Largest Epiphany attanded by Greek PM and Archbishop of America (video)
Twenty-five thousand people cheered in celebration of a new Spring Bayou cross-retriever, the 18-year-old Hunter Sakadales, in the largest Epiphany celebration in the Western Hemisphere.
For the 114th year, crowds turned out at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral and at Spring Bayou for the traditional tossing of the cross during Epiphany celebrations.
A procession to the Spring Bayou commenced immediately following the Church service for the Blessing of the Waters and cross retrieval.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, stopping by ahead of his visit with President Donald Trump and Archbishop Elpidophoros and Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta were among the participants in this year’s observance.
“What a privilege to find myself here, in Tarpon Springs, among this dynamic Greek community”, Mitsotakis said from a platform overlooking the bayou, standing beside the archbishop. “You keep the flag of Greece flying very high”.
“This Holy Event is not merely a yearly symbolic re-enactment but a ‘real-time’ transformation of nature. Therefore, we, here in the Tarpon Springs area, become recipients of the true metamorphosis of our environment. We are protected from above,” said the Reverend Fr. Athanasios Haros, Dean of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.
Leading up to the feast day, the Blessing of the Fleet took place on Saturday, January 5th at noon. Clergy blessed the fisherman, their vessels, and the water in which they travel, and wish them safe and prosperous journeys. That service occurred at the Sponge Docks on the Anclote River, which feeds into the Gulf of Mexico. Both commercial fishermen and recreational boaters participated.
On January 6, Epiphany observances began at 8 AM with Orthros (Matins) followed by the Hierarchical Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral at 10 AM.
Following the Divine Liturgy and Great Blessing of the waters, Archbishop Elpidophoros, hierarchs, clergy, dignitaries, and thousands of people formed an impressive procession to Spring Bayou, with school children in traditional costumes, choir members, and Greek Folk dance groups from throughout the Tampa Bay Area. There, an invocation was recited and a young lady, Cynthia Tsaousis, 25 years old, released a white dove symbolizing the Holy Spirit to fly over the Bayou. The Archbishop cast a white cross into the water and fifty-seven young men dove for it, each seeking the honor of retrieving it. Breaking through, Sakadales screamed, “I got it! I got it!”
His fellow cross divers lifted him up and the retriever then kneeled with the cross before the Archbishop for a blessing.
Following the ceremony, there was an Epiphany Glendi (festival) at Craig Park with food drink, live music and dancing. There were also shows of traditional Greek dancing performed by the Levendia, the nationally award-winning Greek dance troupe, and by students of Holy Trinity’s Greek school in Clearwater.
The President of St Nicholas Church, Nikitas Manias, bestowed Archbishop Elpidophoros a symbolic statue of a cross diver.
“Since this is a special occasion and your first visit in Tarpon Springs, we want to express our love and show you our love. We hope you put this in your office and think of us.”
St. Nicholas reserves the cross dive only for boys 16 to 18 and is one of the few, if not the only Greek Orthodox church in the United States that bans girls. Every year, however, one girl is selected from the choir and given the honor of releasing the dove before the dive.
The largest Epiphany celebration in the Western Hemisphere brought an estimated 25,000 people to downtown Tarpon Springs on a cloudless and chilly Monday, according to spokesperson Johanna Kossifidis.
