24th Honoroable Cross Swimming event on the West Morava was held in Bela Voda. One of the oldest Christian holidays – Bogojavljenje (Epiphany Day), is celebrated by swimming for the Honorable Cross, a symbol of sin cleansing. People of Kruševac and Trstenik gather each year to attend the event. As every year, the event was held with the blessings of His Holiness Archepiscope and Metropolitan of Kruševac David Perović.
The event was started with the Holy Liturgy being held, with the attendes being called for prayers to cleanse the body and soul. The event was conitnued with welcoming the Honorable Cross of Saint Prince Lazar.
On behalf of the City, Mayor Manojlović attended the event in Bela Voda, with his associates, Mayor’s Aide for Agriculture Darko Andonov, and Deputy Head of City Adminitration Ivana Pajić.
Rade Radivojević, the Priest appointed to Bela Voda, joined the members of the Kruševac Eparchy in hallowing the Morava. The Bread of Friendship was broken by Mayor Manojlović and the Deputy President of Municipality of Trstenik Dejan Rakovac.
In his speech, Mayor Manojlović noted that rivers had always been a symbol of connection in Serbia, as the West Morava connects Kruševac and Trstenik. He wished the gathered people that their “lives be as pure as this flowing water, health and fortune to your families, and I hope we will gather here together in the following years, in even larger number, harmony and good heatlh”.
After the blessings, 165 swimmers competed for the Honorable Cross, among whom there were 5 ladies.
The fastest was Luka Momirović, a police officer who successfully reached the Cross this year, the second time in his 8 attempts. He dedicated his victory to his family and the new member of his family who would be born in a few months.
Đorđe Stepić did not lack the courage to swim, either. The youngest swimmer participated along with the oldes swimmer, 66-year-old Bratislav Dimitrijević.
The golden cross and winner’s cloak was awarded to the winner by Mayor Manojlović, and special acknowledgements were handed to the youngest and oldest swimmer, in addition to the swimmers who had swum in the event for the 10th or 20th time.
The patrons and sponsors of the Honorable Cross Swimming event in Bela Voda, one of the oldest events of this kind in Serbia, were City of Kruševac and Municipality of Trstenik, while it was organized by the Eparchy of Kruševac, Cultural Center of Kruševac, Church Municipalites of Bela Voda and Stopanja, and Local Communities Bela Voda and Bresno Polje.
Milica Novokmet from Bela Voda and Jana Milanović from Jasika were a part of the art program, along with the Slobodan Cakić and Radoslav Simić, who played wooden flutes.
In Šavrane, the 13th Honorable Cross Swimming event was held with the blessings of His Holiness Archepiscope and Metropolitan of Kruševac David Perović, under the patronage of City of Kruševac.
The event was started with the Holy Liturgy, with the attendes and swimmer being called for prayers to cleanse the body and soul. The event was conitnued with welcoming the Honorable Cross and blessing of the swimmers.
In the event in Šavrane, 201 swimmers participated, including two lady swimmers. The youngest swimmer was 9-year-old Marko Milojević, and the oldest one being Miroljub Živković, a 72-year-old.
The fastest swimmer was Đorđe Jovković, a 17-year-old two-time competitor. Head of City Administration Vesna Anđelić awarded the cloak and cross to the winner
Đorđe stated that had never felt better, and that everyone should have felt as the winner, no matter that he had been the first one to reach the cross, as they had mustered the will and strength to participate in the cold weather.
On behalf of the City, Head of City Administration Vesna Anđelić, Mayor’s Aides Snežana Aleksić and Nevena Plavšić attended teh event, in addition to other representatives of the cultural and political spheres of the City.
