St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church, Greek Orthodox church in Tarpon Springs, Florida, US

St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Church is a Byzantine Revival church in Tarpon Springs, Florida, built with a central dome that defines its silhouette from the outside. The interior holds 23 stained glass windows, an altar carved from Pentelic marble, and three large chandeliers hanging below the dome.

The parish was founded in 1896, when John Cocoris brought Greek sponge divers to the area, and the community built its first church by 1907. The marble altar was originally displayed at the Greek pavilion of the 1939 New York World's Fair before finding its place here.

The parish keeps a calendar of festivals around Epiphany, Greek Independence Day and Orthodox Easter, and in 1975 the city was designated the "Epiphany City" of the United States. Each January 6, boys aged 16 to 18 dive into Spring Bayou to retrieve a white wooden cross, and a statue of an Epiphany diver stands in front of the church.

The church stands at 36 North Pinellas Avenue, with a statue of an Epiphany diver in front of it. The annual Epiphany celebration on January 6 draws thousands to Spring Bayou, so plan around that date if you want ordinary access. The 1943 building is a working parish, so time a visit outside services.

The icon of Saint Nicholas was seen to shed drops of moisture on December 4, 1969, and some parishioners regard it as a weeping icon. The 41 icons delivered in 1952 were each sponsored by a different member of the parish, and more were added in later years.