TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. — After the thunderstorms passed, Florida's largest Greek Orthodox community celebrated Epiphany on Saturday when a 16-year-old boy dove into cold water to retrieve a cross, during an annual rite that draws thousands.
John Hittos found the cross before 64 other boys after it was thrown into a bayou in Tarpon Springs, a Gulf Coast city 30 miles north of Tampa and known for its large Greek community. It is believed that the retriever of the cross receives a year full of blessings. It is one of the largest Epiphany celebrations in the country.
“I didn't see where the cross ended up in the water,” Hittos told reporters after emerging from the 65-degree (18 degrees Celsius) water. “I didn't know where it was, but I had a feeling and I just went down. I couldn't see anything, but it was in my hand.”
The Epiphany commemorates the manifestation of Jesus to the world and comes from the Greek word 'epiphaneia', which means 'appearance'. It is celebrated by Christians all over the world with celebrations ranging from parades and gift giving to children to the blessing of water. The holiday is also called the Feast of Epiphany, Epiphany and Theophany. In some traditions it celebrates the baptism of Jesus and in others the visit of the Three Wise Men to the Child Jesus.
The boys were led from the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St. Nicholas to the water by clerics and a nervous 17-year-old Chloe Kotis, who carried a white dove representing the Holy Spirit. She released him over the water before the dive.
“I'm happy to hold something that means so much,” she told the Tampa Bay Times.
Many Greek immigrants were drawn to Tarpon Springs because the water was full of sponges, and they quickly built a thriving industry. Others set up restaurants, pastry shops and markets that exude a Mediterranean feel.