THE EPIPHANY

The Epiphany in Cyprus is a public holiday that is celebrated on January 6th every year. It generally marks the end of the festive season and it is often referred to as the final day of Orthodox Christmas. Epiphany celebrates several facets of the Greek Orthodox religion and its importance is heavily emphasised in the Greek Orthodox calendar. 

VARIOUS CELEBRATIONS

Epiphany also celebrates the Feast of Theophany and the assertion of Saint Epiphanius, who was the first Archbishop of Cyprus, later to be canonised as a saint. In some circles, Epiphany also celebrates Three Kings Day, which obliges godparents to bestow gifts to their godchildren. 

ALSO KNOWN AS ‘FOTA’

The celebration is also known as ‘Fota’, which derives from the Greek word for ‘light’. This is further emphasised by Greek Orthodox doctrines, symbolising the enlightenment of people during the sacrament of baptism. This is further enforced by the church that conducts a special ceremony where water is blessed. This represents purity, whilst commemorating the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

VARIOUS TRADITIONS

In Cyprus, various traditions and customs take hold during the Epiphany. Greek Orthodox clergy perform ceremonial blessings of any prominent body of water. The blessing ceremony normally takes place in a coastal area, but inland rivers are also used for this ceremony. 

THE CEREMONY OF THE BLESSING

The ceremony begins with the main service at the church that involves a blessing of the cross. The priest and his entourage, then make their way to a place of water. As part of the ceremony, one of the priests hurls the blessed cross into the water and young divers, of all ages compete to retrieve it. The person who eventually retrieves the cross receives a special blessing from the priest. The priest then blesses the procession and crowd using holy water before concluding the proceedings with another church service. The day then continues with collective feasting and socialising with family and friends.