The Blessing of the Waters 2019

Levin Demopoulos, 7, holds the blessing cross that is heaved into the water three times during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Malachi Williams, 2, holds his mother Michelle Williams' hand during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Father Daniel Morton heaves a blessing cross into the Mississippi River during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Father Daniel Morton pulls the blessing cross in from the Mississippi River by a string during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Malachi Williams, 2, helps hold the rope while Father Daniel Morton (not pictured) heaves and retrieves the blessing cross in and out of the Mississippi River during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Father Daniel Morton retrieves the blessing cross that was heaved into the Mississippi River three times during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Father Daniel Morton leads the service during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Father Daniel Morton leads the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Maggie Demopoulos kisses the blessing cross of epiphany, held by Father Daniel Morton, at the conclusion of the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Ksenia Williams, 1, sits on her father Seth Williams' shoulders during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Father Daniel Morton holds up the blessing cross of epiphany to the Mississippi River during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

A table holds the icon of baptism of Christ, the holy gospel and two different blessing crosses during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)

Bella, a 5-year-old pekinese, looks up at the camera during the Blessing of Waters ceremony by St. John the Theologian Orthodox Church, A Mission of the Antiochian Orthodox Christian Atchdiocese Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019, at the Riverfront in Cape Girardeau. (Kassi Jackson ~ Southeast Missourian)