Epiphany celebrations in Athens, as well as Smyrna for first time since 1922

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos called for “the light to smash the darkness of poverty” as he attended Epiphany celebrations in Athens on Wednesday along with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and other political leaders.

Tsipras had been initially expected to attend the celebrations in Piraeus, where sailors from the Greek navy dive into the sea to retrieve a wooden crucifix. But recent negative comments from Seraphim, Bishop of Piraeus about the law on same-sex civil partnerships led to the premier changing his plans.

Also on Wednesday, Epiphany was celebrated by the Greek Orthodox Church in Izmir, Turkey, for the first time in 94 years.

source:ekathimerini.com