The Greek community in Geretsried celebrated the traditional water consecration in the new indoor pool for the first time.
Geretsried – The Greek-Orthodox Metropolis of Germany and the Greek community of Geretsried invited to a special spectacle on Saturday.
The water consecration, which was previously carried out in the old indoor pool on Jahnstraße, had its premiere in the new intermunicipal pool next to the school center.
Afterwards there was a celebration in the council chambers.
Premiere in the intercommunal indoor pool
"It is a great pleasure for us to be here," stressed Archimandrite Giorgios Siomos before the ceremony.
In addition to members of the Greek Orthodox Church, Catholics such as Mayor Michael Müller and Bernhard Sappl from the Stadtkirche read religious texts aloud.
"It is a nice sign of ecumenism that different faiths can celebrate together," emphasized the head of the town hall.
He referred to the importance of the element water, which is considered a symbol of life.
In addition, Müller was very pleased that the new indoor pool can also be used for religious celebrations in addition to school and sporting events.
It is a beautiful sign of ecumenism that different faiths can celebrate together.
Mayor Michael Mueller
After the devotion with hymns, songs and readings, Giorgios Siomos threw the cross twice into the pool: Kalliopi Mastoridou proved to be the fastest in the children's swim, and Nikolaos Karpouzidis won the men's swim.
Both brought the cross from the basin to the archimandrite, who gave them the New Year's blessing.
The Orthodox believe that the bringers of the new year are lucky and receive the special protection of Jesus Christ.
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There's the cross: Nikolaos Karpouzidis was the fastest among the men.
© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
In Greece, the blessing of the sea takes place on Trinity Day, the Epiphany on January 6th.
If a city is not located by the sea or if a river is too dangerous, lakes or public baths are used as scenes for the blessing.
In Munich, the ceremony takes place on the banks of the Isar.
In Geretsried, all members of the Greek community received the Archimandrite's blessing on Saturday.
Most of them reverently kissed the cross.
Then cut the Vasilopita in the council chambers
After the ceremony, the Vasilopita was cut in the Geretsrieder Ratsstuben – a fluffy yeast cake that tastes a little like lemon and has a sesame crust.
In two of the 13 round cakes baked by the women of the Greek community there was a coin that had to be found.
Rafail Vergidis and Aspasia Georgiadou brought them out of their plays.
They are now considered lucky people of the New Year.
Vergidis also received an icon of the Greek Orthodox Church.
Georgiadou was delighted with a five gram gold plate.
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