Epiphany

Today, after Epiphany, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Council of St. Prophet John the Forerunner and Baptist. The day is popular as Ivanovden in Bulgaria (Ivan's Day) and is among the holidays with the largest number people who have a name day in our country - over 347 thousand.

It is a gift fit for a king, or three: a gold coin slipped by a Belgian baker inside a traditional flaky Epiphany Three Kings cake baked to perfection.

Instead of the usual bean, Brussels baker Luc de Weerdt opted for the more luxurious prize of small round 18-carat gold coins, stamped with his bakery's logo.

Greeks celebrated Epiphany Friday with blessing of the waters ceremonies across the country.

The holiday is known as Three Kings Day for Catholics and the Baptism of Christ for the Orthodox. Greece is predominantly Orthodox.

The President of the Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou on Friday visited the island of Lemnos for the celebration of Epiphany.

An orthodox faithful catches a wooden crucifix during Epiphany day celebrations in Piraeus near Athens, Friday. Epiphany marks the end of the 12 days of Christmas, but not all Orthodox Christian churches celebrate it on the same day.
[Louiza Vradi/Reuters]

On January 6, Bulgarians celebrate Epiphany or St. Jordan's Day (Yordanovden) - one of the biggest Christian holidays in the Bulgarian calendar.

The heat wave that started about a month ago will extend and the unseasonable "summer" weather - with temperatures averaging 3 to 4 degrees above normal for the season - will last until the end of next week, with Epiphany expected to be sunny.

On January 1, Bulgaria's Orthodox Church celebrates the Circumcision of the Lord. Circumcision is an Old Testament sacrament that began at the beginning of the second millennium before Christ. It was introduced by the forefather Abraham as a sign of the covenant between God and God's chosen people, but it also appears as a type of Holy Baptism.

The Greek government may decide to impose additional restrictions, "even unexpectedly," to limit the spread of the coronavirus if it is deemed necessary, Minister of State Giorgos Gerapetritis said on Thursday.

"You cannot rule out any measure. If we need to ban activities again, we will do so if necessary," he told Skai radio station on Thursday morning.

Manolis Dermitzakis, professor of genetics at the University of Geneva, said on Thursday he was "shocked" by the crowding he saw in the streets and the images of some faithful receiving Communion from the same spoon on Wednesday, when the Orthodox Church celebrates the feast of the Epiphany.