Epiphany draws protests, celebrations and career advice from Pope Francis

The Christian feast day marks the visit of the three wise men to Jesus soon after his birth as well as the baptism of Christ. For the Orthodox, Epiphany marks Christmas Eve based on the Julian calendar.

Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III (C) attends a Christmas service according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar in the Church of Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on January 6, 2018.
AFP

Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III (C) attends a Christmas service according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar in the Church of Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on January 6, 2018.

Christmas celebrations of the Eastern Orthodox churches began in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Saturday.

Due to a difference in calendars, many Orthodox churches mark Christmas Eve on January 6 and Christmas is celebrated on January 7 and not December 25. The Armenian Orthodox Church is the last to celebrate Christmas with the Christmas Eve procession to Bethlehem on January 18.

Syrian Orthodox Patriarchal Vicar of the Holy Land and Jordan Archbishop Mar Swerios Malki Murad was the first to arrive in Bethlehem to attend Christmas Mass at midnight on Friday.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III of the Holy Land arrived at the Church of Nativity in Manger Square amid rain.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and a host of Arab officials were expected to attend the Christmas Mass to be held at the Church of the Nativity.

Reuters

Worshippers attend a service during Christmas celebrations according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar in the Church of Nativity in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on January 6, 2018.

Palestinians protest sale of land to Israel

Scores of Palestinians blocked the convoy of Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III in Bethlehem.

Protesters threw eggs at the Patriarch's procession as he arrived in the city at midnight. Demonstrators accuse the Patriarch of signing deals with Israel to sell and rent endowments of the Orthodox Church.

Earlier on Saturday, scores of demonstrators rallied in Bethlehem to call for a boycott of the patriarch.

The Greek Orthodox Church owns large amounts of land throughout Jerusalem, including the land Israel's parliament, the Knesset, is built on.

In 2005, the Palestinian-run Petra and Imperial hotels were sold by the church to Ateret Cohanim, a group that works to establish a Jewish majority in the Old City and East Jerusalem. 

AFP

Palestinian protesters hold placards as the convoy of Jerusalem's Greek Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III arrives in the West Bank town of Bethlehem on January 6, 2018 ahead of a Christmas service according to the Eastern Orthodox calendar.

Divided Christmas messages

The ongoing rift between the Ukrainian and Russian churches was highlighted in their leaders' Christmas messages ahead of the Orthodox holiday this weekend.

Patriarch Filaret, the head of the Kiev-based Ukrainian Orthodox Church, wished his country a "victory over the aggressor" on Saturday amid a continued conflict between Ukraine and Russian-backed rebels.

"We wish that our Lord help us banish all evil and help us bring victory over the aggressor because the truth is with us," Filaret said in a video published on the Kyivan Patriarchate's website. He called for God to lead Ukraine to a "final victory over the enemy".

The 2014 outbreak of the separatist conflict between Kiev and Kremlin-backed rebels in the east of the country exacerbated already existing religious tensions. The Kiev-based Ukrainian Orthodox Church supported the bloody popular uprising that ousted a Kremlin-backed government.

After Ukraine gained independence in 1991, a conflict erupted between the Ukrainian Orthodox Church backed by Moscow and a breakaway Kiev-based Ukrainian Orthodox Church now led by Filaret.

The rift was highlighted earlier this month after it was reported in Ukraine a bereaved father punched a priest from the Moscow-led church after he allegedly refused to bury his young son who died in a freak accident.

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Christmas service in Turkey

A Christmas Eve mass was held on Saturday by the Fener Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul.

The celebrations began early Saturday with a mass held in Hagia Yorgi Church led by Patriarch Bartholomew.

Greek Deputy Foreign Minister Ioannis Amanatidis and Ambassador to Turkey Petros Mavroidis attended the service which was telecast live by Athens' official broadcaster ERT.

The service was followed by a ritual at the Fener dock in the Golden Horn in which the patriarch throws a large cross into the sea to be retrieved by a group of swimmers.

AFP

Greek Orthodox swimmers kiss a wooden cross retrieved from the Bosphorus river's Golden Horn, as part of celebrations of the Epiphany day in Istanbul on January 6, 2018.

Erdogan to reopen Iron Church

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will reopen a 120-year-old Bulgarian Church in Istanbul on Sunday.

According to a statement issued by the Presidential Press Office on Saturday, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will also be present during the ceremony in Balat district of the city.

The orthodox church, also known as St Stephen Church, is located in the historic Balat neighbourhood on the shore of the city’s Golden Horn.

It had been undergoing major restoration works for the last seven years, in a project co-funded by the Istanbul metropolitan municipality and the Bulgarian government.

It was rebuilt in 1898 from prefabricated cast iron elements after its former wooden structure caught fire

Celebrations in rest of world 

In many places in Europe, Epiphany was a day where children receive gifts or enjoy special entertainment. 

Rome's Piazza Navona is famed for a holiday market with many toy stalls. Children believe a broom-mounted witch brings well-behaved kids toys while those who haven't behaved get lumps of charcoal.

Pope Francis on Saturday advised against making the pursuit of money, a career or success the basis for one's whole life, urging in his Epiphany remarks to also resist "inclinations toward arrogance, the thirst for power and for riches."

Since many Christians observe Epiphany to recall the three wise men who followed a star to find the baby Jesus, Francis suggested asking "what star we have chosen to follow in our lives?"

Reuters

Ethiopian Orthodox pilgrims attend a morning prayer session at the Bete Amanuel, "House of Emmanuel" monolithic orthodox church ahead of Ethiopian Christmas in Lalibela, Ethiopia. January 6, 2018.

Parents and their children were packing city sidewalks across Spain to watch colourful parades.

The processions on Friday, held on the eve of Epiphany, feature decorative floats with people dressed as the kings and bearing gifts for Jesus. The floats also feature light and music shows and clowns and jugglers who throw candy to the crowds.

Christmas gifts are traditionally given on Epiphany in Spain and in many Latin American countries. Children write letters to the magi or the three wise men on the feast's eve, requesting presents.

Mexico City's giant plaza was girdled with "king cake" late Friday as part of the capital's traditional Three Kings Day celebration.

Some 250,000 people turned out to the main plaza known as the Zocalo to devour the enormous brioche-style cake known as "Rosca de Reyes."

Some 2,142 bakers helped make the Rosca, which measured 1.44 kilometres and weighed 9.375 tonnes, for the city's annual Epiphany eve feast.

"This Rosca is so delicious!" said Dolores Rodriguez, who at 84 years, was attending the party for the first time.

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