Celebrations marking the Holy Epiphany are taking place across Australia this weekend with priests and the devout flocking to the sea for the annual Blessing of the Waters.
The ceremonies, which begin with the divine liturgy and are followed by both minor and major blessings of large bodies of water, commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.
Port Melbourne’s Princess Pier will host the city’s “megas agiasmos” or great blessing on Sunday 8 January, with hundreds expected to line the pier for the blessing of the Holy Cross, right beside the historic dock which landed thousands of Greek migrants on their arrival in Australia.
State and local government officials, as well as esteemed members of the clergy and community are expected to attend the ceremony.
In Sydney, the celebration of the Holy Epiphany will take place at Yarra Bay in Bicentennial Park on Sunday. The dive for the Holy Cross which will be officiated by Archbishop Makarios begins at 1pm.
The event will be followed by a program of festivities featuring traditional dances and music under large shaded awnings, alongside food and refreshments.
Adelaide’s Blessing of the Waters Ceremony will also take place on 8 January from 12:30pm at Glenelg Jetty for the 43rd successive year.
Approximately 50 registered swimmers will attempt to be the first to retrieve the Holy Cross from the sea as they race from the jetty. The successful participant will earn themselves a gold crucifix for their efforts and it’s said, a special blessing for the year to come.
The ceremony will be supervised over by Bishop Silouan of Sinope together with members from Adelaide’s Orthodox Clergy, the Ukrainian, Serbian, Romanian and Antiochian churches coming together for the observance.
Premier of South Australia Peter Malinauskas and leader of the opposition David Speirs will be in attendance alongside other Local, State and Federal officials.
As has been customary in Adelaide, the Glenelg Greek Festival will run adjacent to the Blessing of the Waters over Saturday and Sunday at the grassed foreshore in front of the Stamford Grand Hotel.
The annual festival is organised by more than 120 volunteers from the Parishes of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of South Australia.
Western Australia will also hold its combined epiphany celebration 8 January on the foreshore of the Swan River at Matilda Bay Reserve.
The service will commence at 12:30pm preceded by a sausage sizzle from 11:30am, with sweets and refreshments also.
