Nomadish

Nomadish

20 January 2014

Epiphany, the celebration of 6 January

I was spending this day in Matala and could participate of this Greek celebration,Festival of Epiphany, or 'The Blessing of the Waters', is held every year on January 6 throughout all of Greece. It is the day of Jesus got babtized and this is the special occasion when many daring young Greek men brave the chilly waters to dive for a cross after it has been blessed by a priest and thrown into the water. They say the first man who recovers the cross is going to have good luck throughout the coming year. Priest throws the cross three times, but the first one who gets it gets the glory. The day long festival also features the blessing of small boats and ships, and later on affords entertainment, music, dancing and food to all those who are present. I was tasting first time Metaxa in my life (!!).

Was nice to see this village full of life, when the streets are usually empty this time of year. I was also told that last five previous years it has always been rainy, but this year we had luck, bathing in full sun, great!

Ceremony is held on these rocks, getting ready to start soon


First aid is also ready..

All the tavernas and streets where full

Priest arriving to the "stage"



Ceremony is about to start

Cross has been thrown!!!

You can see the cross in the air circled

young men searching the cross

This young man was the lucky one this year, bless him!

After catching the cross, all boys may kiss it by turn

The winner climbing up to return the cross to the priest

second time cross throwing

One catched it again

priest giving his speach

ceremony in its end

Matala full of life ;)
 

7 comments:

  1. Olipa erikoinen Loppiainen! Teillä kävi tuuri,että olitte paikalla.Olit ottanut upean kuvasarjan tapahtumasta.Tuntui siltä,että olisi itsekin ollut mukana.

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    1. Kyllä, oli mielenkiintoista nähdä tämä tapahtuma ja kiva että tunne välittyi sinnekin asti kuvien mukana!

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  2. Ehkäpä joskus onnistuisi olemaan talviaikaan Kreikassa. Onhan tämä ristinsukellus kiva nähdä edes kerran. Hieno kuvasarja, todella. Mitehkähän kylmää vesi on tähän aikaan vuodesta siellä?

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    1. Kyselin tuota veden lämpötilaa ja sanoivat sen olevan juuri niin kuin arvelin, +18 nurkilla. Ei kuulemma usein laske alle +16 eteläisellä Kreetalla, hyvinkin uintikelpoista läpi talven (useimmille!) ;)

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  3. Heissan Eija, Etelä-Kreetalla näkee päivittäin ihmisten vielä pulikoivan vedessä, ainakin aurinkoisena päivänä, itselleni riittää nyt varpaiden kastelu. Oliskohan vesi vielä jossain +18 nurkilla? Ei siis mitenkään liian kylmää. Kyselen ympäriltä josko joku tietää varmasti oikean lukeman ;)

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Thank you for leaving a comment, they are always welcome in English, Finnish, Dutch or French, others I need google translate :)