PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — Epiphany is on Friday and moments before the cross is tossed into the Spring Bayou another tradition takes place.
A white dove is released by one young lady chosen from hundreds of potential dove bearers. This year 17-year-old Elena Gonatos received the honor and tells ABC Action News this is something she started dreaming about when she was just eight.
“I've always been doing stuff in the Epiphany celebration ever since I was young,” explained Elena. She adds, “every year, just one girl gets picked, so that's definitely really special too.”
Elena is a junior at East Lake High School and being in the St. Nicholas Cathedral Choir made her eligible for the role of dove bearer. The announcement of who receives the honor is made at the end of a church service. And Elena, everyone is on pins and needles waiting to hear who will be called.
“It's a little bit of a surprise when you get picked and it's really special to get announced at the end of church service and there's a little envelop that they open, so you don't really know when you're going to get picked so you kind of just sit back and wait for your moment,” said Elena.
She will stand alongside the archbishop right before the Epiphany cross is tossed into the Bayou and dozens of boys dive in looking for a year's worth of blessings. But the dove bearers' role at the Epiphany celebration is even more special for its symbolism.
“I carry this dove which represents the Holy Spirit, so I carry that through the procession and I release the dove during the Gospel reading when they say the Holy Spirit is in the form of a dove and I release that off and it's just really cool to have that responsibility,” explained Elena.
Ironically enough, being a dove bearer seems to run in Elena’s family. She told ABC Action News that her two aunts were both dove bearers in the 80s and her grandpa even caught the cross during an Epiphany celebration in California. Elena says she got lots of advice since there's really no way to practice releasing a dove in front of thousands of people, but she is very honored to have the role.
“A lot of past dove bearers have been telling me to stay calm; the bird will be calm. Everything will be fine and to just enjoy the moment and take it all in,” explained Elena.
