Tarpon Springs Epiphany Day cross retriever carries on family tradition: ‘I couldn’t believe it!’
120th annual Epiphany in Tarpon Springs
Tuesday’s Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs could be the largest to date with more than 70 young men diving for the cross. FOX 13’s Heather Healy reports.
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - 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.
"I’m so grateful for the opportunity," Karistinos said. "It really is a blessing. I can’t feel anything in the moment.
"I don't know if there's anything in the blood, but we feel real blessed in this moment," Anesti Karistinos, Athos' father shared.
He said he grew up on the water, but this was not something he practiced for.
"I saw the glow and I grabbed it," he explained.
This was his third and last year participating in the cross dive.
The annual event, which is the largest Epiphany celebration outside of Greece, includes a prayer service, dove release and ceremonial cross dive.
This year 74 boys dove for the cross, making it the largest dive to date.
Karistinos, who is a senior at Palm Harbor High School and a student at SPC, said this was his third and final year participating in the cross dive.
What is Epiphany and why is it celebrated?
The backstory:
Epiphany, which is also known as Three Kings Day, is a Christian feast day that takes place on January 6. It signifies how a star led the Magi, the three kings, or three wise men, to visit the baby Jesus after his birth. In the East, it celebrates the baptism of Christ.
The ceremony also symbolizes the end of the Christmas season and the beginning of the new year.
Who can dive for the cross during Tarpon Springs Epiphany celebration?
The annual diving for the cross is a time-honored tradition and whoever retrieves the cross is considered blessed for the entire year.
It’s a rite of passage to dive for the cross and typically about 65 teens participate. Those diving for the cross must be a male between the ages of 16-18, who is in good standing with the church.
What they're saying:
"This is it. This is where it all happens," shared first-time diver Kostas Saravanos. "Seeing it on TV with however many, 20,000 people, it's a beautiful thing to see all that goes into it, in the morning when it's not crowded, all of the news crews out here, all the people working on sound equipment and security, I still can't really believe that I'm here."
""It’s a very cool things to witness in person especially," stated Luc Baillot, who retrieved the cross in 2025.
The Source: This article was written with information found on the Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral website and previous FOX 13 News reports.