5. Members of the Greek Orthodox Church Compete to Retrieve a Cross from the Hudson River Each January

The celebration of epiphany is a unique tradition that St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church sponsored. Each January, members of the Greek Orthodox Church compete to retrieve a cross from the Hudson River. This act commemorates the baptism of Christ. The person who manages to retrieve the cross is said to receive good luck for the rest of the year, as well as a blessing at the altar.

In the above photograph two teenagers, age 15 adn 17 from New Jersey dive into the cold Hudson River waters in January 1995 to retrieve the cross tossed in by Rev. John Romas of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church.