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Tarpon Springs Celebrates Epiphany
TBO.com News ^ | Jan 6, 2006 | DAVID SOMMER

Posted on 01/05/2006 8:21:25 PM PST by DocRock

TARPON SPRINGS - Dress warm, get there early and be prepared for a massive crowd.

That's the advice offered by organizers of the 100th annual Epiphany Day celebration, which promises to draw the biggest crowd ever.

His All Holiness Bartholomew, the ecumenical patriarch of all Eastern Orthodox churches, will officiate at prayer services that begin at 7:30 a.m. today inside St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

The patriarch will throw the cross into Spring Bayou at what for many is the highlight of Epiphany Day activities when more than 50 teenage boys dive into the 70-degree springwater to retrieve the holy symbol.

The Dive for the Cross is scheduled for about 12:30 p.m.

This is His All Holiness Bartholomew's first visit to Tarpon Springs, and he is joined by high ranking Orthodox clergy from around the world. Also, diplomats from Greece, Turkey, Russia and Cyprus and representatives of the U.S. Senate and House, and possibly the White House, are scheduled to attend.

Early morning temperatures are expected to be in the low 50s, rising to the high 50s by the time of the cross retrieval. Divers are blessed by the patriarch, and the diver who retrieves the cross receives a special blessing that is said to last through the year.

At a meeting with reporters Thursday, Archbishop Demetrios, leader of the Greek Orthodox church in America, said that as brave as the boys are to dive into the bayou on a cold day, it is their drenched-to-the-skin procession back to the cathedral for their blessing that most impresses him.

Also at the meeting, His All Holiness Bartholomew said he is looking forward to resuming a dialogue between the two original branches of Christianity when Roman Catholic Pope Benedict XVI visits him in Istanbul, Turkey, this year.


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: bartholomew; ecumenicalpatriarch; epiphany; greekorthodox; patriarch
I am shocked at the lack of media coverage of this event. It is expected that 177 countries with 360 to 400 million viewers will watch this historic event live. Source
1 posted on 01/05/2006 8:21:26 PM PST by DocRock
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To: DocRock

Ouzo for everybody!!


2 posted on 01/05/2006 8:28:51 PM PST by WideGlide (That light at the end of the tunnel might be a muzzle flash.)
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To: DocRock
Link to live web broadcast: LINK

Link to schedule of events: LINK

Official Site of His All Holiness Patriarch Bartholomew: LINK



His All Holiness Bartholomew will travel from Turkey for Epiphany Day.

3 posted on 01/05/2006 8:29:08 PM PST by DocRock
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To: DocRock

Do you know what station is carrying it? I didn't see it in the article.


4 posted on 01/05/2006 8:30:13 PM PST by goodnesswins
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To: DocRock

Ah....never mind...you read my mind....LOL.


5 posted on 01/05/2006 8:30:33 PM PST by goodnesswins
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To: goodnesswins
*Smile* Glad I could be of service.

FRegards,
DocRock
6 posted on 01/05/2006 8:36:22 PM PST by DocRock
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To: DocRock; All

I love Tarpon Springs, especially the downtown area.

Yes, it's touristy - but it's quite interesting. I love the food and for a guy, I even like to go in some of the shops too.


7 posted on 01/05/2006 8:39:36 PM PST by MplsSteve
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To: MplsSteve
http://www.patriarchalcentennialvisit.com/transportation_patriarchal_visit.html If you plan on driving in for the Epiphany tomorrow, they are expecting at least 80,000 spectators due to the rare visit of the Patriarch. Here is a schedule of the buses running from local area Greek Orthodox Churches so you don't have to park miles away and walk.

Bus Pick up Locations and Schedule
8 posted on 01/05/2006 8:43:31 PM PST by DocRock
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To: MplsSteve
Sorry about scrambling the fist part of that post, but it's getting late! : )
9 posted on 01/05/2006 8:44:43 PM PST by DocRock
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To: DocRock

It's about to start Bump!


10 posted on 01/06/2006 5:56:07 AM PST by DocRock
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To: goodnesswins; All
"Do you know what station is carrying it?"

Good streaming live web cast HERE
11 posted on 01/06/2006 6:48:24 AM PST by DocRock
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