Izmir, Turkey – Epiphany Day was celebrated today in Smyrna (Izmir) for the first time since the Asia Minor Catastrophe of 1922. The Greek Orthodox community received permission from the Turkish authorities to perform the Diving for the Holy Cross ceremony on the local pier.
The Izmir community is estimated to be between one and three hundred. They gathered to celebrate the historic day at the church of Agia Fotini. Seven members participated in retrieving the cross. The blessing of the waters took place on the waterfront of Izmir, opposite the historical building of the old Greek consulate.