Journalists everywhere, no doubt, use stock phrases to describe the events they report on, but they may be more evident in a foreign language, rather than in one’s own where they are, as it were, part of the furniture. Greek reporters seem particularly prone to this habit, and especially in local media such as the Haniotika Nea. Thus, criticisms of politicians by other politicians are always “sfodres epitheseis” (withering attacks), damage to property and crops from natural phenomena are always “vivlikes catastrofes”(biblical catastrophes), and the victims of such catastrophes are always described as “se apognosi” (in a state of desperation), especially if government help seems to be slow in coming.

These stock phrases, generally negative in tone, are ways of increasing tension in the reader, since as we know disasters sell newspapers. Indeed when the leading BBC news anchor (now Sir) Martyn Lewis, back in 1993, made a public plea for the media to report more positive news, he was widely criticised by his fellow journalists, and his career suffered a downturn which eventually led to his departure from the BBC. The incident clearly showed that he had struck a nerve, demonstrating something which no-one was prepared to face up to – that then as today, armies of media people earn their living on the backs of the suffering of victims. While the major news organisations would protest that they are carrying out a vital public service and upholding the values of truth, justice and democracy, the obverse of this coin is to see them as essentially parasitic organisations.

One stock phrase which the Greek media habitually use and which is thankfully devoid of such associations, is “me lambrotita” (with glory, brilliance, refulgence). It is used principally in the context of the country’s numerous religious festivals which are so described in an effort to capture the spiritual quality of the occasion. Many of these are the main public holidays – Easter and Christmas, Pentecost and the Dormition of the Virgin, and of course last Saturday’s Epiphany, with its attendant ceremony of the Blessing of the Waters.

As most readers will know, Epiphany – referred to in the Orthodox tradition as Theophany or simply Fota (lights) – commemorates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. In the ceremony known as the Blessing of the Waters, the public gather at a convenient harbour, lake or seashore, and a priest or priests, after series of prayers, throw a small wooden cross into the water. Local youths then dive after it and the one who retrieves the cross receives the priest’s blessing and is considered to have gained good luck for them and their family for the coming year. Although the swimmers are usually male, it is not unknown for women to take part (and to retrieve the cross).

The ceremony is symbolic of cleansing and rejuvenation and in its complete form the cross is tied to a ribbon or rope and is thrown into the water three times, with the swimmer diving to retrieve it on the third throw. This is symbolic of the Holy Trinity as it was manifested at the baptism of Christ, according to the Bible: God the Father, whose voice was heard from the heavens saying “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”, Jesus the son of God, and the Holy Ghost which descended in the form of a dove. In some places, an actual dove is released during the ceremony.

The event which took place at Kolymbari harbour on Saturday was truly conducted with “lambrotita”, since the sun was shining brightly, the temperature was around 20 degrees, and even the water was reported to be 18 degrees, so that the customary descriptions of youths “diving into the icy waters” did not apply. The prayers were presided over by Amphilochios, the Metropolitan of Kissamos and Selino, who is also the president of the Orthodox Academy of Crete, which formed a backdrop to the ceremony. Also present were the Director of the Academy Dr. Kostas Zorbas and the mayor of Platanias Giannis Malandrakis.

The full form of the ceremony was carried out, with the cross being thrown attached to a long rope and retrieved for the first two times, before the waiting swimmers dived after it on the final throw. There was a brief hiatus as an over-eager swimmer jumped into the water on the first throw and had to be hauled out by his companions before the ceremony could proceed. As the victorious participant swam to shore holding the cross aloft, the small number of fishing boats waiting in the harbour sounded their klaxons and let off marine flares, filling the scene with orange smoke.

Once the victor had received the Metropolitan’s blessing, the mayor of Platanias offered the Municipality’s good wishes for the year ahead and both watchers and officiators repaired to the nearby cafés, which as is usual on January 6^th were overrun with customers and the waiting time for a cup of coffee was announced to be 30 to 40 minutes.