Great Feast

Theophany

The Baptism of the Lord

Icon: Theophany
Hermitage hall 143 - 10 - Icon with Theophany of Christ · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

When: January 6 (Old Calendar: 13 days later on the civil calendar).

Theophany (“God appearing”) celebrates the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist in the river Jordan. The Gospels tell that the Spirit descended like a dove and the Father’s voice was heard, so that the Holy Trinity was revealed to the world.

By entering the waters Christ sanctified them and all creation. On this day the Great Blessing of Water takes place, and in the following weeks priests visit homes to bless them with the holy water.

The icon shows Christ standing in the Jordan, John laying his hand on His head, angels waiting with cloths, and the dove descending from heaven.

Written for this app in our own words from the Gospels and long-standing Church tradition. All Great Feasts & Holy Week · Calendar