NINE O’ CLOCK
Thousands of Romanians on Friday crowded in and around churches – also the Metropolitan Church of Bucharest (photo) – to get a bottle of holy water, on the occasion of the Orthodox Epiphany. Romanians believe that the holy water they take on Epiphany has miraculous powers and never spoils. Saturday brought another reason to celebrate, as it was the Feast of Saint John the Baptist. Over 2 million Romanians bear the name of Ion, Ioana or other forms deriving from the name of the saint.