Historic Epiphany Celebrations Draw Hundreds to Batemans Bay

Historic Epiphany celebrations draw hundreds to Batemans Bay

The 2026 Epiphany Festival for the Canberra District was marked by a historic celebration on Saturday, January 10, with Greek Orthodox faithful gathering in large numbers at Batemans Bay on the NSW South Coast. Hundreds of worshippers travelled from Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne and across the South Coast to attend the annual Epiphany service, which saw local teenagers dive into the waters to retrieve the Holy Cross – a centrepiece of the Feast of…

Blessing of the Waters in Batemans Bay, presided over by Bishop Athenagoras of Canberra | Orthodox Times (en)

The Feast of Theophany was celebrated with splendour in the Holy Diocese of Canberra, with the coastal town of Batemans Bay in New South Wales and the local Greek Orthodox Community of St John the Baptist at the centre of the festivities. Saturday, 10 January, proved to be a blessed and historic day for the local community, as the celebrations were presided over by the first Bishop of Canberra, Bishop Athenagoras. The day began with the celebrat…