Feature: Greek Cypriots mark Epiphany Day in Famagusta ghost city

Greek Cypriots celebrated Epiphany Day on Wednesday in the ghost city of Famagusta for the first time since the Turkish army sealed it off more than 40 years ago.

Several hundred people watched as a robed Greek Orthodox priest dipped a cross into the sea in a symbolic blessing of the waters.

About 15 young people jumped into the icy waters to retrieve the cross. Greek Orthodox believe that the person who picks up the cross from the sea bottom is blessed and will have luck.

Epiphany is the last of big Greek Orthodox holidays of the festive Christmas and New Year season.

The ceremony was held at a sea-side spot called Glossa (Tongue) against a backdrop of bombed out and abandoned hotels and homes ringed off with barbed wire.

Famagusta's 50,000 inhabitants fled as the Turkish army advanced towards the city when it occupied the northern one third of the island in 1974, splitting the eastern Mediterranean island along ethnic lines.

Turkey said it took military action as a guarantor power after a short lived coup engineered by officers of the military junta ruling Greece at the time.

The future of the city is among issues to be settled in negotiations between Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades and Turkish Cypriot leader Mustafa Akinci.

As signs of an impending solution reunifying the island increase, the Turkish military has relaxed its grip on the occupied part of Cyprus, allowing religious events to be held in the northern part of Cyprus.

Turkish Cypriots mostly inhabit the old city of Famagusta, ringed by Medieval Venetian walls and ramparts, including the famed Othello Tower overlooking the city's port, used as the setting of Shakespeare's Othello drama.

The modern Famagusta city has been fenced off and the buildings and infrastructure have been let to bear the ravages of time.

"This is very emotional ... We have not forgotten and we believe that we will return one day, I hope soon," said Philippos Yiapanis.

Yiapanis was among several hundred Greek Cypriots, mostly former inhabitants of Famagusta, who walked past the barbed wire to reach the ceremony spot.

He was 17 when he left his home in Famagusta. He is 59 now and for most of his life he has been a displaced person as other 170,000 Greek Cypriots.

Another man, Vasilis Theopanous, aged 54, tears rolling from his eyes, kneeled on the sand and filled a bottle with sea-water and sand to take back home.

"I was 14 at the time Famagusta was captured ... I hope a solution is reached this year so everyone will be allowed to return home," he said.

Famagusta's Mayor without a city, Alexis Galanos, was among those attending the ceremony.

"What is taking place here today may be a sign that we can expect a very productive 2016 for the solution of the Cyprus problem. I am cautiously optimistic because of past failures, but I hope there will be a solution this time," he said. Endit