Orthodox Christians celebrated the Feast of Epiphany in the Balkan countries of North Macedonia, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo.
During the celebrations held on the occasion of the Feast of Epiphany, citizens entered the cold water to cross themselves, creating colorful images.
Archbishop Stefan of Macedonia led the ceremony held in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.
Hundreds of people gathered around the Vardar River followed the ceremony of making the cross from the water, which took place after the religious ceremony.
Dozens of people competed to reach the cross thrown into the Vardar River passing through the city. 160 citizens applied for the competition to participate in the ceremony.
Darko Mitrovic was the first to reach the cross that Archbishop Stefan of Macedonia threw into the river.
Similar ceremonies were held in different cities of the country, especially Ohrid, one of the tourist cities of the country.
Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Kosovo
More than 400 swimmers attended the ceremonies held in Zemun, connected to the capital Belgrade in Serbia. Masa Petkovic, the first to reach for the cross thrown into the river, became the winner of this year’s ceremonies.
During the ceremonies held in the capital Belgrade, Nikola Trajkovic left his opponents behind and pulled the cross out of the water.
In Bosnia and Herzegovina, an event was held in the city of Banja Luka, with a march starting in front of the church, and a cross-making competition was held in the Vrbas River.
In Montenegro, rituals and swimming events were held in Bar, Budva and Tivat, as well as in the capital Podgorica.
Serbs in the north of Kosovo also held a traditional crossing ceremony at the Ujman Dam Lake.
Feast of the Epiphany
According to belief, the person who catches the cross will be lucky throughout the year, while the water coming into contact with the cross is believed to bring health.
Feast of Epiphany, Hz. It is also known as the 12th day holiday, referring to the fact that it is celebrated 12 days after the birth of Jesus. There are differences among Christian denominations regarding the reason for the celebrations.
While Catholics and Protestants commemorate the visit of three astrologers from the east to the baby Jesus, Orthodox Christians celebrate the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River.
