Hardy swimmers brave icy waters of Istanbul's Golden Horn to retrieve cross in traditional ceremony
ISTANBUL
The
head of the Greek Orthodox Church celebrated Christmas with a
traditional ceremony on the banks of Istanbul’s Golden Horn on Friday.
The
Orthodox Christmas celebrations began with a service held in Hagia
Yorgi Church adjacent to the patriarchate’s residence. Prayers were led
by Patriarch Bartholomew I.
Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis was also present during the four-hour service.
After
the church service, clergy and members of the congregation went to
Fener dock on the shores of the Golden Horn. A cross was thrown into and
then retrieved from the water by a group of swimmers.
Due
to a difference in calendars, Jan. 6 marks Christmas Eve for many
Orthodox churches and Christmas is celebrated on Jan. 7 rather than Dec.
25.
The majority of Orthodox churches
worldwide use the Julian calendar, created under the reign of Julius
Caesar in 45 BC, and have not adopted the Gregorian calendar, proposed
by Latin Pope Gregory of Rome in 1582. The former calendar runs 13 days
behind the latter.
*Reporting by Mucahit Turetken; Writing by Hatice Kesgin
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