THE EPIPHANY
The Epiphany in Cyprus is a public holiday that is celebrated on January 6th every year. The Epiphany is also known as the Feast of Theophany. It is also referred to as Orthodox Christmas. This public holiday is known to Cypriots as “The Lights” and it is a very important date in the Greek Orthodox calendar. The Epiphany marks the end of the festive season in Cyprus. On this day, the Greek Orthodox Church commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River by John the Baptist by a ceremony blessing water which symbolises purity.

VARIOUS TRADITIONS
In Cyprus, various traditions and customs take place during the Epiphany. One of the most prominent rituals that takes place, is the blessing of the waters. This blessing symbolises Christ’s baptism. The Orthodox clergy perform a ceremonial blessing of any prominent body of water. The blessing ceremony normally takes place at a coastal area, but inland rivers are also used for this ceremony. 

CEREMONY
The ceremony begins at the church with the blessing of the cross and the main service. The priest and his ontourage, then make their way to a place of water. As part of the ceremony, one of the priests hurls the blessed cross into the body of water. Young divers of all ages compete to retrieve it. The person that eventually retrieves the cross receives a special blessing from the priest, which is said to bring him good fortune for the rest of the year. A church service concludes the ceremony and the priest then usually blesses the procession and crowd with holy water. The day continues with collective feasting and socialising with family and friends.