19.01.2012.

Member of the Serbian Armed Forces Wins the Epiphany Swimming Contest

Professional member of the Serbian Armed Forces River Flotilla from Novi Sad, Corporal Branislav Jankovic, is the winner of the fourteenth Epiphany Swimming Contest at Ada Ciganlija.

The 28-year-old Branislav was the first this year to swim across the 33 meter-long track with the ice cross at its end thrown into the Sava Lake by Serbian Minister of Interior in the Serbian Government, Ivica Dacic, and Bishop Andrej of Remesiana, the envoy of Patriarch Irinej, beating his colleagues from the Armed Forces, members of Gendarmerie, the Serbian Knightly Fighting (SVIBOR) and citizens who have participated in competitive swimming or for recreation.

Besides Minister Dacic and Bishop Andrej, who led the crucession from the St. George Church at Banovo Brdo towards Ada Ciganlija, the ceremony was attended by representatives of the City of Belgrade and Cukarica municipality, representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church and many artists who participated in the cultural and artistic programme.

After the Holy crucession and the arrival of the guests at the Sava Lake, more than fifty swimmers swam towards the Epiphany Cross, while the water temperature was only 2.4 degrees Celsius and air temperature was four degrees.

The winner of this year's race, according to his words, prepared only two days for the competition, and he devoted his victory to his colleagues from his unit and the officers who motivated him to apply for this, as well as to his son who believed in him.

Branislav, who won the Epiphany Cross last year, swimming for it in Zabalj, did not expect a victory this year, because the contest was strong, but he considers all the contestants the winners.

With the greeting "God is revealed to us, indeed he is!" after the holy prayer at the lake, the attendees were addressed by Bishop Andrei of Remesiana, Interior Minister Ivica Dacic and the Mayor of Cukarica Municipality, Milan Tla?inac.

Bishop Andrej pointed out that the Epiphany feast is the feast of purification and forgiveness.

"On this feast day the lord bows his head in front of his servant, thus Jesus Christ bowed his head in front of St. John, the generals in front of their soldiers and commanders in front of their warriors. We may be different in many things, but in the spirit there is the unity, and we must celebrate the Epiphany as a feast of national cohesion and national unity, and therefore it is important that so many of us has gathered today at Ada Ciganlija", Bishop Andrej said addressing the audience.

Welcoming the participants in the Epiphany Swimming Contest and the gathered citizens, Minister Dacic expressed his hope that Serbia will be strong and unified again, so that nobody will humiliate it and that it will be able to defend its national and state interests.

"These pigeons are the symbol and message of peace, but also the symbol of the resolution of our state and the citizens, the fact that we have to respect ourselves, our tradition, which is why I am glad that the Gendarmerie has participated in this event for ten years," said Dacic.

The Mayor of ?ukarica, Milan Tla?inac, greeting "God is revealed to us!", recalled that it has been for the fourteenth time that the the race for the Epiphany Cross took place at Ada Ciganlija thanks to the efforts of the municipal authorities who have renewed this ceremony.

In the competition part, a number of 12 swimmers took part, and before the official race the Epiphany track was swam by the last year's winner, a student of the Obrenovac Grammar School, Nikola Bankovic.

The Epiphany Cross was made of last year's Epiphany water and weighs fifteen pounds, and it was laid on the altar-table by members of the Gendarmerie where it was kissed by all the contestants, with the sounds of grand march played by orchestra of the Serbian Armed Forces Guard.

The Epiphany Swimming Contest for the Holy Cross was held also at the Confluence by the Sports and Recreation Centre "Milan Gale Muškatirovic" at Dorcol where the Seventh Pan-Serbian and the Fifth International Epiphany Swimming Contest was organized by Svebor Society of Serbia.

Blessing to the swimmers was given by Bishop Atanasije of Hvostan who previously presided the Divine Liturgy in the church "Ruzica" where the crucession started towards the confluence of the Sava and Danube. The first to come to the Epiphany Cross was Marko Tomasevic from Belgrade, a member of the Gendarmerie. The swimmers were also from among the members of the Serbian Armed Forces and members of Svebor.

In traditional Epiphany Swimming for Holy Cross held today in many cities of Serbia, members of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces took part.

According to belief, the Epiphany is the God's manifestation in this world, either physically or through a direct work. Jesus Christ was baptized on this day in the Jordan River and, according to the Bible, it marked the beginning of his mission and preaching taking the sins of people to himself. For Orthodox Christians, on this day the cross thrown into the river or a lake, and young men compete who will be the first to swim to it and retrieve it.