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Last Year Wasn't Dean's First Tarpon Epiphany

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KLINT LOWRY, SUNCOAST NEWS STAFF

Published: January 9, 2008

TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - Last year was the Rev. Michael Eaccarino's first Epiphany Celebration as dean of the St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral.

That isn't to say it was his first Epiphany in Tarpon Springs.

"I have to tell you, I was extremely moved when I came here the first time in 1990 with Bishop Philip (Koutoufas)," Father Michael said.

Like the thousands who come every year to see the celebration commemorating the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the Jordan River more than 2,000 years ago, he was taken by the scope of the event and the spirit with which it is conducted.

"I'll never forget, he was standing in the solea with Archbishop Iakovos at the end of the Divine Liturgy, when we were ready to bless the waters.

"I remember over on the side, all the elderly ladies that were here – and are always here, all the time – came rushing forward to receive the water.

"It made such an impression with me. And I said, 'What is this Tarpon Springs really all about? What is St. Nicholas Cathedral really all about?'"

In his career, Father Michael has traveled the United States and seen many parishes. In all his travels, he said he has never seen "a more pious, respectful and truly religious people."

"To come here has been the greatest blessing I have ever received of all the beautiful places I've been," he said.

To those who come for the annual Epiphany Celebration, and experience a similar "What is it about this place?" feeling, he added, the answer is this is the Greek Orthodox Church at its purest.

"These people here in Tarpon Springs, what they have brought with them from the islands and from different parts of Greece, this is unadulterated orthodoxy," Father Michael said. "The assimilation that orthodoxy has tried to make into the mainstream religious community in the United States doesn't exist here."

Today, more than ever, religion faces the never-ending task of retaining the essence of what it is in an ever-changing world, Father Michael said. It is especially important to reach out to the young people so that they grow up feeling a connection to the church.
"Youth is our main focus here, bringing them into the church," he said. "It's a post-Christian era; it's an anti-God era we find ourselves in."

Rather than living with a sense of fending off the modern world, however, Father Michael believes the adherence to tradition at St. Nicholas gives its parishioners a sense of confidence in the practice of their faith.

"These people here know who they are, and they are comfortable amongst the rest of the community," he said, "whether it be Roman Catholics, whether it be Jews, whether it be the Protestants. They feel one with them because they know who they are as orthodox. And they know who they are as Helenes, bringing the culture of the Greeks here to the United States."

Having now been part of the community for a while, Father Michael sees the Epiphany Celebration as being an important part of what makes this church special. He explained as he stood near an icon of the baptism of Christ.

"That is what we celebrate on Epiphany," he said. "But in actuality, Christ had no need to be baptized. All of nature was baptized and renewed. I think that is extremely important."

With the Epiphany Celebration, there is a physical continuation of tradition that also brings a spiritual renewal that helps feed the community, perpetuating that comfortable confidence.

"I believe because of what we do down here at the bayou, the expression during Epiphany and how important it is, that people come here every year for Jan. 6, that we have renewed the environment here, the city, and everything we find here as brothers and sisters living here in Christian unity," Father Michael said.

"I think we've renewed. The same thing that happened to nature on that day, happens here today."

"This year, we have people coming from Kalymnos, which is one of the Dodecanese Islands, and from Halki," Gombos said. "So we have to be sure to take care of them."

On the other hand, they said, it is important to save as much room as possible for the hometown folks.

"We have the pews in the side, and that's where our elderly ladies, the ones who come every day, sit," Koulias said. "We don't want to push them aside for so-called dignitaries."

Committee members, Koulias and Gombos included, tend to serve year after year, compelled by their personal connection to the church and memories of Epiphany Celebrations past. This serves as an asset in maintaining the event's integrity.

"We've been approached by different vendors who want to kind of commercialize it, you know, 'Can I set up a booth and sell this?' Koulias said.

"Even though it could raise money for the church, that's not what it's about.

Change comes slowly, and at times imperceptibly to the casual observer. Take the young men who participate in the dive for the cross, Gombos said. It used to be there was no formal application process. Then, back when guys like him and Koulias were of diving age, there was a short form that had to be filled out. Today, the divers are required to write an essay about the significance of the event and attend an Epiphany workshop at the church. There's talk of expanding it to a series of classes, all to ensure that the true meaning of the event is never lost on the next generation that will eventually be the ones responsible for carrying on the tradition.

"Hopefully, someday my son will be the chairman of the Epiphany, and take the banner and keep it going," Koulias said.

He feels confident it will happen. He and Gombos agreed anyone who grows up in the church, who participates in the events and activities, it stays with you all your life. You value the memories, and the memories help you value what you and your parish have.
"Sometimes I wonder why I put myself through this," Koulias said.

He never wonders long; no one involved does. They all understand that everything they invest into the celebration goes into a pool that they and the entire parish will draw from for years to come.

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