Today is another Great Feast of the Orthodox Church, which marks the end of the Christmas season. It was originally the third most important holiday of the year in the Christian East, behind Pascha (Easter) and Pentecost. It was one of the two main annual occasions for baptizing new converts. It is a celebration older than Christmas, and remained more important than Christmas until recent centuries.
The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ
(also called Theophany, or Epiphany - the "revelation" or "shining forth" of God)
This is the Feast of the Revelation of God to Mankind. This is the Feast that celebrates the beginning of the Earthly ministry of Christ, the beginning of His preaching in front of large crowds and performing public miracles for all to see. And this was also the first time that the Holy Trinity was openly made manifest in a public revelation. God the Son in the waters of the river Jordan, God the Father as a voice from the heavens, and God the Holy Spirit in the appearance of a dove descending upon Christ.
In the ancient Church, Theophany was also known as the Day of Illumination or the Feast of Lights (being understood as the New Covenant equivalent of Old Covenant Hanukkah, just as Pascha/Easter is the New Covenant equivalent of Old Covenant Passover). Christmas didn't begin to be celebrated until later.
Although Christ Himself did not
need to be baptized, He chose to do so, for several different reasons: As an example to be followed by all the faithful, as an expression of humility, as an occasion to reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity to the whole world (and thus begin our illumination), and as a means to bless the waters - of the Jordan and of all the world - and to institute the practice of blessing holy water.
On Theophany, the Orthodox Church performs the ceremony of the "Greater Blessing of Water", and the water thus blessed (usually a very large quantity) is used by the priest for blessing homes over the following weeks, and for other occasions and blessings throughout the year. The faithful also take some holy water for use at home. We may drink small amounts of holy water in the morning (before eating or drinking anything else) as a form of devotion and a means to ask for God's blessings.
Here are some Orthodox hymns for Theophany on YouTube:
Hymn for Theophany by the Nuns of the Monastery of Saint Paisius (in English; this is really beautiful)
Troparion for Theophany (in English, sung by a parish church choir)
Troparion for Theophany (in French)
Troparion for Theophany (in Arabic)
Troparion for Theophany (in many languages)
Kontakion for Theophany - On This Day Thou Has Appeared (in English)
Kontakion for Theophany (in Greek, by Cappella Romana)
Troparion:
When Thou, O Lord, was baptized in the Jordan,
Worship of the Trinity wast made manifest!
For the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee His beloved Son.
And the Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed the truth of His word.
O Christ our God, Who has appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee!Kontakion:
On this day Thou have appeared unto the whole world,
And Thy light, O Sovereign Lord, is signed on us who sing Thy praise and chant with knowledge:
Thou have now come, Thou have appeared, O Thou Light unappproachable!
Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2017 1:06 pm
