Tarpon Springs Readies For Epiphany

 A. Papapostolou -1/1/13

Boys who plucked crosses from Spring Bayou during last year’s Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs, Florida, say that, true to custom, blessings definitely flowed their way. Tradition dictates that they hand off the cross diving honors at this year’s event, Tarpon Springs’ 107th Epiphany celebration on Jan. 6.

The cross dive, Epiphany’s centerpiece event, will undergo changes this year, as will other parts of the day’s celebration. Typically, only one boy emerges from the murky waters with the cross. But last year, Archbishop Demetrios, primate of the Greek Orthodox Church in America, threw a second cross after the first one he had tossed into the bayou couldn’t be found.

Louis Mailisand retrieved the second cross. However, some divers kept searching for the first one, and Mailisand’s cousin, Miros Petru, found it. Hours later, organizers determined that Mailisand had grabbed the cross away from another boy, Jared Alissandratos. Three days later, after photos and videos surfaced on social networking and media sites, church officials announced that they had already determined that the second cross was snatched away from Alexi Lake during an above-water tussle.

Four winners eventually were declared. To avoid a repeat, organizers vow to throw only one cross this time. The Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist, and the dive is a long-anticipated rite of passage into manhood for Greek boys ages 16 to 18. Tarpon’s celebration is one of the largest in the western hemisphere.

The other major change to the upcoming celebration is a shift in the location of the glendi, or Greek festival, to Craig Park, which is immediately adjacent to the bayou. It was previously held at a community center located a half-mile away. The Sunday evening glendi caps a weekend of celebration, starting at noon the day before with Greek Orthodox leaders blessing boats, businesses and the waters lining the Sponge Docks.

A Greek dance festival featuring traditional music, costumes and food will also be held. On Sunday morning, Jan. 6, the the church liturgy will be followed by a noon procession in which dove bearer Evelyn Bilirakis will lead the boys to the waters where they dive for the cross. Epiphany publicity chair Johanna Kossifidis said organizers expect as many as 17,000 locals and visitors — a larger than normal turnout — because the holiday falls this year on a weekend. Eaccarino said, though, that it’s also possible that the day of the week might have the opposite effect on attendance.

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