Live updates: The cross goes to George Stamas, 16, at Epiphany dive in Tarpon Springs

Today, Tarpon Springs will bask in its 117th annual Epiphany celebration, a richly choreographed religious and cultural event that brings more than 20,000 visitors to the North Pinellas city every year.

Eastern Christian denominations celebrate Epiphany to commemorate the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and the manifestation of the Holy Trinity. Along with a Eucharistic service, the celebrations typically feature a blessing of the waters and a day-long festival with food and dancing.

Tarpon Springs hosts the largest Epiphany celebration in the western hemisphere.

A team of Tampa Bay Times reporters and photographers is in place to chronicle the day — from the solemn Divine Liturgy at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral to the climactic dive for the cross.

PHOTOS: A look at today’s celebration

VIDEO: See the dive for the cross

OUR STORY: Read about the day’s events in Tarpon Springs

EPIPHANY 2023: The traditions, the food, a schedule of events

EPIPHANY EXPLAINED: Our video from the 2022 celebration

12:38 p.m. The divers just plunged into Spring Bayou

The diver who retrieved the cross is George Stamas, age 16. Read more about him here.

11:45 a.m. The procession begins

11:35 a.m. Video of preparations along Spring Bayou

11:20 a.m. Getting ready

10:45 a.m. 3 boys scratched from the diving group

An update on the cross-divers: Three boys are sick today, so the official diver count is now 65, according to Epiphany media and publicity director Johanna Kossifidis.

Paramedics will be in the water with the boys and more are on hand if hypothermia arises. AdventHealth of North Pinellas, the local hospital, has donated a supply of towels at the ready for the divers.

— Tracey McManus and Sharon Kennedy Wynne

10:30 a.m. Why girls aren’t invited to dive

If you’re wondering why only boys can dive for the cross (and year of blessings), Times reporter Tracey McManus addressed the issue in a 2019 story. St. Nicholas’ event in Tarpon Springs is one of the few, if only, Greek Orthodox churches that don’t let girls dive. One girl is chosen to release the dove.

10 a.m. The boys will plunge into 62-degree waters

Spring Bayou is beginning to fill up with people sitting in lawn chairs and bundled in jackets. But the sun is out and shining, and temperatures will be in the mid-60s around noon when the boys make their plunge.

The bayou water temperature was around 62 degrees at 9:30, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission spokesperson, Forest Rothchild.

”This time of year it (the bayou temperature) tends to be pretty consistent,” Rothchild said. “The challenge is that we also have tide coming in until about 2 p.m.”

He said ocean water will be pushing in, so it will be a combination of waters. However, the temperature will likely remain in the low 60s.

— Michaela Mulligan

9:45 a.m. Before the big dive, keeping it safe

9:15 a.m. Solemn traditions: ‘It’s very touching.’

8:50 a.m. Flowers for the archbishop

8:45 a.m. Did we mention the food?

After the cross dive later today, six food trucks will be part of Epiphany Glendi at the Spanos Pappas Community Center — along with live Greek music and dancing.

On the menu:

• Meli Greek Street Donuts

• Rusty Bellies, a Tarpon Springs local food truck with their “good on the Bun” menu

• Wheelin N Grillin, a Tarpon Springs local owned food truck, with gyro salad, Greek burger melt, gyro sandwich, Greek fries, chicken souvlaki and more

• Maggie on the Move, with gyros and spanakopita egg rolls

• Anclote River Grill, owned by a past cross diver and Tarpon local, with lamb chops and coconut shrimp

• We Spy Cafe, with Greek coffee, frappe, spanakopita and tiropita

— Tracey McManus

8:15 a.m. The cathedral service has begun

8:10 a.m. One lucky diver, 67 kisses

Something new will happen today after the archbishop tosses a white cross into Spring Bayou and 68 boys dive in from small boats to retrieve it. The boy who comes up with the cross will stand on the platform while the remaining 67 kiss the cross, one by one.

Then, as always, they will carry the retriever on their shoulders back to St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral for one more blessing.

— Tracey McManus

8 a.m. They’re coming from far and wide

7:50 a.m. Meet today’s dove bearer

Of all the Epiphany traditions, Elena Gonatos, 17, has always seen the role of dove bearer as one of the most meaningful.

After the liturgy at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral, thousands gather around Spring Bayou where boys from the church dive into the water to retrieve a cross as a highlight of the holiday commemorating the baptism of Jesus Christ.

But before a member of the clergy throws the cross into the water, one girl selected from the church choir releases a white dove to symbolize the Holy Spirit flying over the bayou.

When St. Nicholas cathedral selected her to be this year’s dove bearer, Gonatos said she was in shock. “It’s just a really big honor because what I’m basically doing is leading the procession with the Holy Spirit by carrying the dove,” she said.

The role is also a family tradition. Her two aunts served as dove bearers in 1983 and 1987. Gonatos has grown up attending Epiphany every year and has danced in the Greek dance troupe and sung in the choir.

A junior at East Lake High, she hopes to attend University of Florida and study law.

Epiphany is a family event attended by her parents, brother, cousins, grandparents and aunts, but this year will have a special meaning as she serves as dove bearer.

“It’s really amazing living in Tarpon and it’s a unique community,” she said. “Everyone is so supportive and not just the church community. I feel so blessed and honored. It’s definitely a beautiful thing.”

— Tracey McManus

7:35 a.m. A crowd starting to form

7:30 a.m. High-ranking clergy and government officials on hand

Religious dignitaries at today’s events will include:

• His Eminence Archbishop Elpidophoros, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America

• His Eminence Metropolitan Alexios of Atlanta

• Rev. Fr. Athanasios Haros, Dean of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral

• Rev. Fr. Theofanis Katsiklis, who conducted the Blessing of the Fleet on Thursday

Also look for these faces: U.S. representatives Gus Billirakis and Anna Paulina Luna; Rhode Island Sen. Lou Raptakis; General Council of Greece Loukas Tsokos; Tarpon Springs Mayor Costas Vatikiotis; Tarpon Springs Vice Mayor Craig Lunt; and city commissioners Panagiotis Koulias, Mike Eisner and Jacob Karr.

— Tracey McManus

6:45 a.m.: Cool, sunny weather on tap

It will be a cool, clear day when 68 boys plunge into the Spring Bayou Friday around noon.

Temperatures will will hover in the high 50s in Tarpon Springs this morning as crowds begin to gather for the largest Epiphany celebration in the western hemisphere and top out at near 66 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. It will be breezy as festivities begin at 8 a.m. with prayers followed by a liturgy at 9 a.m. at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

— Michaela Mulligan