Feast of Epiphany in Montenegro

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Feast of Epiphany in Montenegro

In Montenegro, as well as in Russia, the feast of the Epiphany or Epiphany, celebrated on January 19.

All the Orthodox greet each other with the words "Christ be seen!" What should be answered? "Truly behold!"

On the feast, believers remember the Gospel events when, during the baptism in the Jordan of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a dove and from the sky the voice of God the Father sounded: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." On this day the Holy Trinity appeared for the first time to the world and Christ granted the fallen person in sin the opportunity to receive the grace of the Holy Spirit after the rite of Baptism. Since then, the baptized receive the remission of sins and are reborn for a new, spiritual life.

In contrast to the Russian tradition, bathing in the ice-hole, in all Orthodox Balkan states, competitions are organized - swim for an honest Cross.

At the end of the Divine Liturgy, a competition begins: the prince takes the Cross on a boat about 33 meters from the shore. At the signal, dozens of swimmers rush into cold water and try to get it first. To swim first to the Cross is considered a great honor. The winner of the swim leaves the Holy Cross in his house until next year, and, according to the beliefs, the Lord will be especially favorable to this family.

On Sveti Stefan, the traditional Bogoyavlensky swim takes place on the city beach, in Budva - next to the Porto restaurant, in Becici in front of St. Tom's Church, in Herceg Novi on the beach of Zalo.

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