Read more at thenationalherald.com
Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons License: CC-BY-SA Copyright: Florida Memory
- 1) Health Minister: 95% of Greek hospitals to perform afternoon surgeries
- 2) Four hospitals in Attica Region already organizing afternoon surgical procedures
- 3) PM: More than 80 hospitals and 156 health centres being upgraded in Greece
- 4) First afternoon surgeries in Greece kick off at Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki
28/03 18:41
Attica Region to channel 640 bln euros to services of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups
28/03 17:32
Greece to auction three-month T-bills on April 3, 2024 in a book entry form
28/03 15:46
Greece's Meteora Pyli Geopark added to UNESCO Global Geoparks network
28/03 14:44
IPTO announces framework agreement tender for undersea power cables in Greece
28/03 11:49
IOBE: Construction sector in Greece records robust growth and good prospects
26/03 23:51
St. Thomas Hellenic School honors 1821 and the Feast of the Annunciation in NJ
26/03 21:59
PM at Economic Club of Canada: Greece is an attractive investment destination
26/03 17:56
Greek State budget primary balance reaches a surplus of 3,378 million euros
26/03 11:45
Ancient Messene to get upgraded visitors' facilities after approval by Council
23/03 17:43
New requirements for 'Golden Visa' program to kick in on March 31
23/03 16:49
Athenians continue to head out of the Greek Capital for March 25 long weekend
23/03 16:47
Greek Parliament lights to be turned off for Earth Hour 8:30-9:30 pm
22/03 21:54
US President on Greek Independence Day: Alliance with Greece stronger than ever
22/03 19:51
High diplomacy and geopolitics at Delphi Economic Forum IX in Greece
22/03 19:32
Tax authorities enable payments with foreign bank cards in Greece
22/03 14:19
22/03 00:24
Greece ranks first on list of countries with fastest business environment progress
22/03 00:02
Hellenic Police acquires first electric VAN-type highway patrol vehicle
21/03 22:41
21/03 15:33
Unseen Museum presents "The stele of the twin babies" exhibition in Athens
20/03 22:48
Health Minister: 95% of Greek hospitals to perform afternoon surgeries
20/03 21:52
Greek Deputy Minister of Justice meets delegation from US Embassy in Athens
20/03 21:44
Greek Interior Minister to visit United States and Canada on postal vote
20/03 20:55
Philadelphia Icarians mark 85th Anniversary and organize Apokriatiko Dance
20/03 18:01
Development Minister: We continue the battle against high prices in Greece
19/03 22:28
President of the Hellenic Republic meets her Ethiopian counterpart in Athens
19/03 20:57
19/03 20:25
FinMIn: Moody’s analysis records significant progress in the Greek economy
19/03 11:15
Sector chiefs report: Good news for Greek tourism in 2024 at ITB Berlin
18/03 22:20
American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association honors Past Supreme President
16/03 13:01
Greek Deputy Foreign Μinister meets her Slovenian counterpart in Athens
16/03 12:56
Greek-Canadian Diaspora to welcome Greek Prime Minister to Toronto
16/03 11:28
Greek Migration Minister visits refugee hosting facilities in Kavala, Drama and Serres
15/03 21:50
Greek Minister announces conference on defence ecosystem in Athens from Lithuania
15/03 13:45
PM: More than 80 hospitals and 156 health centres being upgraded in Greece
15/03 12:55
Piraeus Port and Genoa Chambers of Commerce ink memorandum of cooperation
14/03 23:43
President of Hellenic Republic meets Prime Minister of Slovakia in Bratislava
14/03 22:58
American Express report highlights Global Travel Trends during 2024
14/03 22:52
Four hospitals in Attica Region already organizing afternoon surgical procedures
14/03 22:49
US Ambassador to Athens: More flights from the United States to Greece and Thessaloniki
14/03 22:43
Greek archaeologists discover ten ancient shipwrecks off Aegean island of Kasos
14/03 19:32
No new intubations for Covid-19 recorded in Greece for the first time
14/03 18:36
Extra road safety measures adopted for Greek pre-lent carnival and Clean Monday
14/03 14:48
14/03 12:54
Electric buses to be deployed on the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki by May
13/03 22:23
13/03 20:11
Prices of basic lenten products either lower or equal to last year's in Greece
13/03 19:15
US Ambassador to Athens: Greece secures NATO readiness via Alexandroupolis
13/03 17:19
13/03 12:26
Greece shows new costumes for revamped Olympic Flame-lighting ceremony
12/03 22:46
Epirotes Society of Philadelphia ‘Omonia’ organized 16th Annual ‘Tsipourovradia’
12/03 21:38
The President of the Hellenic Republic to visit Slovakia on March 13-15
12/03 20:29
First afternoon surgeries in Greece kick off at Papageorgiou Hospital in Thessaloniki
11/03 23:58
Greek Foreign Minister: We stand behind Montenegro's European perspective
11/03 23:47
Visa Express for Turkish citizens to commence on five Greek islands in March
11/03 19:40
11/03 18:49
Microsoft Data Center construction kicks off in Spata next to Athens Airport
11/03 17:53
Dodecanese Federation marked 76th Anniversary of Unification with Greece
09/03 22:23
08/03 14:27
