Epiphany

The celebration of the Epiphany, also known as Theophany, is an annual holiday and day of multiple festivities! Each year, the Epiphany takes place on January 6th. 

Epiphany is one of the first feast days of the calendar year, and it celebrates the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, mentioned in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The 6th of January is also a commemoration of the visit of the three wise men to Bethlehem, offering gold, myrrh, and frankincense to the Son of God, a custom usually celebrated by non-Orthodox followers.

Being a public holiday in numerous countries, including Finland, Austria, Greece, Poland, and Sweden, the Epiphany is full of activities!
Specifically, in Greece, various customs take place all throughout the country, most notable of which is the throwing of the wooden cross, where a priest tosses one into the waters and a handful of skilled swimmers dive in order to be the first ones to catch it! In addition, the festivities in Kavala include a street theater performance with actors dressed in total black, while Drama hosts the camel’s procession, a satirical show where people parade in camel costumes!