100 years of steel and generosity: Macedonian community blesses baths

For the past five decades, a blessing of the waters ceremony has been held in the city to coincide with the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

Originally it was held in the pool of the Macedonian Cultural Centre in Broadmeadow, but with a community of more than 15,000 people over five generations the event is now held at Newcastle ocean baths.

Newcastle Macedonian Community president Sash Stojcevski said their ancestors left the motherland in 1924, seeking work in the region's growing heavy industries.

"There is a word in Macedonian - 'pechalba' - which means to seek prosperity abroad," Mr Stojcevski said.

"There were less opportunities in Macedonian at the time, so there was an exodus hundred years ago to seek fortune.

"They went to America to build railroads and in Newcastle they built the steel industry."

The blessing of the waters has been a mainstay on the community's calendar - which is the Julian calendar, rather than the Georgian.

A cross is thrown into the waters by a priest and a group of boys race to collect it.

It's said whoever finds the cross first will be blessed with a year of good fortune.

This year Renaldo Caponecchia retrieved the cross and was hoisted onto the shoulders of his fellow divers in celebration.

Over the next few days, Renaldo will travel to homes across the Hunter Valley with Father Peco Petrovski, where the cross will be presented with the cross on a framed icon of Jesus.

Community members will kiss the cross for good luck and place money on the icon, some of which will go to the Macedonian Orthodox Church in St Mary.

The rest of the money is for Renaldo, which he'll use to kick start his year of good fortune.

To celebrate the ceremony, the community also donated $1500 to the Newcastle ocean baths, which will be used for a public address system for the lifeguard tower.

Mr Stojcevski said generosity was deeply rooted in Macedonian heritage - so much so, that the cultural trait is mentioned in the Bible.

"In Corinthians, St Paul praised the Macedonians for their willingness to give beyond their means," Mr Stojcevski.

"We continue this legacy of generosity in Newcastle, contributing significantly to the city's cultural and community landscape.

"The legacy of generosity is ingrained in our community and we're always trying to give back."

Mr Stojcevski pointed to his community's involvement in the upgrades at Myers Park in Adamstown, which includes a multipurpose sport and community activity hub, by lobbying the state government for a $1-million grant.

Earlier this month, the Greek Orthodox community held their own blessing of the waters ceremony at the Newcastle bogey hole.