Epiphany day was celebrated today in Chania and Rethymnon with splendor and great participation of people, in the presence of political and self-governing authorities, sending a message of cooperation, peace and joint effort in the path of development and progress.

Sta Chaniapresided over by the Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronos, Damascenes, the Divine Liturgy of the Epiphany was celebrated in the Metropolitan Church and followed by a procession, accompanied by a military parade, to the Venetian Harbor where the waters were consecrated. This was followed by the consecration ceremony of the waters in the Chania Reservoir, in the presence of the municipal Authority, as every year.

The mayor of Chania wished enlightenment to the whole world, noting: “To manage the individual and collective issues we have, always trying to achieve the best, sending a message of optimism for the new year that has just begun.”

Chania Member of Parliament of the New Democracy, Alexandros Markogiannakis, said: “We start 2025 ready to face the challenges of the new year, to face the problems and difficulties faced by our fellow citizens with the perspectives we have in front of us in order to achieve more and greater social prosperity of the world”.

Chania Member of Parliament of New Democracy Sevi Voloudaki spoke about the need for enlightenment, faith, health for everyone and added: “And let us all move forward together, citizens and homeland, on a path of development and progress.”

Metropolitan Damascene invited the faithful to “participate every year in the Christian holidays, honoring Orthodoxy” and receiving “the blessing of the Holy Trinity so that we can live our lives in peace, harmony and love”.

The deputy governor of Chania, Nikos Kalogeris, spoke about the sailors who are traveling today, adding that the sanctification of the waters in a country like Greece, which is coastal and island, is of great importance.

At Rethymnonthe Metropolitan of Rethymno and Avlopotamos, Prodromos, performed the ceremony at the Old Port where, in addition to a crowd of people who had flooded the pier and piers, representatives and officials of the Armed Forces, as well as the local and regional self-government, participated.

The deputy governor of Rethymno, Maria Lioni, spoke for peace in the whole world, who wished that the children would not experience difficult times and pain.

The mayor of the city, Giorgis Marinakis, referred to the value of support and solidarity for those in need. “To those who have the responsibility of the place and the world, may they have good enlightenment. Times are always difficult. Let’s keep in mind that there are people who need us, may they be fewer and fewer and this is our responsibility and obligation,” he noted.

Sta Anogiafor the first time this year, a water consecration ceremony took place in Limnodexameni, in Psiloritis, with the presence of all the clergy of the parishes of the Municipality of Anogeia. It is a reservoir with a capacity of 700,000 cubic meters, which serves irrigation and water supply through a speed refinery, according to the mayor of Anogeia and president of the Mountain Municipalities Committee of the country, Sokratis Kefalogiannis.

Mr. Kefalogiannis, speaking to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, emphasized the need to support the mountainous regions and municipalities, expressing optimism for a future with more responsibility towards the societies that struggle to prevent the mountainous hinterland from becoming barren and inhospitable to its inhabitants. “For us, a big bet is to keep the young people in the place, to establish themselves professionally, and for those who study to return to Anogeia to create their families and to support the mountainous Psiloritis with their knowledge and skills, with all the favors and wonders it provides to the mountaineers of the primary sector, but also to the people of culture and letters for which we are proud of the local, Greek and their worldwide recognition”, he underlined.