TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. – Dozens of teenage boys dove into the cold waters of Spring Bayou, all searching for the same thing: a cross thrown by the archbishop moments before. When 18-year-old Athos Karistinos came up holding it, the crowd cheered.
Athos, now a senior at Palm Harbor University High School while also attending St. Petersburg College, plans to pursue a career in business administration. The achievement carries particular resonance for his family: his father retrieved the cross in 1991, as did his godfather and uncle in their respective years. The tradition’s continuation through generations reflects the deep roots many families have maintained in Tarpon Springs’ Greek Orthodox community.
His father, Anestis Karistinos, who stood among the spectators at Spring Bayou, reflected on how the day recalled his own experience three decades earlier. For the younger diver, the accomplishment represents more than personal honor. He expressed gratitude for his connection to what he described as a strong Greek community that has sustained these traditions across multiple generations.
Our school community extends congratulations to all participants, recognizing that each diver who entered the waters demonstrated courage, faith, and commitment to preserving this cherished tradition.
This year’s milestone, the 120th celebration of Epiphany in Tarpon Springs, carried particular significance as community leaders reflected on the tradition’s longevity and its role in preserving Greek heritage in America. The event commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ, and according to the Greek Orthodox tradition, the young person who retrieves the cross receives special blessings for the coming year.
Understanding the Epiphany Tradition of blessing of the water
The Feast of Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, remembers the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. In Greece, the holiday carries deep religious and cultural meaning. Greek Orthodox clergy bless bodies of water throughout the country, from seaside harbors to mountain lakes, by throwing a cross into the water. Young men dive to retrieve it, and the person who catches it is believed to receive special blessings for the coming year.
The ceremony is celebrated in Tarpon Springs since 1905, when Greek immigrants brought the tradition to their new American home. Each January, the Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church of America throws a wooden cross into the water, and young divers compete for the honor of retrieving it. The event draws visitors from across the nation, turning the historic sponge-diving city into a gathering place for Greek Orthodox faithful and people interested in Greek culture.
This year’s 120th celebration meant something special as community leaders thought about how long the tradition has lasted and its role in keeping Greek heritage alive in America.
Plato Academy, part of a network of charter schools serving Florida communities, has built strong relationships with Tarpon Springs. The school’s curriculum focuses on classical education while honoring the Greek heritage that’s so present in the region. For current students, seeing a graduate earn such recognition serves as powerful inspiration.
Tarpon Springs still feels connected to its Greek immigrant founders, who arrived in the early 20th century and built a successful sponge-diving industry. Today, the city keeps that connection alive through events like the Epiphany celebration.
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