Another Feast

6th January  Epiphany 

A most important feast day marking the end of the festive period.  It celebrates the baptism of Christ in the Jordan river and  his revelation to the world as the Son of God.

So what does that actually mean?  Here it's usually preceded by a day of fasting and the third carol sung by children going from house to house as at Xmas and New Year.

The 6th of January is a national holiday and normally everyone dresses up in their best and goes down to the harbour to see the three head priests gather to throw a cross into the sea and 'baptise' the waters.  As the cross (attached to a long ribbon so it's not lost on the sea bottom) goes in for the third time a group of hardy kids dive in to retrieve it, the first to grab the cross being especially blessed.

Most then continue drinking ouzo and eating mezedakia (snacks of pork and other meaty tidbits) with big groups of their friends.

Last year there was only a church service, no blessing of the waters.  This year each church can do as they think proper for these times.

We didn't get dressed up and we didn't go down to the harbour for coffee or ouzo or cross throwing.  There are far too many virus cases on the island just now and it's safer to stay at home.

K watched the service on TV that was conducted by the Orthodox Patriarch  in Constantinople (Istanbul to you).  Then two, vaccinated, friends came round and he feasted here instead.  We'll see what tomorrow brings.  Hopefully no ponokefalo (headache) or worrying sniffles.

Day after ponokefaloes are the norm, sniffles are not