Twin Cities Churches Host 1st Annual Blessing Of Mississippi River

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) - Cold weather didn't stop two Twin Cities orthodox churches from performing their first annual service blessing of the Mississippi River Friday afternoon.

The half hour service celebrated Theophany, a day that celebrates the baptism of Christ and the Holy Trinity.

The occasion involves throwing a cross into a major waterway, to be retrieved by divers in warmer climates. However, Minnesota's negative temperatures caused the service to use rope to reel the cross back to shore.

Church parishioners say this outdoor water blessing is rare in this part of the United States, as most parishes hold indoor services for the occasion.

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• Mississippi River