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Heraklion gears up for Epiphany

People looking for a New Year getaway may want to book flights to Heraklion in Greece in order to witness the annual Epiphany celebrations on January 6th 2008.

Christians believe that the day marks the anniversary of Jesus' baptism in the River Jordan and in many parts of the eastern world, celebrations of the event have retained a strong association with water.

In Heraklion, the local priest will go to the edge of the harbour and throw an ornate crucifix into the water in front of a watching crowd of residents and visitors.

It is said that the person who swims to bring the object back to shore will be lucky for the rest of the year, something that persuades a small number of people to throw themselves into the harbour in search of the crucifix.

After he has blessed the fortunate person who returns the item, the priest will welcome local fisherman into the port and bless each of their boats.

With numerous hotel accommodation options in the resort, attending the event is very convenient and also offers the opportunity for tourists to explore the pretty town.

Article ID: 561, Posted: Thu, 06 Dec 2007 15:05:41 GMT