The Epiphany, which marks the revelation of Jesus Christ to the world, was celebrated with the tradition of blessing the waters in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, and Adelaide.
In Sydney, residents watched the ceremony at Carss Park and enjoyed an all-day feast featuring performances by Stella Konitopoulou and her band from Greece.
The diving of the Holy Cross took place in the Carss Park beach, presided over by Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the Greek Counsel General of Sydney Yannis Mallikourtis, and Stephen Kamper, who is Minister for Small Business, Minister for Lands and Property, Minister for Multiculturalism, and Minister for Sports.
Over 50000 people attended the event, which included Greek stalls and live music from 11 am to 9 pm.
The Greek Festival, which occurs each year, was merged into the blessing of the waters.
Batemans Bay became a focal point in Canberra as crowds, including locals, Sydneysiders, and Canberrans, gathered to witness the Blessing of the Waters, an Epiphany celebration. Led by Father Iakovos from St Demetrios Parish Queanbeyan, along with Father Platon and Father Kyriacou at St John the Baptist Greek Orthodox Church, the divine liturgy was marked by the Blessing of Archbishop Makarios and Bishop Bartholomew. The event was graced by the presence of His Excellency Mr. Georges Papacostas, the Ambassador of Greece, and Mr. Sid Pascalidis, the President of the Greek Orthodox Community of Batemans Bay.
Melbourne on Saturday attracted a large crowd for the Epiphany celebrations in Frankston, Rye, and Rosebud, but heavy rain on Sunday prevented many from attending the main Blessing of the Waters event at Princess Pier in Port Melbourne.
Dignitaries, among them the Consul General of Greece in Melbourne, Emmanuel Kakavelakis, attended the event. The traditional tossing of the cross into the water, followed by the race to retrieve it, was witnessed with great excitement by the gathered crowds.
Adelaide also held two Epiphany celebrations on Sunday. The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia organized the 44th Blessing of the Waters Ceremony at Glenelg Jetty, where over 50 registered swimmers dove for the cross. The Greek Orthodox Community of South Australia also held its annual event at Henley Beach foreshore.
Congratulations to George Langanis, who retrieved the Holy Cross at Henley Beach today!
📸 ©️Greek Orthodox Community of SA
