It’s summer in Australia and some 10,000 people turned out across the country to watch celebrations for the Epiphany and to see Greek Orthodox clergy perform the Great Blessing of Waters and cast a cross into the water to be fetched by a lucky finder.
With warm temperatures, the crowd were large and took part in a spectacle that included many vessels around the ports and harbors were the festivities took place. The celebration of Theophany has now become a tourist attraction in Australia, especially in Melbourne, the metropolis of Hellenism in Australia, there have been many fests of waters’ blessing this year.
The commemorations took place among others at Frankston Beach where the Church of Epiphany celebrated as well as Rays holiday resort near the Church Panagia Kamariani.
The main celebration was at the Holy Archdiocese of Australia in Princess Pier, at Melbourne’s port followed by a Greek feast.
Christo Joannides was blessed with a year of good health and prosperity after he beat 42 other swimmers to find a cross thrown into the water.
Multicultural Affairs Minister Nicholas Kotsiras said the magnificent event, held at Princes Pier in Port Melbourne, commemorated Jesus Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan.
“But it’s also about the thousands of Greek migrants who started a new life in a new country. We remember the past … and we celebrate the present and what we’ve achieved,” Mr Kotsiras said.
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