Epiphany celebrations in Paphos, and across Cyprus more broadly, remain among the island’s most important religious and folk festivals, preserving customs that have been passed down through generations. At their core lies a powerful blend of ritual, symbolism and collective participation, deeply rooted in local identity.
The blessing of the waters
According to tradition researcher Anna Tselepou, the most significant Epiphany custom is the Blessing of the Waters, a ritual marked by strong symbolism and wide community involvement.
On Epiphany Day, the priest casts the Holy Cross into the sea, rivers or water reservoirs, while young men dive in to retrieve it. During the ceremony, the hymn “When You Were Baptised in the Jordan, O Lord” is chanted with solemnity, creating an atmosphere of reverence and devotion.
Popular belief holds that the person who retrieves the Cross receives a blessing for the entire year.
Blessing homes, fields and livestock
Equally important is the blessing of homes and farmland. After the Divine Liturgy, the priest visits houses to bless them, driving away evil spirits known in folk tradition as kalikantzari, who are believed to roam the earth from Christmas until Epiphany.
As Tselepou notes, in many villages of the Paphos district, priests also bless livestock and possessions, wishing health, prosperity and fertility for the year ahead.
Xerotigana and shared joy
A key custom of the days is the preparation of xerotigana, traditional fried sweets made on Epiphany Eve. Households distribute them to the poor, the sick, and those in mourning who cannot celebrate.
“These sweets symbolise joy and the inclusion of everyone in the great feast of Epiphany,” Tselepou explains.
The tradition of pouloustrina
A special place in Epiphany customs is reserved for pouloustrina. On the day of the feast, relatives, grandparents and godparents give children small sums of money.
Children traditionally visit homes and sing:
“Kali mera kai ta Fota kai tin pouloustrina prota.”
Living cultural heritage
As Tselepou concludes, Epiphany customs in Paphos “are not merely rituals, but living elements of our cultural identity, bringing together faith and folk tradition”.