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Cook, Arthur B.
Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 3,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (earthquake, clouds, wind, dew, rain, meteorits): Text and notes — Cambridge, 1940

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https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.14698#0359

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Rain-magic in modern Greece 295

ensues among them. When the cross is successfully found, all the surrounding
People are sprinkled with the water. The successful diver has the right of visiting
aU the houses of the town to levy a contribution on that day. He may gain a
'arge sum of money thereby, and sometimes companies are formed on the
agreement that all the members shall share in the profits of the successful one.
This commercial spirit prevails at Phaleron also.

The village of Lytochoro1 in Thessaly gives an elaborate and curious version
°f this ceremony. The name of Sichna is given to the festival, on account of the

_ standards used. Each church of the district possesses one of these Sichna
with a gilt cross at the top, and on the Eve of Epiphany they are conveyed to
the two central churches of the town. During the vigil which is held all wait for
•tt'dnight, when the heavens are believed to open and the Holy Spirit descends
upon the head of Christ. Then at dawn they leave the churches, taking the ikons
0 the saints and the flags and standards, and go to the river Lakkon to baptise
cross and bless the water. The priests line up on the banks, and round about
''re na'f-naked divers as at Nauplia. On the rising ground stand the citizens,
sunrise a song is sung calling on St. John to baptise the Christ Child, and

Pnest prays. Then three times the tall standards are bent and dipped in the
Water, and three times they are raised in the air, in imitation, it is said, of the

ees by the Jordan banks. It is a common belief that all trees on Epiphany Eve

w down in adoration of Christ....
T*

continue the Sichna. The cross itself is cast into the river, and the divers
fro ^6 successiul diver returns to town and gathers up contributions

the houses. All drink of the holy water, and after general blessings they
lci back in procession to the two churches, where Benediction is held. Next
e Sichna are restored for another year to their respective churches.
Sen^n ^amos2 Epiphany is celebrated in the following way. All the women
hies °n ^P'P^any morning a vessel full of water to the church, and the priest
tyessed ^ water- The same day a servant is sent into the fields with this
of n • V,ESSe' t0 sprinkle the ground and the trees, singing meanwhile the song
hnst's baptism.'

ft^-i P'P^any song from Imbros connects the Jordan water used
r baptism with the rain which blesses the earth3:
'Ther

°Ur Loid Came l'le ^a-' °^ ''&nts and baptisms. There came great rejoicings and
S'ttin A ^>own t0 the river Jordan went [leg. Down by the river Jordan was
a gold k°Ur Lady 1:>ana§ia- Slle took water and washed herself, and with
'erchief dried herself, with the Gospels in her arms and the censer in

a J^wfc, 1882, p. 582.

3 M^lTV* 48 t?E' Stamatiadis Z«M«a,cd].
*' ^ Xapai^1 l°" 0j*' P' 126 f" citing -<M«>7os ix. 341 "B\$art ra tpwra k oi tp<j>Tio-/J.ol I
Was 4 ilox flf~'^ats T M<ptvT-q /las. I Kara 's top 'Opdapy rip iroTafibp \ Karrav V Kvpa
^a7y\Ia '1 - ^7raiP"e vep&Ki Kal ivifiovTav | nal XPV°~V fUwMfa' (T<poy/l^ovTav | Me to.
taXet. I "&yl0 T^", a">"''a^'" I *oi to Bvfuarovpta 's rd SaxrvXa | Kal rbv ayio Tidppr) irapa-
^""•n'o-jj riv „ la'^'n Av0eVr>7 Kal Trp68pofie, | AiVao-ai Kal <rt!>v€is (to! irpoSpofiat | Aid ra
T°" °vpap(, I pV° f^"™' I KOPTonapT^pti lis to Tovpp6 | Tid vavalfiu [? avapalvw] 'irdpa's
^ [leg- oi] Ppfoci pvl;WiSP'"!0 Ki™ '* tt\v yy I >"d SpoaBfi 'AtpipT-qs fit ttjp nvpd | Nd SpoaBoiip
KaTa.Tr^0. 1 Ti Vfpi I ^ KaTi Ttpavvovv [leg. Kara* pat vow] to. foi/foi»Xa | Kal i'd

T« 1 elSwXa.
 
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