the deputy governor of Chania Nikos Kalogeri.
It is recalled that in the afternoon, the Prime Minister will have a private meeting at the home of the Mitsotakis family in Chania with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, with whom they are expected to discuss the crises in the Middle East and Ukraine as well as the supply of F- 35 from Greece.
See photos from the presence of Mitsotakis in Chania:
The good weather helped the brave, who decided to observe the custom of Theophany and dive into the cold waters of the harbour to catch the cross thrown by the Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronou Damascenes.
READ MORE: ‘Ta Fota’: One of Greece’s holiest and most sacred celebrations.
