Today is a public holiday in Cyprus to mark the Feast of the Epiphany - also known as “Ta Phota” (“the light”) or “Theofania”, it is a celebration of the baptism of Jesus in the Orthodox Church.
Marking the end of the festive season, it falls on the twelfth day of Christmas, and is an important religious holiday with services & celebrations taking place across Cyprus.
Arguably the most iconic moment on this day, is when a priest throws the Holy Cross into the sea for brave swimmers, defying the cold temperatures, to try retrieve. It is believed that the person who captures the cross and returns it to the priest will be blessed for the whole year.
Folklore has it that the Epiphany, is also the day that the world is cleansed of the mischievous ‘kallikantzaroi’ (καλικάντζαροι), the Christmas goblins that try to torment Christians through the festive season.
As a public holiday, it means that banks will be closed, as will government offices. In addition, many general stores/supermarkets & businesses, but not all, will also be closed for the day.
Photo: File photo
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