"During our lives we are called to carry the cross from the depths of our hearts, from the place where it was placed on the blessed day of our baptism. Because the cross is the bridge that enables us to walk the paths of sacrificial love, of forgiveness, of reconciliation and with our enemies, of being cut off from the selfish desires of our passions, the bridge through which we pass from this world to eternal life ". The above remark was made by the Archbishop of America Elpidoforos during his speech at Spring Bayu, in the city of Tarpon Springs, Florida, where the diving of the Holy Cross took place in the context of the celebration of the Epiphany, in the presence of a large number of expatriates, of Mayor Tarpon Springs, Chris Alahouzou, but also of the mayor of Chania, Panagiotis Simandirakis.
"Sixty-seven young expatriates dived into the waters of Spring Bay to bring us the weapon of peace", as the Archbishop of America pointed out, who further remarked that "Although only one will catch the cross, all who dive will share in the blessing of baptism and we will all share the symbolism of this sacred act. ". "Their attempt to lift the cross and lift it up is in itself a dominant image of the Christian life.", he added.
After all, he caught the cross, as part of the biggest celebration, of the Epiphanies, in the western hemisphere, in the village of sponges, as Tarpon Springs is called, the sixteen-year-old expatriate Alexandros Makris.
Later, The twinning protocol of the Municipality of Chania with Tarpon Springs was signed, process that had started last September in Chania, Crete and includes cultural, business and tourism activities.