Blessing of the waters at Corfu Old Port
Epiphany
06 Jan 2020
/ 11:18
CORFU. The traditional blessing of the waters took place at the Old Port with sunshine but 7 degrees Celsius.
A crowd of spectators watched the ceremony from Mourayia, with its panoramic view of the sea. 21 swimmers braved the cold and the freezing north wind to dive into the sea determined to retrieve the cross and receive the blessings.
Following the service at the Metropolitan Church there was a procession with local dignitaries to the Cafe Yiali at the Old Port accompanied by the 'Capodistrias' Philharmonic Band.
Clerics and local authority members boarded a Coast Guard vessel and Archbishop Nektarios then blessed the waters by throwing the cross into the sea representing the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan.
This year 27-year-old Tom Dirksen from the Netherlands retrieved the cross.
See more photos here.
Following the service at the Metropolitan Church there was a procession with local dignitaries to the Cafe Yiali at the Old Port accompanied by the 'Capodistrias' Philharmonic Band.
Clerics and local authority members boarded a Coast Guard vessel and Archbishop Nektarios then blessed the waters by throwing the cross into the sea representing the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan.
This year 27-year-old Tom Dirksen from the Netherlands retrieved the cross.
See more photos here.
