TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. (WFLA) — A teen is celebrating a yr of blessings after retrieving the cross throughout the 119th annual Epiphany celebration in Tarpon Springs Monday.
For Greek Orthodox Christians, Epiphany is a celebration of Christ’s baptism.
Celebrations began over the weekend with occasions such because the Epiphany Ball and Blessing of the fleet.
The fruits of the occasion was on Monday with the cross dive.
Hundreds gathered round Spring Bayou as greater than 65 younger males dove into the water hoping to emerge with the picket cross tossed by the archbishop from the dock.
Providers started at Saint Nicholas Cathedral. The boys then ran from the church to Spring Bayou.
The fortunate one to retrieve the cross throughout this yr’s dive was 17-year previous Lucas Boillot from Plantation. He’ll now have receives a yr of immense blessings, per the ceremony’s legend.
“It felt like a dream I used to be dreaming of it final evening,” Lucas Boillot stated. “It did not actually really feel actual. I used to be fully blessed to be in that second at that proper time. It was unimaginable.”
“My son, we name him ‘Fortunate Luc’ so right now was his day,” stated his mom Kathy Boillot.
Lucas is now the third particular person in his household to retrieve the cross.
“I am ecstatic. My father was the priest right here for 30 years at this cathedral so I am very blessed and really feel very blessed,” Kathy Boillot stated.
