January 6

Let the fiestas begin.

The first fiesta of 2020 was of course New Years Day
name day of those called Vasilis or for females, Vasiliki, and our elderly and fearless neighbour Vaso.

January 6th is a public holdiday, the day the waters are blessed whether they be the Aegean, the Adriatic, the local swimming pool, river or lake.
This day the Orthodox church celebrates the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist.

Our local priests gather to throw a cross into the harbour three times.  It's attached to a long ribbon and is pulled back twice.  The third time a band of very hardy boys and girls dive into the sea to retrieve it.  They'll have to be very healthy and hardy to dive in tomorrow.  We are in the grips of a storm called Hephaestos and most of the country is covered in thick snow.  

Two of my grandaughters went swimming yesterday and boy that water was cold.  I saw a video of them making the plunge.   They didn't dive straight in. The sun was shining yesterday although the water must have been freezing.  Today the weather has changed completely.  No snow here but much lower temperatures and freezing rain.
The girls won't be diving into the sea for the cross ,  They may be rowing their boats as escort to the priests and official party.  Though it may be too rough  for small rowing boats. There are gale force winds down on the harbour. Youngest grandson would love to dive for the cross but he's on anitbiotics for a very bad chest cough.  Plenty more years to come. 

January 7 is the feast of St John, Agios  Yiannis. I  don't  know how many churches there are on the island dedicated to St John but just off the cuff I can think of 4, all with fiestas on different days, mainly in the summer when the faithful are able to celebrate  with more gusto.

 Our closest church, tiny chapel, is dedicated to St John the Theologist and the fiesta is late September.  Then there is another little church on the waterfront whose fiesta coincides with midsummer.  Up at the top of the island near the clock tower the church dedicated to St John is the oldest on the island and across the water is the church to St John where young children climb through a tiny window. Mama leaves a piece of, clean,  underwear behind to ensure good health of the child.
  
There is a saying around here  'Every house has a Yiannis, and a house that doesn't is not going to achieve much'.
We have a Yiannis, our son in law.  Thank goodness.  Kronia Polla Yianni.





The head of the Greek Orthodox church preapres to throw the cross into the harbour in Piraeus.  He is surrounded by the President of the Republic and all the big-wigs of the country.  Out in the harbour are 3 minesweepers and a band of  the Navy's finest, in wet suits, are ready to dive for the cross.