Florida's largest Greek Orthodox community has celebrated a major milestone, gathering for its 120th annual Epiphany festival. The highlight saw dozens of teenage boys braving chilly waters in a traditional dive to retrieve a blessed cross, watched by thousands of spectators.
A Tradition of Blessings in the Bayou
The event took place on Tuesday, 6th January 2026, in Tarpon Springs, a town on Florida's Gulf Coast roughly 30 miles north of Tampa. This location is renowned for its substantial and vibrant Greek community. Athos Karistinos, aged 18, successfully retrieved the cross from the bayou waters, beating 73 other participants to the prize. According to tradition, the young man who finds the cross is believed to receive a year of divine blessings.
The Meaning Behind the Feast of Epiphany
The Epiphany, one of the largest such celebrations in the United States, commemorates the manifestation of Jesus Christ to the world. The term itself originates from the Greek word "epiphaneia," meaning "appearance." Christians globally mark the day, also known as the Feast of Epiphany, Three Kings Day, or Theophany, with various customs. These range from parades and gift-giving for children to the blessing of water, reflecting the baptism of Jesus or the visit of the Three Magi.
In Tarpon Springs, the ceremony is deeply symbolic. The boys were led to the water from St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral by clergy and Sylvia Marakas. Marakas carried a white dove, representing the Holy Spirit, which she released over the water just before the dive commenced.
A Community Built on Sponges and Spirit
The deep-rooted Greek presence in Tarpon Springs has a practical history. Many Greek immigrants were originally drawn to the area because the local waters were abundant with sponges, allowing them to quickly establish a thriving sponge-diving industry. This economic foundation enabled others to build restaurants, pastry shops, and markets, giving the town its distinctive Mediterranean atmosphere which continues to this day.
The 120th celebration not only underscores the community's enduring faith but also its successful preservation of rich cultural traditions far from its ancestral homeland, creating a unique and colourful spectacle on Florida's coast.
