Epiphany and swimming for the honorable Cross

Very cold air temperature and strong wind that mercilessly blew on the coast of Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis, Maryland, did not deter nineteen courageous male and one fearless female parishioner of St. Luke Serbian Orthodox Church of Washington, D.C. to brave the weather on Epiphany 2020 and swim for the honorable Cross that was, after brief prayer, thrown into the icy ocean by the Rev. Dr. Vasilije Vranic.

Swimmers were wholeheartedly cheered by about thirty members of their families, friends and parishioners that were shuddering on a cold and windy weather in spite of being snuggled in warm clothing.

Atmosphere among those present was prayerful, friendly and exceptionally cordial before the race; after the race it became joyful and exuberant: God revealed Himself! - Indeed He revealed Himself!

Milos Jokic, a young man originally from Crvenka, Serbia, reached the cross first. Asked after getting out of water how does he feel, he answered that this was one of the happiest moments in his life and he felt no cold at all. Congratulatory hugs from his brothers-competitors and all swimmers participants of this great challenge, ensued by present, joyfully smiling parishioners.

We parted our ways happy, inspired and spiritually uplifted: we live in diaspora, far from our mother land but our national and spiritual traditions live within us. Considering sheer numbers of this year’s participants these traditions will live for a long, very long time.

Source: easterndiocese.org