Epiphany might be on TV

Tarpon Springs events could make its way into America's living rooms next year.

By KATHERINE GAZELLA, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 3, 2002

TARPON SPRINGS -- Images of this year's Epiphany celebration could be seen on televisions across the country next Christmas.

A film crew from the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America is in town this week to interview locals and film Epiphany celebrations Sunday. The footage will be a major part of an hourlong program that will be offered to all NBC affiliates next year, said Nick Furris, a senior producer and director for the archdiocese.

"It's the largest Epiphany ceremony in the country; and it's pretty remarkable, the number of people and the enthusiasm," Furris said. "And it's always an honor to be where the archbishop of America is."

The program does not have an official title yet but may be called The Twelve Days of Christmas, he said.

A crew of 35 to 40 people with 11 cameras will film the event Sunday, Furris said. The group is so large that it will have to use a nearby parking lot as a staging area.

"The archdiocese wanted to do this in a really first-class way," Furris said.

The crew will focus on the divine liturgy at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral in the morning, a parade and the cross dive at Spring Bayou in the afternoon. Footage from Tarpon Springs' Epiphany events will take up about half of the program, Furris said. The other half will show Greek Orthodox Christmas and New Year's celebrations, he said.

Tarpon Springs is host to one of the world's largest Epiphany celebrations every year. The most visible portion is when Archbishop Demetrios blesses the waters and throws a cross into Spring Bayou.

Young men ages 16 to 18 from area Greek Orthodox churches dive for the cross. Whoever retrieves it is said to be blessed for the following year and typically is carried through the streets on the shoulders of other divers.

Epiphany commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist in the river Jordan and the first time the Holy Trinity -- God, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit -- appeared together.

Furris said several local people are being interviewed, including the Rev. Tryfon Theophilopoulos, the dean of St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral; business people and church members; and Mayor Frank DiDonato.

"We're recognized as the Epiphany City. In this hemisphere, anyway, we're the focal point," said sponge merchant George Billiris, who will be interviewed for the show. "The fact that they're documenting this and getting this all over the country I think is great."

-- Staff writer Katherine Gazella can be reached at (727) 445-4182 or gazella@sptimes.com.

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