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Blessing of the Waters at New York's Battery Park
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Costas Bej/TNH
Rev. John Romas is seen during the blessing of the water ceremony at Batter Park in downtown New York. The ceremony was a tradition for the St. Nicholas Church, which was destroyed in the attacks of 9/11.
Paul Apostolakis, 21, was the sole brave soul to dive into the frigid waters of the Hudson River on Sunday, January 10, 2010 to retrieve a cross thrown in by Rev. John Romas of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church. Members of the community, from both Brooklyn and Manhattan, cheered on Apostolakis from the shore of Battery Park by South Ferry at around 2 p.m., when the wind chill was a frigid 20 degrees.