Feast of the Theophany of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
Theophany is the Feast which reveals the Most Holy Trinity to the world through the Baptism of the Lord (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son, the Son was baptized by the Saint John the Forerunner, and the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of a dove. From ancient times this Feast was called the Day of Illumination and the Feast of Lights, since God is Light and has appeared to illumine “those who sat in darkness,” and “in the region of the shadow of death” (Mt.4:16), and to save the fallen race of mankind by grace.
In the ancient Church it was the custom to baptize catechumens at the Vespers of Theophany, so that Baptism also is revealed as the spiritual illumination of mankind.
The origin of the Feast of Theophany goes back to Apostolic times, and it is mentioned in The Apostolic Constitutions (Book V:13). From the second century we have the testimony of Saint Clement of Alexandria concerning the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord, and the night vigil before this Feast.
There is a third century dialogue about the services for Theophany between the holy martyr Hippolytus and Saint Gregory the Wonderworker. In the following centuries, from the fourth to ninth century, all the great Fathers of the Church: Gregory the Theologian, John Chrysostom, Ambrose of Milan, John of Damascus, commented on the Feast of Theophany.
The monks Joseph the Studite, Theophanes and Byzantios composed much liturgical music for this Feast, which is sung at Orthodox services even today. Saint John of Damascus said that the Lord was baptized, not because He Himself had need for cleansing, but “to bury human sin by water,” to fulfill the Law, to reveal the mystery of the Holy Trinity, and finally, to sanctify “the nature of water” and to offer us the form and example of Baptism.
On the Feast of the Baptism of Christ, the Holy Church proclaims our faith in the most sublime mystery, incomprehensible to human intellect, of one God in three Persons. It teaches us to confess and glorify the Holy Trinity, one in Essence and Indivisible. It exposes and overthrows the errors of ancient teachings which attempted to explain the Creator of the world by reason, and in human terms.
The Church shows the necessity of Baptism for believers in Christ, and it inspires us with a sense of deep gratitude for the illumination and purification of our sinful nature. The Church teaches that our salvation and cleansing from sin is possible only by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is necessary to preserve worthily these gifts of the grace of holy Baptism, keeping clean this priceless garb, for “As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ” (Gal 3:27).
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Extensive and excellent guide to Orthodox
Christian vocabulary
by the Orthodox Church of the Mother of God
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Cycles of the Orthodox calendar (and why they matter) by Dr. Nicole Rojas
- https://www.pravmir.com/mama-said/ Jesus listens to his Mother at the Wedding at Cana
- Pravmir.com: Orthodox Christianity and the world
- Why We Do That: A Guide for Understanding Orthodoxy after 2,000 Years by Fr. Matthew Streett
- The New Athesim and Five Argunments for God by William Lane Craig
- Men and Church by Frederica Mathewes-Green
- The Role of Women in the Eastern Orthodox Church by Angelo Nicolaides
- WHY ORTHODOX MEN LOVE CHURCH by Frederica Mathewes-Green
- Theotokos - The Joy of All Who Sorrow by Helen Creticos Theodoropoulos (Excerpted from an address given March 23, 1996)
- A very Large Glossary of Orthodox Terms from Church of the Mother of God
- 12 Things I Wish I’d Known… (First Visit to an Orthodox Church) by Frederica Mathewes-Green, Copyright © 1989-2013
- The Meaning of the Great Fast by Mother Mary and Bishop Kallistos Ware
- Fasting (Rules) in the Holy Orthodox Church by Photios Michael and AnnaSophia
- A Letter to an Evangelical An explanation of why tradition matters by Father Michael B. Johnson
- Why do we fast? Always do the things you CAN do: The Holy Fathers on Fasting. Prison Ministry Letter.
- How to Set up a prayer (icon) corner is a good summary of where, what icons and items are appropriate, and some cautions about the place of worship in your home
- Church Etiquette: This is meant as a guide and local customs may vary
- Conservative minds convert to Orthodox Christianity by Rod Dreher
- Children in Church by Abbott Tryphon
- Link HERE to many more articles that have appeared on this site
Sermons
Fr. Lawrence Gaudreau
Dec 20, 2020 | The whole cosmos celebtares and enjoys the coming of Jesus Christ |
Dec 13, 2020 | God's intimately dwells within us |
Dec 06, 2020 | St. Nicholas Sunday |
Nov 29, 2020 | The church is not here to condemn but to embrace and love us |
Nov 22, 2020 | Embrace everything the church gives us |
Nov 21, 2020 | Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple |
Nov 15, 2020 | Experience God's love and mercy |
Nov 08, 2020 | Seek God's Kingdon in every way possible |
Nov 01, 2020 | The devil already knows he has lost |
Oct 25, 2020 | We will always struggle with temptation |
Oct 18, 2020 | Stand before the Throne of God |
Oct 11, 2020 | The meeting of Heaven and Earth |
Oct 04, 2020 | Live a life of peace |
Sept 27, 2020 | Christ will help us acheive a life full of Him |
Sept 14, 2020 | Exaltation of the Cross: The true meaning of the cross |
Sept 13, 2020 | Accept and embrace the invitation to the feast |
Sept 06, 2020 | We make God present in this world |