Dozens of Greek families headed to Wollongong Harbour for the traditional Blessing of the Water ceremony to celebrate the Theophany, the feast of the Baptism of Christ by John at the Jordan River – the day Jesus is said to have been revealed as the son of God.

After a service at Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Church in Wollongong, Father Laurence Pescar led a procession down to Belmore Basin where the blessing was conducted aboard a boat in the middle of the harbour.

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Father Pescar threw the wooden icon into the water. A number of young men and boys braving the cool temperature in a battle to retrieve the cross.

George Barbas was the lucky swimmer and received a special gold cross necklace from the church rector for his efforts.

The annual event is one of the most important days on the Greek Orthodox calendar and is celebrated worldwide.

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Macedonian, Russian and Serbian communities are also known to follow the Orthodox religion.

The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 45BC and was in common usage until the late 16th Century when the Gregorian calendar was widely adopted.