Θεοφάνια στη Φλόριντα

Cold Weather Did not Hinder Epiphany Celebration in Tarpon Springs
         
Jan 7, 2014

Tarpon Springs, Fla. – The chilly wind blowing from the North and cloudy skies, uncharacteristic weather for Florida, could not hamper the celebrations for the Feast of Theophany, the Feast of Lights. The 108-year old tradition of the large Greek Orthodox Community of St. Nicholas Cathedral in the Epiphany City went according to plan, except for the litany procession from the Church to the Spring Bayou which took a shorter route this year to compensate for the cold weather.

Archbishop Demetrios of America presided at the Hierarchal Divine Liturgy with Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta and Bishop Sevastianos of Zela concelebrating, while assisted by more than a dozen clergy. The glorious Cathedral of St. Nicholas was overflowing with faithful Orthodox Christians.

Following the conclusion of the liturgy, the Archbishop led the service of the Great Agiasmos, the sanctification of the waters and the blessing of the faithful with holy water. The service is truly a holy event during which the Holy Spirit sanctifies the water and those faithful who partake of it.

Forty-three young men, ages 16-18 years-old, had already taken their positions in front of the church as the procession formed. School children in traditional costumes, choir members, Greek Folk dance groups from throughout the Tampa Bay Area, the hierarchs, clergy, altar boys, dignitaries and thousands of people comprised an impressive mosaic, as they took a shorter route than in past years, to save the young children and the divers from unnecessary exposure to the elements. Once the procession reached the scenic cove of Spring Bayou, where surprisingly several thousand people were waiting, Archbishop Demetrios gave his blessing to the young men kneeling in front of him and off they ran and jumped in the water, struggling to get their place in one of the dinghies forming a semi-circle in the bayou. Sixteen-year old Joi Theophilopoulos, the granddaughter of the late Fr. Tryfon Theophilopoulos who served in the St Nicholas Cathedral for almost 30 years, was the dove bearer this year and she released the dove as the Gospel was read. Shortly after, Archbishop Demetrios threw the white wooden cross into the water. The boys dove and swam as fast as they could. Soon enough 18-year old Peter (Petros) Smith emerged holding the white cross in his right hand raised above the water. He came out of the water, kneeled before the Archbishop and received his blessing and the Epiphany trophy. His fellow shivering divers then carried him on their shoulders as a gesture of comradery and respect.

The Epiphany Glendi (festival) began shortly after at the Spanos-Pappas Community Center Theofilos Hall, with food, drink, live music and dancing.

 

 Peter (Petros) Smith, the moment he retrieved the Cross.

 http://www.goarch.org/news/epiphanytarpon2014

Θεοφάνεια στο Τάρπον Σπρινγκς της Φλόριντα

Epiphany. Tarpon Springs, Florida 

 

stavroula είπε... 

H ekfrash "mou eir8e mia fwthsh, exw mia faeinh idea st Agglika einai "I had an Epipfany".

[...]

Etsi noikokuremena me tropous pou mas ema8e h airetikh Esperia giortasthkan ta Agia 8eofaneia kai sto Tarpon Springs ths Floridas me to megalutero panhguri (den phga pote) kai me pollous touristes ap ola ta gurw merh.

 

[...] Sto telos oloi feugoun euxaristhmenoi gia mia akoma Epipfany pou eir8e kai efuge kai oloi euxontai kai tou xronou kai pane sta spitia tous...

"Let's take a gooood look in our mirrors, Lord we might have an Epipfany..." 

7 Ιανουαρίου 2011 3:33 π.μ.

http://xairete.blogspot.com/2011/01/blog-post_9400.html

Epiphany cross goes to Pappas family: MyFoxTAMPABAY.com

Epiphany

ΔΙΑΒΑΖΩ:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/athena-andreadis-phd/yes-virginia-hellenes-hav_b_801379.html

Athena Andreadis

December 30, 2010

The holiday lasts two weeks, from December 25 to January 6. At the three punctuation points (Christmas, New Year's, Epiphany) children make the rounds of the neighborhood houses, singing songs called kálanda. These remain unchanged from the Byzantine era; they're different for each of the three days and the kids sing them to the accompaniment of hand-held metal triangles -- and more rarely, small bodhrán drums. During these two weeks, people thought that mischievous spirits (kallikántzaroi) prowled the dark. 

These obvious descendants of fauns and satyrs take a solstice break from trying to cut down the world tree that holds up the earth. During the interruption the tree heals, leading to infinite annual repetitions.

[...] Epiphany, which rounds out the holiday, is also called The Lights. On that day the priests go to each house, blessing it with a sprig of basil dipped in water. Afterward, the priests from every coastal city, town or village throw a cross into the sea. Young men dive to retrieve it, and whoever brings it back is blessed. Just so did priests and priestesses of other religions also appease the oldest goddess of all -- Tiamat, Thálassa -- by offering her rings and other treasure instead of crosses. The custom was retained by the Doges of Venice, the city state that owed its existence to the sea.

A few years ago Mr. Snacho and I found ourselves in Tarpon Springs, Florida, at the turn of the year. The city was founded by sponge divers from the island of Kálymnos. They still throw the cross into the sea. Young men still compete for the honor of retrieving it. And I, an exile by choice who's often homesick for the place I left almost forty years ago, wept at the sight. 

Epiphany. Tarpon Springs, Florida