Orthodox Christians mark Epiphany with swim in chilly waters of Istanbul's Golden Horn

Record ID: 1895447

  • Title: Orthodox Christians mark Epiphany with swim in chilly waters of Istanbul's Golden Horn
  • Date: 6th January 2025
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE VIDEO OF ORTHODOX CHRISTIANS GETTING READY TO SWIM TO RETRIEVE CROSS FROM WATER DRONE VIDEO OF ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH BARTHOLOMEW I AND OTHER CLERGY MEMBERS BY THE WATER VARIOUS DRONE VIDEO OF PEOPLE DIVING INTO WATER, SWIMMING THEN RETRIEVING CROSS ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SWIMMERS BEFORE JUMPING INTO WATER ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE VIDEO OF CLERGY MEMBERS AND BARTHOLOMEW I ARRIVING ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CLERGY MEMBERS AND BARTHOLOMEW I ARRIVING VARIOUS OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING VASILIS KONSTANTINIDIS, WHO RETRIEVED THE CROSS, JUMPING INTO WATER, SWIMMING, KISSING CROSS (SOUNDBITE) (English) VASILIS KONSTANTINIDIS, 28, WHO RETRIEVED THE CROSS, SAYING: "It (the water) is cold but it is a very good experience." PEOPLE IN WATER AFTER RETRIEVING CROSS (SOUNDBITE) (English) VASILIS KONSTANTINIDIS, 28, WHO RETRIEVED THE CROSS, SAYING: (REPORTER ASKING HOW MANY TIMES HE CAUGHT THE CROSS IN PREVIOUS YEARS) "With today, six times." ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE VIDEO OF PEOPLE IN WATER AFTER RETRIEVING CROSS ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) PANAGIOTIS PAPAEMMANOUIL, 28, WHO SWAM TO RETRIEVE CROSS, SAYING: "Theophany is a very important holiday and very important celebration for the whole Christianity and the Orthodox world. We are here to celebrate along with our colleagues here in Turkey, and this is very important for us. Basically we are... it's for the holy water. And yeah, it's very important. We actually do this every every year in a different city. And Vasilis (Konstantinidis) is always winning, getting the cross." AUDIENCE WATCHING PEOPLE IN WATER (SOUNDBITE) (English) ASPASIA SKOUFIDI, WHO SWAM TO RETRIEVE CROSS, SAYING: "We hope everyone has a joyful year and love and peace for everyone." ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE VIDEO OF PEOPLE IN WATER AFTER RETRIEVING CROSS ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) VIKTOR (NO LAST NAME GIVEN), WHO SWIMS IN GOLDEN HORN EVERY YEAR TO RETRIEVE CROSS, SAYING: "According to the Orthodox faith, the, our Patriarch each year on the 6th of January comes here to sanctify the waters and throws the water into the sea, Golden Horn and we dive to be the first to grab the cross." ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE VIDEO OF CROWD WAITING BEFORE CEREMONY ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF PATRIARCHAL CHURCH OF ST. GEORGE WHERE EPIPHANY SERVICE IS HELD VARIOUS OF BELIEVERS LIGHTING CANDLES VARIOUS OF BARTHOLOMEW I AND OTHER CLERGY MEMBERS DURING SERVICE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DURING EPIPHANY SERVICE VARIOUS OF BARTHOLOMEW I DURING SERVICE VARIOUS OF PEOPLE DURING SERVICE BARTHOLOMEW I DURING SERVICE ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 6, 2025) (REUTERS) (MUTE) DRONE VIDEO OF EXTERIOR OF ST. GEORGE CHURCH
  • Embargoed: 20th January 2025 12:34
  • Keywords: EPIPHANY GOLDEN HORN ISTANBUL Orthodox Christian TURKEY
  • Location: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
  • City: ISTANBUL, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Europe,Middle East,Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues,Editors' Choice
  • Reuters ID: LVA001114006012025RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Orthodox Christian believers jumped into the chilly waters of Istanbul's Golden Horn on Monday (January 6) to mark Epiphany Day, one of the most important celebrations of the Orthodox religion.
    The swimmers tried to retrieve a wooden cross, which is thrown into the water by Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, the spiritual leader of the world's Orthodox Christians, as part of the ritual commemorating the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River.
    Hundreds of people from different countries attended the traditional Epiphany service at the Patriarchal Church of St. George and then waited on the shore of the Golden Horn for the swimmers. The cross, which is blessed by the priest, is believed to bring good luck for the year to those who retrieve it from the water.
    The weather was sunny in Istanbul and the water temperature in the area was around 11 degrees Celsius, according to the Turkey's state meteorological service.
    Vasilis Konstantinidis, who came to Istanbul from Drama, Greece for the ritual, was the first to reach the cross in the water. He said he participates in the ritual in different places every year, including Drama and Thessaloniki, and added that this was the sixth time he caught the cross first.
    "We actually do this every every year in a different city and Vasilis is always winning, getting the cross," said his friend, Panagiotis Papaemmanouil, who was also swam on Monday.
    (Production: Bulent Usta, Mehmet Emin Caliskan, Ali Kucukgocmen)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2025. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register