A religious ceremony was held in Istanbul’s Çengelköy to celebrate the 2012th anniversary of the birth and christening of Jesus Christ, in accordance to Christian beliefs.
Christians flocked to the Hagios Georgios (Aya Yorgi) Greek Orthodox Church in Çengelköy to attend the liturgy held early yesterday morning. Candles were lit and prayers read during the service led by Metropolit Halkidonos. Afterwards everyone in the church headed to the Çengelköy Pier for a ceremony in which the cross was thrown into the Bosphorus.
Once Metropolit Halkidonos threw the cross into the sea, four young men, Emin Bayramoğlu, Bayram Baklacıoğlu, Diamyanas Balıkçıoğlu and Yeorgios Mastrovilis, who were waiting in a nearby boat, dived into the sea in a race to recover the cross. Shortly after, Bayram Baklacıoğlu was the one to find the cross. Having come from Hatay, Bayramoğlu kissed the cross he had successfully recovered and then presented it to Halkidonos.
Metropolit Halkidonos awarded the young men with gold cross necklaces. Those in attendance at the mass went on to receive blessings from Metropolit Halkidonos before the ceremony came to a close.
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