By Madison McGuinness and Andriana Simos.
Greek communities turned out in huge numbers over the weekend to attend traditional Blessing of the Waters events across Australia.
Here is The Greek Herald‘s list of the winners and events that were held in Tasmania, Queensland, Western Australia, the Australian Capital Territory, and NSW’s Wollongong.
New South Wales:
In the New South Wales coastal city of Wollongong, people gathered at the local harbour for the annual Blessing of the Waters ceremony.
The event saw both local Wollongong churches, St Nectarios Greek Orthodox Church and the Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church, conduct the Epiphany together.
24-year-old first-time diver Chris Kiotis retrieved the Holy Cross from the harbour, much to the joy of his family and friends present.
“In the lead up, I wasn’t even going to jump in to be honest, but I’m glad that I did,” Chris told The Greek Herald.
“It means a lot because my dad has won it twice, 20, 30 years ago. So it’s good to keep it in the family.”
Australian Capital Territory:
The Blessing of the Waters ceremony held in Canberra’s Casuarina Sands, showed members of the local St Nicholas Greek Orthodox Parish joining together in celebration.
Attended by families from the parish and Greece’s Ambassador to Australia, Stavros Venizelos, the event marked a moment of community unity and faith.
During the ceremony, Aristotelis Mavroudis, a local student, was the fortunate participant who caught the Holy Cross. The community extended their blessings to him.
Following the religious service, a meal was shared, prepared by the Greek Community of Canberra and the Ladies of the Philoptochos Society. It was a joyful gathering that highlighted the spirit of fellowship and tradition.
Tasmania:
On a hot but rainy day in Hobart, Tasmania, Yianni Anagnostis retrieved the Holy Cross at a combined Blessing of the Waters ceremony between The Greek Orthodox Church of St George The Martyr in Hobart and the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Parish of Hobart.
A large, umbrella-clad crowd gathered at Long Beach in Sandy Bay as the participants made their way to the boat for the annual dive. In an all-time first, the event saw six girls participating in the celebration.
Yianni‘s success marked his fourth consecutive year retrieving the Holy Cross.
“He’s very happy with himself,” Yianni’s partner Georgia told The Greek Herald.
Queensland:
In Queensland, on Sunday, January 12, the Church of Saint Anna on the Gold Coast held the official Blessing of the Waters event.
Presided over by His Grace Bishop Bartholomew of Brisbane, the dive for the Holy Cross took place at 11.30am at Evandale Lake. This year, two crosses were thrown in the water. One for all the children and later, a cross for the adults.
Following this, an Epiphany Festival took place at the St Anna Community Centre in Bundall.
Western Australia:
On Sunday, January 12, the Archdiocesan District of Perth hosted a vibrant Epiphany celebration at Matilda Bay Reserve, drawing the local Greek community together for a day of food, music and tradition.
Attendees enjoyed a plethora of delicious offerings, including souvlakia, a sausage sizzle, Greek sweets and refreshing drinks as a live Greek band provided entertainment.
In the early afternoon, His Grace Bishop Elpidios of Perth conducted the Blessing of the Waters wherein both teenagers and adults participated in the traditional diving for the cross.
The event was a joyous celebration of faith and community spirit, marking a memorable Epiphany for all those in attendance.
