In a special Postcards, AP reporters take a look at how Orthodox believers in Bulgaria and Catholics in rural Brazil celebrate the holy day…
IN BULGARIA, BELIEVERS CELEBRATE THE FEAST OF EPIPHANY WITH A RITUAL PLUNGE INTO ICY RIVERS…
Sofia, Bulgaria
AP
Thousands of Orthodox Christian worshippers in Bulgaria on Monday braved the freezing winter weather to plunge into icy waters as they observed centuries-old Epiphany traditions.
Young men plunged into rivers and lakes across the Balkan country, which is primarily Orthodox, to retrieve crucifixes tossed by priests in ceremonies commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ.
Bulgarian Patriarch Danail throws a wooden cross in the icy lake as believers jump to retrieve it, in Sofia, on Monday, 6th January, 2025. PICTURE: AP Photo/Valentina Petrova.
It is believed that the person who retrieves the wooden cross will be freed from evil spirits and will be healthy throughout the year. After the cross is fished out, the priest sprinkles believers with water using a bunch of basil.
In the tiny city of Elin Pelin, situated in a rural area east of the capital, Sofia, dozens of men jumped into the wintry waters of the Lesnovska River to catch the blessed cross.
The peak of the celebrations was the slow “mazhko horo”, or men’s dance, performed by men dressed in traditional white embroidered shirts who waded into the river singing folk songs and waving national flags.
Bulgarians sing and dance in the Lesnovska River during Epiphany Day celebrations in the town of Elin Pelin, Bulgaria, on Monday, 6th January, 2025. PICTURE: AP Photo/Valentina Petrova.
The celebration of Epiphany, or the Apparition of Christ, as Bulgarians call it, began on Monday in Sofia with a water blessing ceremony.
Senior clergymen of Bulgaria’s Orthodox church said prayers for the prosperity of the people and blessed the colours of representative army units in a tradition that was abandoned in 1946 but re-established following the fall of communism in 1992.
Epiphany marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas, but not all Orthodox Christian churches celebrate it on the same day.
While the churches in Greece, Bulgaria, Ukraine and Romania celebrate the feast on 6th January, Orthodox Churches in Russia and Serbia follow the Julian calendar, according to which Epiphany is celebrated on 19th January, as their Christmas falls on 7th January.
…WHILE IN RURAL BRAZIL, CATHOLICS KEEP TRADITIONAL REVELS ALIVE
Santo Antonio de Goias, Brazil
AP
Catholics in the small Brazilian city of Santo Antonio de Goias celebrated the Epiphany throughout the weekend and into Monday, the same day the rest of the nation observed Three Kings Day.
The Epiphany – one of the oldest festivals of the Catholic church – commemorates the Biblical journey of the three magi to visit baby Jesus that faithful view as evidence that Jesus was the son of God.
Performers of the Santo Antonio Folia de Reis group arrive at a house ahead of a procession marking Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, in Santo Antonio de Goias, Brazil, on Sunday, 5th January, 2025. PICTURE: AP Photo/Eraldo Peres.
Veteran celebrants have kept the tradition alive, according to one of the festival’s leaders, Marco Embaixador, 46, but an effort is being made to involve younger revellers as well.
“We have been inviting young people to participate, even considering going to schools to recruit new revellers,” Embaixador told The Associated Press.
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Santo Antonio de Goias, located roughly 209 kilometres from the capital Brasilia, is home to about 7,000 people and they have celebrated the Epiphany for more than a century.
On Sunday, revellers visited homes and farms in the area, bringing blessings and singing. They played traditional instruments including accordions, guitars and tambourines.
Roberta Almeida sings during a performance, by the Santo Antonio Folia de Reis group, marking Epiphany, or Three Kings Day, in Santo Antonio de Goias, Brazil, on Sunday, 5th January, 2025. PICTURE: AP Photo/Eraldo Peres.
Robertha Rodrigues, 14, is part of the next generation helping to preserve the tradition. She played the tambourine on Sunday and said she felt honored to contribute.
“It’s a matter of family and devotion and we, the youth, do it from the heart,” she said.
At age 98, Terezinha de Jesus is one of the oldest participants in the festival, which she has attended since childhood.
“We must set an example for the young so they can continue God’s project, which is our revelry,” she said. “Hosting the revelry is a joy.”
– ERALDO PERES
