19.01.2016.

Swimming for the Holy Cross

In honour of the great Christian holiday of Epiphany, in several cities in Serbia, the traditional 18th Swimming for the Epiphany Cross was held today in Belgrade on Ada Ciganlija, Zemun quay, Grocka, Novi Sad and other cities in Serbia.

Cold weather and air temperature of – 2 °C and water of 2.5 °C did not prevent the 54 participants from the Serbian Armed Forces, Gendarmerie, SVIBOR and citizens to swim today at Ada Ciganlija where Nikola Ristic from SVIBOR won. He was the first to swim the 33-meter long track, which symbolizes Jesus’s years and lifted the Icy Cross that weighs 15 pounds, made of holy water.

The event on Lake Sava began with forming of the Epiphany procession in the Church of Saint George on Banovo Brdo, which came to Ada across the Sava embankment. Honorary escort for the procession was secured by 15 cadets of the Military Academy, led by Lieutenant Branislav Krstovic. Cadets carried the Epiphany Cross this year, which was placed at the ceremonial table just before the start of the race.

The Epiphany Cross of ice was presented to the winner by Bishop of Toplica Arsenije, and the winning cloak by President of the Municipality of Cukarica Srdjan Kolaric.

Dejan Dimitrijevic from Zemun is the winner of today's Epiphany race at the Zemun quay. Dimitrijevic, who was the first to get to the Holy Cross in the icy Danube for the fourth time, was Serbian presented with the awards - a cross, cloak and SVEBOR medal by Patriarch Irinej.

Patriarch Irinej previously served liturgy at the Church of St. Nicholas and led the procession through main streets of Zemun, and after the consecration of the Danube, he gave his blessing to the swimmers, nearly three hundred of them this year.

Traditionally, members of the Air Force and Air Defence attended the processions in Zemun, Cacak and Stara Pazova, and airmen from the formation of the 204th and 98th Air Brigade, 250th Missile Brigade and the 126th VOJIN Brigade participated in swimming to the holy cross at the Sava Lake, the Morava River and Kragujevac Lake.