20,000 expected at Epiphany in Tarpon Springs on Sunday

MICHELLE BEARDEN | The Tampa Tribune 

3/1/2013

They also take their religion seriously.

On Sunday, the Greek Orthodox community in the Tampa Bay area will combine faith, fun and food at the annual Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs.

The festival – the largest of its kind in the United States – should draw one of the biggest crowds ever, given that it falls on a Sunday and favorable weather conditions are predicted. Organizers say more than 20,000 spectators could attend the day’s events.

For Orthodox Christians, Epiphany observes the day that Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan. Tarpon Springs, settled by sponge divers of Greek origin in the late 1880s, sponsored its first event 107 years ago as a way to retain both the spiritual and cultural traditions from the old country.

One of the highlights is the ceremonial tossing of the blessed cross in the Spring Bayou by Archbishop Demetrios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America. This year, 48 Greek teens, will dive into the chilly waters. The first one to retrieve the cross, according to tradition, gets a special blessing for the year.

Pack a blanket for a seat on the lawn around the bayou, get on your dancing shoes for the catchy music and save an appetite so you can feast on authentic Greek food. And for those who need a spiritual lift to begin the new year, plan on attending the Divine Liturgy in the historical cathedral.

Here’s the lineup:

Theophany 2013

When: Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, 36 N. Pinellas Ave., Tarpon Springs, the Spring Bayou and Craig Park

What: 8 to 11 a.m., Orthos and Divine Liturgy at the cathedral; noon, blessing of the waters celebrated by the archbishop and Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta; 12:30 p.m., traditional litany procession from the cathedral to the bayou with visiting dignitaries, children dressed in Greek attire, bands, choir, teen divers and the dove bearer, followed by the toss of the cross into the waters; 12:30 to 6 p.m., free Epiphany “Glendi” festival with food, drink, live music and dancing.

Information: Visit www.epiphanycity.org or call (727) 937-3540.

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