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Blessings Flow At Theophany

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By STEVE KORNACKI, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 6, 2008

Updated: 01/05/2008 10:11 pm

TAMPA - What happened on the banks of the Hillsborough River late Saturday afternoon and what occurs today at the Spring Bayou in Tarpon Springs will be similar in substance but quite different in appearance.

Nineteen members of St. Philip the Apostle Orthodox Church in Tampa celebrated the Theophany, a manifestation of God, on Saturday at a quaint ceremony and blessing of water beneath oaks and Sabal palms at Sulphur Springs Park. Those in pontoon and fishing boats passing by craned their necks to watch the Rev. Joseph Ciarciaglino perform a service honoring God, the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ.

By contrast, tens of thousands will pack Tarpon Springs to view the Epiphany celebration, highlighted by an archbishop blessing the bayou and Greek Orthodox teenage boys diving for the holy cross he throws into the chilly water.

Ciarciaglino said the Theophany and Epiphany are synonymous events, adding they are allowed by the church on either Jan. 5 or 6.

Ciarciaglino said each signifies "a way of new life through baptism," pointing to a painting brought out for the service depicting Jesus being baptized in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, with rays of sunshine symbolizing God his father and the dove of the Holy Spirit above them.

Ciarciaglino used a small bowl of water from the Jordan River in the blessing of the Hillsborough, noting that he had been saving it for something special since a trip there in 1992.

He first tossed salt from a small bowl into the river, noting that the prophet Elisha had done so to purify the Jordan's waters. "Let it be a source of life for all who shall partake of its waters," he said.

Then Ciarciaglino emptied the bowl of the Jordan's water into the river, saying, "Thou, at the pouring of this water from the same Jordan River, come and bless this water and the city of Tampa through which it flows - giving peace, protection and love to all of those in this city."

He also blessed water in three 2 1/2 -gallon glass jars for his parishioners.

Tandova Oberst had her water poured into a glass canister that has been used for holy water in her family for three generations.

"It comes from the Ukraine," she said. "I will take it to my mom, who has Alzheimer's, and sprinkle some on her and her food."

Michael Lestenkof, whose son, Sean, was a server helping Ciarciaglino, said he sips holy water to refresh his spirit when he is down or to safeguard him before departing on trips. His granddaughters, Makaila Lestenkof and Rachelle Charlie, both 10, poured water for church members.

"The blessing of the water has always been special," Michael Lestenkof said. "It was a very holy time in our little village in St. George Island, Alaska. I remember the priest going from house to house, blessing everyone with water."

Ciarciaglino also blessed the congregation members by spraying them with a brush dipped in holy water before they kissed the holy cross he held in his other hand.

"They said the fish were jumping out of the water when I tossed the water from the Jordan into the Hillsborough," he said of the mullet becoming part of the 85-minute celebration.

Oberst smiled in the twilight and said, "It was a glorious day provided by our God."

Reporter Steve Kornacki can be reached at (813) 731-8170 or skornacki@tampatrib.com.

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