On the day when Eastern Christians celebrate Christmas Eve, Greek residents celebrate Epiphany (Greek). Θεοφάνια), which is called Fota (Greek) here. Φώτα) — verbatim «lights» — or Theofania — Epiphany. It ends the celebration of 12 Christmas days.
The Greek Orthodox Church, living according to the Gregorian calendar, celebrates this holiday together with Western Christians — almost two weeks earlier than the Russian Orthodox Church. Like other major church holidays, this day is a holiday in Greece.
Traditionally, the celebration of Theophany begins with an evening service in the church the day before, i.e. January 5th. After its completion, the priest goes from house to house with a cross, sprinkling holy water on the home. On the holiday itself, the main celebrations take place in the main Greek harbor of Piraeus near Athens. A prayer service is held on the pier, surrounded by festively cleaned warships.
It is believed that on this holiday all the waters of the world — rivers, lakes, seas are consecrated. On this day, the rite of blessing of waters is performed throughout the country. The solemn religious procession heads to the sea, on the shore of which a prayer service is held in memory of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan.
Theophany — is the last holiday of winter, when children earn pocket money by singing carols. In addition, at prayer services in the coastal cities of the country, the long-standing custom of competitions between young people is fulfilled. Its essence is that the priest throws a silver cross into the sea. Daredevils from among the young men immediately dive into the icy sea water, and each of them tries to get the cross first. However, in case the young men gape, the cross is always tied with a rope so that it does not drown in the sea.
Prayer services are held on January 6 not only in the capital's harbor of Piraeus, but also in all the main seaports of Greece, in the Thermal Bay in Thessaloniki, on all the islands, in the cities of Patras, Volos and others.