Prime Minister: Radical change in Greek education and a brave reform for growth
08/03 14:24
Traffic restrictions expected in Athens mid-morning to evening on Friday due to protests
08/03 14:24
Applications to out-of-court settlement more than doubled in Greece in February
08/03 13:18
Metro station 'Maniatika' near Piraeus Port to be closed on Saturday and Sunday
07/03 14:12
Athens wins World Travel Award 2024 as the top city-break destination in Europe
06/03 22:51
WTTC data show Greece and Portugal lead league for growth in tourist arrivals
06/03 20:28
Greek Tourism Minister at ITB: 2024 will be another excellent year for sector
06/03 19:47
Greek Foreign Minister to meet UAE Minister of Industry and Technology on Friday
06/03 18:43
European Union actions of 274m euros to support cultural heritage in Greece
06/03 16:37
'Odontotos' rack railway temporarily stopped until landslides issue is resolved
06/03 14:40
Minister: Bringing about the return of Greeks abroad 'a moral duty'
05/03 14:28
Archdiocese of America Eparchial Synod to meet on March 14-17 in Florida
05/03 14:21
05/03 14:11
ITB BERLIN 2024 opens with excellent bookings after global rise in travel in 2023
05/03 12:24
Greek PM at Athens supermarket: Consumers 'can already see lower prices on the shelf'
04/03 22:02
Greek Health Minister: Afternoon surgeries at state hospitals to begin shortly
04/03 21:47
Holy Cross Greek Orthodox Whitestone Community marks 49th Anniversary
04/03 20:27
Labor chief: Greece to train 500,000 workers in digital, green skills by 2025
04/03 19:44
Foreign Ministry to organize event on 'Women, Peace, and Security' on Friday
04/03 15:12
Athens Riviera | The summer experience with Athens as a background
29/02 22:54
Consumers to see price cuts up to 18.1% in 3,000 Greek supermarket products as of Friday
29/02 21:44
Greece and Germany set up Working Group on shipping cooperation
29/02 21:30
Wyndham Rewards’ Member Month offers 5 weeks of deals, discounts, and bonus points
29/02 21:03
Temple of Poseidon at Sounion near Athens to get new lighting system
29/02 21:02
29/02 20:47
Greece is represented by 60 firms at GULFOOD 2024 exhibition
29/02 19:58
Greek government gives 1+1 month extension for cash register-integrated POS terminals
29/02 19:49
Archangel Michael Church Dance Program shines at Folk Dance Festival in SF
29/02 15:39
'Renovate-rent' programme to be launched, Minister tells Greek Parliament
29/02 12:39
Rio-Antirrio ferry line in central Greece closed due to strong winds
28/02 21:34
Weather with heavy rain and storms in Greece as of Sunday night
28/02 17:31
CEO: The goal is for PPC to become a leading player in Southeast Europe
28/02 17:04
New Wyndham Hotels Market Managing Director of Central and Eastern Europe
28/02 12:21
Minister: Transactions with the Greek State will be further simplified in 2024
28/02 11:57
27/02 17:25
UN Tourism hails Saudi Arabia's historic milestone of 100 million tourists
27/02 15:00
Greek Prime Minister: Relations with Armenia can become even more productive
27/02 14:26
Wyndham: New growth cycle in Greece for the largest hotel chain franchise in the world
27/02 13:15
Price cuts of up to 15% in important product categories in Greece after March 1
27/02 12:46
Athens taxi drivers' protest rally in progress from Athinon avenue to Messogion
26/02 18:30
Annual Summit of Women Political Leaders (WPL) to be held in Athens in April
Attica Region to channel 640 bln euros to services of vulnerable and disadvantaged groups
Greece to auction three-month T-bills on April 3, 2024 in a book entry form
Ancient Messene to get upgraded visitors' facilities after approval by Council
IPTO announces framework agreement tender for undersea power cables in Greece
IOBE: Construction sector in Greece records robust growth and good prospects
Greece's Meteora Pyli Geopark added to UNESCO Global Geoparks network
New requirements for 'Golden Visa' program to kick in on March 31
PM at Economic Club of Canada: Greece is an attractive investment destination
Greek State budget primary balance reaches a surplus of 3,378 million euros
St. Thomas Hellenic School honors 1821 and the Feast of the Annunciation in NJ
AEGEAN concludes transfer of stake in Animawings to Memento Group
EXPOTROF-The Greek Fine Food Exhibition opens near Athens on Saturday
Parnithos Avenue closed down to traffic from the cable car area due to snow
Greek Deputy Transport Minister flies in first test seaplane flight from Lavrio port
Greek Tourism Minister in Belgrade for International Exhibition
American Hellenic Institute Golden Jubilee celebration Includes concert on April 12
Greek supermarkets record rise in value and decline in volume of FMCG sales
Greek Prime Minister to meet Bulgarian counterpart at Maximos Mansion
Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Diplomacy on business missions agenda
Greek Prime Minister on official visit to India as of Wednesday
Greek president organizes reception for diplomats at Presidential Mansion
Price cuts of up to 15% in important product categories in Greece after March 1
Weather with heavy rain and storms in Greece as of Sunday night
EU forecasts Greece 2024 growth at 2.3%, Eurozone’s fourth-highest rate