General News
Greek-American James A. Koshivos, 21, Killed after Car Plunged into Ocean
FALMOUTH, MA – The police in Falmouth have identified the victim in an accident involving a car plunging into the ocean on February 20, NBC10 Boston reported.
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla — Straight from St. Nicholas Cathedral, view the current service in real time.
The schedule for the 115th Epiphany celebration is below:
8 a.m. – Archierarchial Liturgy (seating is limited inside cathedral)
11:30 a.m. – Procession to Spring Bayou (clergy, dignitaries and divers only)
1 p.m. – Blessing of Tarpon Springs (general public asked to remain home)
Typically, the Ephiphany Glendi will follow at 1:30 p.m., but that has been canceled.
The period between Christmas and Epiphany is called Dodecameron, or the Twelve Days. It is considered one continuous festive period and is where the term “Twelve Days of Christmas” is derived. Epiphany, also called the Theophany (meaning “appearance of God”), celebrates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by St. John the Baptist. The first account of an Epiphany celebration is attributed to Clement of Alexandria (d. 215 A.D.).
When Jesus Christ was baptized, a voice was heard from the heavens saying, “This is my Son in whom I am well pleased.” This was the voice of God. The Holy Spirit, in the form of the dove, descended upon Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Thus, all three Persons of the Holy Trinity were revealed, simultaneously, to humankind for the first time.
The most characteristic feature of the Orthodox Epiphany observance is the sanctification of the waters. The waters of the River Jordan were blessed by the presence of Jesus Christ, a source of Divine Grace and blessing. The prayers invoked today appropriate the very same blessings upon the water blessed in the Cathedral and the waters of Spring Bayou. Orthodox Christians receive sanctified water at the end of today’s service and set it aside for the entire year for use as a blessing during times of illness and other personal adversities.
Our community has commemorated the Christ’s Baptism with the ceremonial cross dive for close to a century. The day begins with Orthros and Liturgy services at St. Nicholas Cathedral. Following Liturgy, a procession of clergy and faithful winds its way to Spring Bayou. Once there, the Archbishop of America blesses the waters, as throngs of believers descend upon the water’s edge.
The Gospel of the day is then read and a white dove released to signify the descent of the Holy Spirit. Each year, a member of the community, typically a young woman, is chosen to carry the dove in the procession. For a full list of past dove bearers, click here.
After the dove is released, the Archbishop casts a cross into the bayou and young men dive into the waters. The one diver who retrieves the cross is considered blessed for the entire year.
Retrieval of the Cross is considered to be a source of blessings and grace. The young man who retrieves the Cross is blessed with a great responsibility and becomes a member of an elite brotherhood. As a champion for Christ, he is called to represent the Orthodox faith and follow God’s will.
Those selected to dive for the cross are young Orthodox Christian men between the ages of 16 and 18. Past divers have included many war veterans, doctors, lawyers, and politicians. Among noteworthy past retrievers is Nikitas Lulias. He retrieved the cross in 1974 and today serves as Archbishop of Thyateria and Great Britain.
FALMOUTH, MA – The police in Falmouth have identified the victim in an accident involving a car plunging into the ocean on February 20, NBC10 Boston reported.
NEW YORK – With a Zeibekiko, the dance of Zorba, and island dances, Commander John Pappas bid farewell to the NYPD Transit Bureau K-9 Unit, retiring after 29 years of service.
NEW YORK – Empire BlueCross BlueShield and Crain's New York Business presented Loukoumi Foundation Founder and President Nick Katsoris with the Whole Health Heroes Award on November 28.
Tech leaders have been vocal proponents of the need to regulate artificial intelligence, but they're also lobbying hard to make sure the new rules work in their favor.
A storm dropped a mix of rain and snow on parts of New England with some locations recording more than a half-foot (15 centimeters) of snowfall on Monday, knocking out power for tens of thousands of people and causing slick roads that contributed to a fiery propane truck crash in Vermont.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Air Force is expanding its study of whether service members who worked with nuclear missiles have had unusually high rates of cancer after a preliminary review determined that a deeper examination is needed.