Dave and Gerry's Alonissos Island Information Site
Dave and Gerry's Alonissos Island Information Site |
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Epiphany on Alonissos - 6th January 2011 |
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Click on the links in the text to view pictures of the Epiphany ceremony. The Epiphany service took place on Friday 6th January and we went down to the harbour in Patitiri around 10.15am with the expectation that the blessing of the water service would start around 10.30am. The wind was blowing hard but from a southerly direction so although not that cold the water in the harbour was quite calm compared to the water out at sea. We went to the Cave bar to have a coffee and wait for the service to start. People started arriving early for the service which Father Avraam started not long after 10.30am. There were not as large a turn out as in previous years which may have been due to the doom and gloom about the weather. During the service three brave youths came to the edge of the port and the coastguard dinghy came into the harbour in case of problems and to get the swimmers out of the cold water. Father Avraam had a wooden cross in his hand with which he made the sign of the cross and then threw it into the water twice and then pulled it back. The third time the cross was thrown into the water and the boys jumped in and swam out to get the cross. Once retrieved the boys swam to the coastguard boat which then took them to the edge of the port and dry land. After the ceremony father Avraam blessed the congregation and distributed holy water from a large silver urn while we all headed back to the Cave bar for a drink. |
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