The teens in Tarpon Springs take cold plunges to a different level every January. On Tuesday, January 6, the 120th Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs will take place, with crowds looking on as local teenagers dive into Spring Bayou in search of a metal cross. The celebration will be streamed live here.
The annual event, hosted by St. Nicholas Greek Cathedral, marks the end of the 12 Days of Christmas and commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist. The daylong celebration begins with Orthros and Divine Liturgy services at the church, followed by a procession to the water and the release of a dove. The ceremony culminates with the Archbishop of America tossing the cross into the water, where young Orthodox Christian men ages 16 to 18 dive in to retrieve it.
The young man who returns with the cross is said to be blessed for the entire year. According to the church, past divers have gone on to become war veterans, doctors, lawyers, and politicians. Among the most notable past retrievers is Nikitas Lulias, who retrieved the cross in 1974 and today serves as Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain…