In the Christian religion, there are many mysteries associated with certain religious traditions, which for modern man have become commonplace. Such riddles have existed for centuries, but no one pays attention to them because of their low significance. Nevertheless, many theologians and specialists in the field today pay attention to all the facts that in one way or another give us the opportunity to resurrect the events of antiquity. The most pressing issue today is the life of Jesus Christ.

This person is truly legendary, although there are a lot of arguments in favor of his historical reality. Many of the deeds of this man largely determined the traditions and rituals that later took root in Christianity. Simply put, what Jesus did, we do today, thereby repeating his holy deeds. The brightest event in the life of this historical figure can be called which will be discussed in the article.

Baptism as a modern Christian rite

Christianity is filled with a mass of traditions that play a fairly democratic role in the lives of believers. The baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ is a symbol, a great deed, turned into a tradition, a dogma. Today, baptism is perceived as a rite that helps to give a person God's grace. Thus, baptism is the moment of receiving divine care. Many scientists do not agree with this interpretation, insisting that the baptism of Jesus, like the baptism of any other person, is an act of renunciation of everything negative and acceptance of God in one's soul as the only ruler, patron. Thus, with the help of this rite, we make a choice: to accept God or not. This theory has largely found its confirmation in history.

History of the Baptism of Jesus Christ

Great Baptism is the name of the action that took place on It is described in detail in the gospel stories and has a more common name - the Baptism of the Lord. The mention of this event in the gospels makes it possible to consider it historical, since, in addition to religious literature, these writings are a historical source.

According to gospel story, Jesus came to the Jordan River at the age of 30. He baptized him, which caused great bewilderment on the part of the latter, because Jesus was the Messiah, and therefore he must baptize. However, the Son of God accepted the gift of baptism from John, for which the Holy Spirit descended upon him in the form of a white dove.

It follows that Jesus Christ, whose baptism took place on the Jordan River, received cleansing from a sinful existence on earth. In other words, what is important in this story is not that the Holy Spirit descended from heaven, but the subtext. Baptism is the act of accepting God as true sovereign, as mentioned earlier. The importance of baptism as a rite is emphasized by the fact that it was held by Jesus Christ. The baptism of this man marked the appearance of a similar rite in the Christian world. An important role in understanding the essence of baptism is played by further actions of Christ.

The Wanderings of Christ in the Wilderness

The baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan is of paramount importance in the process of studying the importance of this event. We figured out that baptism is purity. But few people know that the story of baptism does not end there. Moreover, this event directly influenced the further actions of Jesus in the process of wandering in the wilderness.

After the events on the Jordan River, the prophet immediately went to the desert and stayed there for 40 days. In the same way he prepared himself for the fulfillment of the mission which had been prepared for him. We know from the Bible that the Son of God took upon himself the sins of people so that God would forgive us. This could only be done through an act of self-sacrifice, for which it was necessary to prepare spiritually and physically. The gospel writings tell us about the events that took place in the wilderness itself.

Three Temptations of Satan

When the Devil saw Jesus' attempts to renounce all sins and cleanse himself, he decided to test the will of the Messiah. To do this, Satan tries to tempt Jesus three times:

  • with the help of hunger;
  • with the help of pride;
  • with the help of faith.

Each new "lever" through which pressure was exerted on Jesus was more sophisticated than the previous one.

Hunger is the smallest thing that could lure Jesus to the side of the Devil. When this fleshly sin fails to work on the Son of God, Satan tests his pride and faith. But even here Jesus does not give up. Satan tried with all his might to show that everyone, even Jesus Christ, can break before his sweet fruits. Baptism helped him to remain indestructible before the temptations of Satan. It follows that baptism not only helps to receive God's grace, it can give us strength to fight all the sinful deeds of the Devil.

Hypotheses about where the place of baptism of Jesus Christ is located

Today, scientists are trying with all their might to understand and resurrect the events described in the biblical texts. Everyone knows that the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan is real historical event, but did it really take place in the Jordan River? The fact is that modern pilgrims criticize the information about the place, which, perhaps, is the place of baptism. First, Palestine is not the evangelical "land of abundance." Heat and desert plains reign here. Secondly, everyone who has seen the current Jordan River will understand that this is clearly not the right place. She is dirty and narrow.

According to scientists, in the 1st century AD, it is unlikely that anything would have been different. Thus, it is not yet possible to say exactly where the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ is located. Even taking into account how quickly historiographic science is evolving today.

It should be noted that many scientists put forward the most incredible stories where Jesus Christ was baptized. Baptism could take place in a variety of places, given the modern archaeological finds. It is most likely that this great Christian event took place on the territory of Jordan, but this is already a topic for a separate article.

Conclusion

So, Jesus Christ, whose baptism eventually became a Christian tradition, by his actions showed the importance of this act of acceptance of faith. Historical facts presented in the article show us the importance of this event not only for the history of Christianity, but also for all those people who accept this religion as the true faith.

EPIPHANY

HISTORY OF BAPTISM

At the age of 26, after a long five-year absence, Jesus returned to his native land. Learning that John the Baptist was at home, Jesus immediately hurried to see him. On September 3, a meeting of two friends took place.

The rite of baptism arose after the crucifixion of Christ. By accepting baptism, a person began to believe in Christ crucified on the cross. At the time of John, there was still no crucifixion as a symbol of Christianity. John, in those days, simply dipped a person into water, washing away all past sins from him.
Having cleansed himself, the person was ready for a new life, he was, as it were, ready to accept new faith.
To this, John answered them: - I baptize you in water, but someone who is more powerful than me will come, I am not even worthy to untie the straps of His sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. The shovel, with which He sifts the grain from the straw, is already in His hands, He will collect the grain in storage, and burn the straw in unquenchable fire.. This expression was misunderstood and used by those who wanted to impose a new faith with fire and sword. During the Middle Ages, the inquisitors "in the name of Christ" burned heretics alive at the stake, they converted entire nations around the world to Christianity, baptizing not with water and God's word, but with fire and a sword.
John never "baptized" crowds of Jews from all over Judea - no one would have allowed him to do this. The army of thousands of Pharisees, Sadducees and priests stood guard over the Jewish faith. The "Torah" had a sharply negative attitude towards those who betrayed the faith of their ancestors, and in such cases advised throwing stones at the apostate. But the Romans banned this type of execution. Only the governor of Judea, the procurator, had the right to pass death sentences.

Jesus was “baptized” on January 19, 23 CE. He was then 27 years old, John the Baptist - 33 years old.
"Baptism" was held on the Jordan River in the presence of a huge crowd of people - Jesus already had disciples and followers. At the moment of "baptism" a flock of pigeons appeared from nowhere - about two hundred birds began to circle over the gathered. And when John said last words prayers, ending the sacrament, thunder rang out from heaven. It was night, the stars shone in the sky, and nothing foreshadowed bad weather. Birds and thunder in the middle of the night made an indelible impression on people, everyone understood that it was the Heavenly Father who would bless Jesus on his difficult path.
At that time, Jesus came from the Galilean city of Nazareth, and John also baptized Him in the Jordan. As Jesus emerged from the water, He saw the heavens open before Him and the Spirit descending on Him in the form of a dove. Words sounded from heaven: - You are My beloved Son! In You is the fulfillment of My good will!
Immediately after the baptism, the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, and He was there alone, surrounded by wild animals. For forty days Satan tempted Him, and angels served Jesus. Gospel of Mark 2.
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. John wanted to stop Him: - I need to be baptized by You, why did You come to me?
But Jesus answered: - Everything should be so, we need to fulfill all the truth. John agreed. As soon as Jesus was baptized and came out of the water, the heavens opened up and He saw the Holy Spirit descending on Him in the form of a dove. And a voice sounded from heaven: - This is My beloved Son, in Him is the fulfillment of My good will! Gospel of Matthew 4.
As soon as John performed the rite of "baptism" on Jesus, the news of this spread throughout the region. John was soon arrested by King Herod Antipas (son of Herod the Great).

On Christmas Eve of Theophany (as well as on Christmas Eve of the Nativity of Christ) is prescribed by the Church strict post: eating once after the consecration of water.

The last holy divination. Epiphany Christmas Eve was not complete without fortune-telling. The whole family, from young to old, and sometimes several families took part in Christmas divination. Divination was passed down from generation to generation. This rite has been preserved since pagan times. Divination was one of the main rituals of serving Gad, the god of fortune and happiness among the Semitic peoples. The Christian church has persecuted divination as witchcraft. But the desire of people to penetrate into the future hidden from them was indestructible.

THE MYSTERY OF BAPTISM

The rite of initiation - baptism - dedication to the Egregor of Christianity.
"The sinless one, like sinners, accepts baptism from John in order to make it saving for sinners. He is immersed in the Jordan with His most pure Body - and imparts to the watery nature from Himself the power of cleansing sins in the Holy Sacrament of Baptism, which He established by His example for all who enter His Holy Church After immersion, it immediately comes out of the water - and His first action after baptism is intercession for us sinners, a prayer to the Heavenly Father.
Baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire the descent of the Holy Spirit upon man .
See the Sacrament of Baptism
About the baptism of a child.
Congratulations on baptism in verse.
Name naming.

Epiphany NIGHT

Dark spruce forest with snow, like fur,
Gray frosts have sprung,
In spangles of frost, as if in diamonds,
Dozed off, bowed, birches.
Their branches froze motionless,
And between them on a snowy bosom,
Just through the lace silver,
A full moon looks from the sky.
He rose high above the forest,
In its bright light, numb,
And strangely shadows creep,
Blackening in the snow under the branches.

© Bunin


Baptism. Intercession-on-the-Nerl



HOLY WATER

"Holy Water" is water charged with certain auspicious information. It has great cleansing abilities from black energy.

Twice a year in open reservoirs all the water on earth becomes "holy". And then gradually the water in natural reservoirs returns to its normal state..

Water collected on Epiphany night from 18 to 19 January, from 24.00 to 4.00 in the morning is "Living Water".
The descent of the Holy Spirit on water is nothing but the irradiation of water with positive, pure information.
« living water» (catholyte, alkaline water, biostimulant) - a very soft, colorless liquid with an alkaline taste. After the reaction, precipitation falls in it - all water impurities, incl. and radionuclides and water is purified. This water is an excellent stimulant, restores the immune system of the body, provides antioxidant protection to the body, especially in combination with the use of vitamins, a source of energy. It is not in vain that it was called "living water". It activates the body's bioprocesses, increases blood pressure, improves appetite, metabolism, food passage, and general well-being. It quickly heals various wounds, incl. gastric and duodenal ulcers, bedsores, trophic ulcers, burns. This water softens the skin, gradually smoothes wrinkles, eliminates dandruff, makes hair silky, etc. Withered flowers and green vegetables quickly come to life in the “living water” and are preserved for a long time, and the seeds, after soaking in this water, germinate faster, more amicably, and when watered, they grow better and give a greater yield.

When mixing "living" and "dead" water, mutual neutralization occurs and the resulting water loses its activity.

Prayer

Before taking "Holy water" a prayer is read:
"Lord my God, may Your holy gift and Your holy water be for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my spiritual and bodily strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities, through Your boundless mercy, with the prayers of the Most Pure Your Mother and all Your saints. Amen".

Sharp dipping into cold baptismal water heals the body. The mechanism behind this extremely powerful tool is simple. Skin are compressed, heat exchange with the surrounding air is sharply reduced, the energy, as it were, is accumulated inside the body. And most importantly, your Aura not only takes the most economical form (eggs), but also condenses and, as it were, pushing out a part negative energy, and therefore will become less penetrable for external influences.

JORDAN SHADE XVII century

City of Suzdal

The only surviving example in Russia. The canopy was erected on the Kamenka River on the feast of the Epiphany, dedicated to the baptism of Christ in the Jordan. On this day, a procession was made to the “Jordan”, and the priest lowered the cross into the hole three times, consecrating the water, and after that everyone could take a bath. As they say, the water in the Epiphany font is crystal clear and has great healing power.
It was assembled annually on the feast of Epiphany, and the rest of the time it was kept disassembled. The canopy is made of 260 parts, cut down and hewn with an ax from pine logs, it is a canopy in the form of a five-domed tent on four round carved pillars. The height of the tent is 8.5 meters. The canopy and the fence are painted with “herbs”: an ornament of woven branches, leaves, flowers, and floral curls. The painting was made with tempera paints at the end of the 17th century.
See Jordan Canopy. John the Baptist.
Baptism of Russia .

Copyright © 2015 Unconditional Love

At the time when John the Baptist preached on the banks of the Jordan and baptized people, Jesus Christ was thirty years old. He also came from Nazareth to the Jordan River to John to be baptized by him.

Jordan River

John, however, considered himself unworthy to baptize Jesus Christ and began to restrain Him, saying: "I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?"

But Jesus said to him in answer: “leave me now,” that is, do not hold me back now, “because this is how we need to fulfill all righteousness” - to fulfill everything in the Law of God and set an example for people.

Then John obeyed and baptized Jesus Christ.

Epiphany

After the completion of baptism, when Jesus Christ came out of the water, the heavens suddenly opened up (revealed) over Him; and John saw the Spirit of God descending on Jesus in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father was heard from heaven: " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased".

Then John finally became convinced that Jesus is the expected Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.

(NOTE: See Matthew, ch. 3 , 13-17; from Mark, ch. 1 , 9-11; from Luke, ch. 3 , 21-22; from John, ch. 1, 32-34).

The Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ is celebrated by the Holy Orthodox Church as one of the great feasts, January 6th(January 19, N.S.). The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is also called the feast Epiphany, because during baptism God revealed (showed) Himself to people that He is the Most Holy Trinity, namely: God the Father spoke from heaven, incarnate God's Son baptized and Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove. And also at baptism for the first time people could see that in the face of Jesus Christ appeared not only a person, but together and the God.

On the eve of the holiday, a fast was established. This day is called Christmas Eve. In memory of the fact that the Savior consecrated the water with His baptism, on this holiday there is a consecration of water. On Christmas Eve, the water in the temple is consecrated, and on the very holiday in the river, or in another place where water is taken. The procession for the blessing of water is called Procession to the Jordan.

Troparion of the holiday.

In the Jordan, baptized to You, Lord, the Trinity appeared worship. For the voice of your parents testifies to you, calling your beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, knows your word affirmation. Appear Christ God, and enlighten the world, glory to Thee.

When You, Lord, were baptized in the Jordan, then the appearance of the Holy Trinity was revealed (on earth with special clarity): for the voice of the Father testified of You, calling You the beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truth of this word (i.e. confirmed the testimony of God the Father). Christ the God who appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee!

The Baptism of the Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ is one of the most important Christian holidays. On this day, Christians around the world remember gospel event- Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

The Savior was baptized by the prophet John the Baptist, who is also called the Baptist.

The second name, Epiphany, is given to the holiday in memory of the miracle that happened during baptism. The Holy Spirit descended on Christ from heaven in the form of a dove, and a voice from heaven called him the Son. Evangelist Luke writes about this: Heaven opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My favor is in you!(Matthew 3:14-17). Thus, the Holy Trinity was revealed in visible and accessible to man images: the voice is God the Father, the dove is God the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is God the Son. And it was testified that Jesus is not only the Son of Man, but also the Son of God. God appeared to people.

twelfth holiday. The Twelfth are called holidays that are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to Mother of God). Epiphany - Lord's holiday.

When is the Baptism of the Lord celebrated?

The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord on January 19 according to the new style (January 6 according to the old style).
The Feast of the Epiphany has 4 days of forefeast and 8 days of afterfeast. Prefeast - one or several days before a big holiday, the divine services of which already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, the afterfeast is the same days after the holiday.

The celebration of the holiday takes place on January 27 according to the new style. The giving of the holiday is the last day of some important Orthodox holidays, celebrated with a special divine service, more solemn than on ordinary days of the afterfeast.

Events of the Baptism of the Lord

After fasting and wandering in the desert, the prophet John the Baptist came to the Jordan River, where the Jews traditionally performed religious ablutions. Here he began to speak to the people about repentance and baptism for the remission of sins and baptize people in the waters. It was not the Sacrament of Baptism as we know it now, but it was a type of it.

The people believed the prophecies of John the Baptist, many were baptized in the Jordan. And then, one day, Jesus Christ himself came to the banks of the river. At that time He was thirty years old. The Savior asked John to baptize Him. The Prophet was surprised to the core and said: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Christ assured him that "We must fulfill all righteousness." At the time of baptism the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My favor is in you!(Luke 3:21-22).

The Baptism of the Lord was the first appearance of Christ to the people of Israel. It was after the Epiphany that the first disciples followed the Teacher - the apostles Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip, Nathanael.

In two Gospels - from Matthew and Luke - we read that after Baptism the Savior withdrew into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days in order to prepare for a mission among people. He was tempted by the devil and did not eat anything during these days, and after the end of them he became hungry (Luke 4:2). The devil approached Christ three times and tempted Him, but the Savior remained strong and rejected the evil one (as the devil is called).

What can you eat at the Baptism of the Lord

There is no fasting on the Feast of Epiphany. But in Epiphany Christmas Eve, that is, on the eve of the holiday, the Orthodox observe a strict fast. A traditional dish this day - sochivo, which is prepared from cereals (for example, wheat or rice), honey and raisins.

The Baptism of the Lord - the history of the holiday

They began to celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, even when the apostles were alive - we find a mention of this day in the Decrees and Rules of the Apostles. But at first, Epiphany and Christmas were a single holiday, and it was called Epiphany.

Since the end of the 4th century (in different places in different ways), the Baptism of the Lord has become a separate holiday. But even now we can observe echoes of the unity of Christmas and Baptism - in worship. For example, both holidays have an eve - Christmas Eve, with strict fasting and special traditions.

In the first centuries of Christianity, new converts were baptized on Theophany (they were called catechumens), so this day was often called the “Day of Enlightenment”, “Feast of Lights”, or “Holy Lights” - as a sign that the Sacrament of Baptism cleanses a person from sin and enlightens with the Light of Christ . Even then there was a tradition to consecrate the waters in reservoirs on this day.

Iconography of the Baptism of the Lord

In the early Christian images of the events of the Baptism of the Lord, the Savior appears before us young and without a beard; later He was portrayed as a grown man.

From the 6th-7th centuries, images of angels appear on the icons of Baptism - most often there are three of them and they stand on the opposite bank of the Jordan from the prophet John the Baptist. In memory of the miracle of the Epiphany, an island of heaven is depicted above Christ standing in the water, from which a dove descends in rays of light to the Baptized - a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

The central figures on all the icons of the holiday are Christ and John the Baptist, who lays his right hand (right hand) on the head of the Savior. The right hand of Christ is raised in a blessing gesture.

Features of the service of the Baptism of the Lord

Clergy on holiday Baptism of the Lord dressed in white robes. main feature Epiphany worship is the blessing of water. The water is blessed twice. the day before, January 18, Epiphany Christmas Eve - the Great Blessing of Water, which is also called the Great Agiasma. And the second time - on the day of the Epiphany, January 19, on Divine Liturgy .

The first tradition goes back, most likely, to the ancient Christian practice of baptizing catechumens after the morning service of Theophany. And the second is connected with the custom of Palestinian Christians to march on the day of Theophany to the Jordan to the traditional place of the baptism of Jesus Christ.

Prayers of the Baptism of the Lord

Troparion of the Baptism of the Lord

voice 1

In the Jordan, baptized by You, Lord, Trinity worship appeared: For the voice of the parents testified to You, calling Your beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove, known to your word affirmation. Appear, Christ God, and enlighten the world, glory to Thee.

When You, Lord, were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Most Holy Trinity appeared, for the voice of the Father testified of You, calling You the beloved Son, and the Spirit, who appeared in the form of a dove, confirmed the truth of this word. Christ God, who appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee!


Kontakion of the Baptism of the Lord

voice 4th

Thou hast appeared today to the universe, and Thy light, O Lord, is signified upon us, in the mind of those who sing Thee: Thou hast come, and Thou hast appeared the unapproachable Light.

You have now appeared to the whole world; and Your light, O Lord, has imprinted itself upon us, consciously singing to You: “You have come and appeared, Light impregnable!”

Magnification of the Baptism of the Lord

We magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, for the sake of us now baptized in the flesh from John in the waters of the Jordan.

We glorify You, Christ, the Giver of life, because You are now baptized for us in the flesh from John in the waters of the Jordan.

Epiphany Cathedral in Yelokhovo

Epiphany Cathedral is located in Moscow, on Spartakovskaya street, 15, not far from the Baumanskaya metro station. In the XIV-XVII centuries, the village of Eloh was located here.

In the second half of the 15th century, the famous Moscow saint, Basil the Blessed, was born in the parish of the local church of the Vladimir Icon of the Mother of God.

At that time, the Cathedral of the Epiphany was an ordinary rural church. In 1712-1731, it was rebuilt in stone, Emperor Peter I personally granted a brick to it. The new building was consecrated in 1731.

At the end of the 18th century, the Pushkin family became parishioners of the Epiphany Church. It is known that great poet was born in the German Quarter and was baptized in the old Epiphany Cathedral in 1799. The godparents were my grandmother, Olga Sergeevna, nee Chicherina, and Count Vorontsov, the grandson of Minister Artemy Volynsky, tortured under Biron.

The old Peter's Cathedral stood until the middle of the 19th century. In the 1830s, the famous Moscow architect Evgraf Tyurin received an order for its reconstruction. The renovated cathedral was consecrated in 1853.

During the years of Soviet power, the temple was not closed. On the feast of the Presentation in 1925, a solemn Liturgy was served in it His Holiness Patriarch Tikhon. In 1935, the Baumansky District Council decided to open a large cinema in the Epiphany Cathedral, but the decision was soon canceled.

And a few more facts from the history of the temple. The relics of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, are buried in the Epiphany Cathedral, and His Holiness Patriarch Sergius of Moscow and All Russia and His Holiness Patriarch Alexy II of Moscow and All Russia are buried. In 1992, the Epiphany Cathedral became a cathedral.

Shrines of the cathedral: the Miraculous Kazan Icon of the Mother of God, the relics of St. Alexis, Metropolitan of Moscow, the icon of the Mother of God "Joy of All Who Sorrow", particles of the relics of St. John Chrysostom, Apostle Andrew the First-Called and St. Peter of Moscow.

Folk traditions of the Baptism of the Lord

Every religious holiday finds its reflection in folk traditions. And the richer ancient history people, the more complex and interesting weaves of folk and church are obtained. Many customs are far from true Christianity and close to paganism, but they are nonetheless interesting from a historical point of view - to get to know the people better, to be able to separate the essence of this or that Christ's holiday from the colorful stream of folk fantasy.

