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Dove bearers collect fond memories

Kaliope Hatzileris hopes her role in this year's Epiphany celebration, as well as the bird, goes off as expected.

By THERESA BLACKWELL
Published January 4, 2006

	[Times photo: Douglas R. Clifford]
	Setting the Stage: Clockwise from left, aluminum workers Frankie Vazquez, of St. Petersburg, and Marino Terrero and Ismael Tolentino of Clearwater assemble a $20,000 modular platform Tuesdayto be used for the 2006 Epiphany celebration at Spring Bayou in Tarpon Springs. This is the 100th year of Tarpon Springs' Epiphany celebration.
	[Times photo: Scott Keeler]
	Palm Harbor resident Kaliope "Popi" Hatzileris, 16, is the dove bearer for the 100th anniversary Epiphany celebration.
	The dove at the 1974 release at Spring Bayou perched on Archbishop lakovos' mitre.
	[Courtesy of the Clearwater Public Library]

TARPON SPRINGS - As Epiphany dove bearers, they all have a few things in common: devotion to their Greek heritage and religion, their role in the Epiphany celebration, a blessing and a prayer.

Stephanie Lelekis Sullivan, 51, will soon retire after 30 years as a special education teacher for Pinellas County. She has had a good life, a husband, family and friends, she says.

But in 1974, she was still just a girl of 19, and a dove bearer.

"I remember it vividly," she said. "My year was the year the dove landed on the bishop's crown. That was just awesome."

Archbishop Iakovos told her he had prayed to the Holy Spirit for help with a problem. When Sullivan released the dove, which symbolizes the Holy Spirit, it landed on his mitre. The archbishop said he knew then that his problem would be resolved because the Holy Spirit had answered him by landing on his head.

Sullivan had her own prayer: that a friend at school named Sean would make it through a tough part of his life. She named the dove Sean, after her friend.

"I never did keep up with him," she said. "But I'm sure he did okay."

This year's dove bearer, Kaliope Hatzileris, 16, also has a prayer. She hopes the blessing she receives will keep her family healthy and safe this year, especially her cousin Demetrios Hatzileris, 20.

"He is here right now for a two-week break," she said. "Then he goes back to serve another six months in Afghanistan."

Known as "Popi" to distinguish her from her maternal grandmother, Kaliope Ikonomou, Kaliope Hatzileris is a sophomore honors student at Tarpon Springs High School and the daughter of Eftyhia and Kominos Hatzileris of Palm Harbor.

Epiphany is a family affair this year; her brother, Demetrios Hatzileris, 17, is one of the 56 boys diving for the cross.

Kaliope said this year's dove is dedicated to the memory of the late Father Tryphon Theophilopoulos, the priest at St. Nicholas Greek Orthodox Cathedral who died in 2004. Father Tryphon, she said, "encouraged me to join the choir and kept me in it."

Her selection as dove bearer was announced at the Christmas morning service at the church.

"It's a big honor this year, being the 100th anniversary," Kaliope said.

She's a little nervous about the 80,000 people expected at this year's celebration, but two former dove bearers, Catherine Velardocchia, who released the bird in 2005, and Kaliope Mott, 2004 dove bearer, will be there to help her.

Kaliope Hatzileris is mostly nervous about one thing: "That I don't squish the dove."

It has happened, as choir director JoAnna Papadakos Hill knows from personal experience. When she released it in 1993, her dove could still fly, but it took a while for the bird to recover from being held too tightly.

It's one of the things she warns dove bearers to be careful of.

"I think probably the most difficult thing is keeping the bird calm," said Hill, now 42. "They are very well-trained birds, but it's a little animal and needs to be reassured."

Each year, Hill and the priest talk with the dove bearer to let her know what to expect. As choir members, the girls have experience participating in Epiphany celebrations by marching in the procession.

The dove bearer is selected each year by Hill, who has directed the choir since 1991, and Katie Faklis, who was the former choir director for 30 years.

The selection is a yearlong process.

"We start considering next year's candidates the day after the Epiphany," Hill said.

Hill said Popi has been in the choir since she was 8, is a devoted choir member, a member of the Greek Orthodox Youth of America and a participant in Levendia, the church's Greek folk dance group.

"She's a great kid, but they all are, so it's very hard to make this decision," Hill said. "If I could have them all do it together, I would."

[Last modified January 4, 2006, 14:51:16]