US EditionThousands Gather in Tarpon Springs for 120th Epiphany Celebration
The event includes a blessing of boats, a procession, and a dive by youths to retrieve the cross, continuing a Greek Orthodox tradition for 120 years.
- On Tuesday, Jan 6, 2026, Tarpon Springs hosted its 120th annual Epiphany celebration at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral and Tarpon Springs Bayou, running from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m.
- As a long-standing rite, the Epiphany is a Greek Orthodox tradition commemorating Jesus' baptism, and organizers began celebrations Monday with a Blessing of the Fleet at the Sponge Docks.
- At 8 a.m., an archierarchical Orthros and Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America and Metropolitan Sevastianos of Atlanta.
- Officials said major roads, including Alternate US Highway 19 and Tarpon Avenue, will be closed on Monday, with detours in place, the City of Tarpon Springs said.
- Tarpon Springs' history of Greek immigration and the sponge industry helped spawn restaurants, pastry shops and markets that give the town a Mediterranean feel, while the celebration includes a Glendi-Festival at St. Nicholas Community Center with food, music, dancing, and loukoumades.
15 Articles
15 Articles
Thousands gather in Tarpon Springs for 120th Epiphany celebration
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (WFLA) -- Tuesday marked the 120th celebration of Epiphany in Tarpon Springs, which is a tradition honoring the baptism of Jesus Christ. Thousands of people came to watch the celebration at Spring Bayou as dozens of teenagers of the Greek Orthodox faith jumped into the water to try and find a white [...]
Associated Press News
Florida's Greek community gathers for 120th Epiphany celebration and annual dive to retrieve cross
Florida’s largest Greek Orthodox community gathered Tuesday for its 120th Epiphany celebration, where dozens of teens dove into chilly water to retrieve a cross in front of thousands of spectators.
Tarpon Springs Celebrates Milestone 120th Epiphany with Historic Cross Dive
Epiphany at Tarpon Springs. Credit: Michael Ballard Thousands of spectators gathered at Spring Bayou, Tarpon Springs, today to witness the 120th Epiphany celebration, a historic milestone for the largest Greek Orthodox community in the Western Hemisphere. The event, which serves as a profound connection to the town’s Greek roots, concluded with the world-famous dive for the Holy Cross. The great blessing of the fleet The festivities began on Mon…
Tarpon Springs Epiphany Day cross retriever carries on family tradition: ‘I couldn’t believe it!’
On Tuesday, Athos Karistinos, retrieved the coveted cross during the 120th annual Tarpon Springs Epiphany Day celebration, carrying on the legacy of his father who retrieved the cross in 1991.
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