Adelaide: Blessing of the Waters and the ‘Glenelg Greek Festival’

The program for the celebration of the Great Despotic Feast of Theophany was published by the Intercommunities Council of the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide.

According to the media release, the Blessing of the Waters Service will take place at Glenelg Pier on Sunday, 8 January 2023, while the established annual large traditional “Glenelg Greek Festival” will be two days long and will take place on the weekend of January 7 and 8, 2023.

The announcement follows in detail:

In an announcement by the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and the Intercommunities Council of the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide

The Universal Orthodox Church, from the 6th to the 13th of January, celebrates the great feast of Theophany.

As part of the celebration, as every year, so this year too, it will be held with all the splendour at Glenelg Pier, the Service of the Blessing of the waters along with the throwing of the Holy Cross into the sea and its retrieval by the young swimmers.

This year’s ceremony will take place on Sunday, 8 January 2023, at 12:30 p.m.

With the blessing of our Spiritual Father and Shepherd, His Eminence Archbishop Makarios of Australia, the service will be presided over by His Grace Bishop Silouan of Sinope, joined also by the Holy Clergy of the Orthodox Church in our city, Greeks and other Orthodox priests.

The established annual large traditional “Glenelg Greek Festival” organised, for the 43rd consecutive year by the Intercommunities Council of the Archdiocesan District of Adelaide, will be a two-day event and will take place over the weekend of January 7 and 8, 2023.

The Greek Festival will take place, as every year, in the cool area of the park located in front of the Stamford Grand Hotel and next to the sea.

The Greek Festival includes rich traditional Greek cuisine, cold drinks, coffee, sweets, Greek music by well-known local musicians, and dance groups.

The Greek Festival is an event for the whole family, to celebrate the great event of the Blessing of the Waters, with a Greek Orthodox spirit, companionship with our fellow Australians regardless of ethnicity, religious denomination, education and cultural origin.

On the weekend of 7 and 8 January 2023, all roads lead to Glenelg.