Fresh Start: Greek Orthodox community mark holy day

Townsville’s rockpool was the site of a holy celebration across the weekend, with members of the Greek christian community coming out to mark the day of Jesus’ baptism.

The celebration of the Epiphany is one of the most sacred in the calendar of the Greek Orthodox faith. It is the throwing of the Cross Ð and blessing of the waters. Held in Townsville at the rock pool. Picture: Evan Morgan

The year ahead will be filled with good luck for Yanni Collicott after his eleventh attempt to successfully pluck a cross thrown and submerged into the rockpool.

He was the lucky swimmer who retrieved the cross in the annual Greek Celebration of Epiphany which involes a blessing of the waters and throwing of the cross ceremony.

After the waters are blessed by a Greek priest, young men lined up swim and dive for a cross thrown into the water by the priest.

The celebration of the Epiphany is one of the most sacred in the calendar of the Greek Orthodox faith. It is the throwing of the Cross Ð and blessing of the waters. Held in Townsville at the rock pool. Father Sotirios Papafilopoulos. Picture: Evan Morgan

Born and raised in Townsville, Collicott said he first participated in the ceremony aged 10 but this was the first time he had successfully raised the cross from the bottom of the rockpool.

“It’s just an important day for the Greeks, with the blessing to the waters, and obviously, I’m lucky enough to get the cross today and getting good luck for the year,” he said.

“It’s the first time I’ve found it, but my cousin’s found it a few times before me, so just happy to keep it in the family.

“It’s just good luck for yourself. Good luck for the family. Happy health and I know God is watching over the year.”

The celebration of the Epiphany is one of the most sacred in the calendar of the Greek Orthodox faith. It is the throwing of the Cross Ð and blessing of the waters. Held in Townsville at the rock pool. Father Sotirios Papafilopoulos with Yani Collocott who found the cross in the water after it had been thrown. Picture: Evan Morgan

Greek community member Bill Malandris said the blessing of the waters and the throwing of the cross marked the epiphany, or baptism of Christ in the River Jordan.

“The ceremony is one of the most sacred in the calendar of the Greek Orthodox faith,” he said.

“On the throwing of the Holy Cross, young men dive into the sea to retrieve it. The person who comes up with the Holy Cross is said to have good luck for the remainder of the year and is presented with a gold cross and chain.”

He said throughout Australia, the Orthodox Christian faithful celebrated Epiphany on Saturday.

“Greece, the place of origin of many Greek immigrants, is a country surrounded by sea with a great number of islands where many of its people are seamen.

“Like Greece, Australia is a large island surrounded by sea and the tradition of the blessing of the waters, bestowing the blessing of the baptized Christ on those whose life is dependent on the sea, including members of the Royal Australian Navy and all mariners.”

Originally published as Fresh Start: Greek Orthodox community mark holy day