Thirty-two-year-old Jovan Raftoski from Struga retrieved the holy cross from the cold Crn Drim River on Thursday.

I have been jumping for the cross for five to six years, and this year I retrieved the cross for the first time. The cloudy waters were not a problem for me because I am an experienced diver and swimmer, said Raftoski, who believes that retrieving the holy cross will bring him luck and success.