Today, every year on 19th January, in many places throughout Macedonia, priests traditionally throw the ritual cross in a large water area and people jump for the cross. There is a belief that the person who catches the cross will be blessed for a whole year.
The ritual symbolizes the entrance of Christ in Jordan. The most visited rituals happen in Skopje and Ohrid. The air and water are cold but nevertheless, believers are inspired to jump in and swim in order to find the cross. This Orthodox custom is very specific to Macedonia – do not miss it.