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Diving for the Cross at Tarpon Springs’ Epiphany Celebration

Early cultivation of sponges took place in the 1800s along the Gulf of Mexico. After 1905, immigrants from Greece began to settle in the coastal community of Tarpon Springs in northern Pinellas County. Greek sponge divers transformed the industry as they engaged in dives along Florida’s West Coast. The Greek-American community also maintained many cultural and religious traditions. Every January 6, thousands encircle Spring Bayou for the annual Epiphany ceremonies. A leader of the Greek Orthodox Church tosses a cross in the water, and young men from the community dive into the bayou with hopes of getting the cross—and a blessing from the priest. This photograph captures the moments before the tossing of the cross in January 1955.