In Russia, Baptism was the end of Christmas time, the girls stopped fortune telling - a purely pagan occupation. Ordinary people were preparing for the holiday, which, it was believed, would cleanse them of sins, including the sins of Christmas divination.

At Baptism they made a great blessing of water. And two times. The first is on Epiphany Christmas Eve. Water was consecrated in the font, which stood in the center of the temple. The second time the water was consecrated already on the feast of Epiphany itself - in any local reservoir: a river, a lake, a well. A "Jordan" was cut through the ice - a hole in the form of a cross or a circle. A lectern and a wooden cross with an ice dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, were placed nearby.

On the day of Epiphany, after the liturgy, people went to the hole procession. The priest served a prayer service, lowered the cross into the hole three times, asking for God's blessing on the water. After that, all the villagers collected holy water from the hole and merrily poured it over each other. Some daredevils even bathed in ice water to, according to popular belief to be cleansed from sins. It should be noted that this belief has nothing to do with the teachings of the Church. Swimming in an ice hole (Jordan) is not a church sacrament or rite, it is folk tradition celebration of the baptism of the Lord

They consecrated not only rural reservoirs, but also rivers in big cities. For example, here is a story about how water was blessed in Moscow on the Neglinnaya River on January 6, 1699. Emperor Peter I himself took part in the ceremony. And the Swedish envoy in Moscow, Gustav Korb, described the event:

“The Feast of the Three Kings (Magi), or, rather, the Epiphany of the Lord, was marked by the blessing of the Neglinnaya River. The procession moved towards the river in the following order. The regiment of General de Gordon opened the procession ... Gordon's regiment was replaced by another, called Preobrazhensky and attracting attention with new green clothes. The place of the captain was occupied by the king, who inspired respect for his Majesty with his tall stature. ... A fence (theatrum, Jordan) was built on the solid ice of the river. Five hundred ecclesiastics, subdeacons, deacons, priests, archimandrites (abbates), bishops and archbishops, dressed in robes befitting their rank and position and richly decorated with gold, silver, pearls and precious stones, gave the religious ceremony a more magnificent appearance. In front of a wonderful golden cross, twelve clerics carried a lantern in which three candles burned. An incredible number of people crowded on all sides, the streets were full, the rooftops were occupied with people; spectators also stood on the city walls, closely clinging to each other. As soon as the clergy filled the vast space of the fence, the sacred ceremony began, many candles were lit, and, first of all, the invocation of the grace of God followed. After a meritorious call for the mercy of God, the metropolitan began to walk around the entire fence, incense, in the middle of which the ice was broken by a pick in the form of a well, so that water was found. After three censings, the metropolitan would consecrate her by immersing a burning candle three times and the usual blessing. ... Then the patriarch, or in his absence the metropolitan, leaving the fence, usually sprinkles his Royal Majesty and all the soldiers. For the final completion of the festive celebration, a volley was fired from the guns of all regiments. ... Before the start of this ceremony, a vessel covered with red cloth was brought on six white royal horses. In this vessel, it was then necessary to take the blessed water to the palace of His Royal Majesty. In the same way, the clergy carried a certain vessel for the patriarch and a lot of others for the boyars and Moscow nobles.


Holy Epiphany water

Water on the Epiphany is consecrated twice. On the eve of January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, the Rite of the Great Blessing of Water, which is also called the Great Agiasma. And the second time - on the day of the Epiphany, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy. The first tradition goes back, most likely, to the ancient Christian practice of baptizing catechumens after the morning service of Theophany. And the second is connected with the custom of Christians of the Jerusalem Church to march on the day of Theophany to the Jordan to the traditional place of the baptism of Jesus Christ.

According to tradition, Epiphany water is kept for a year - until next holiday Baptism. They drink it on an empty stomach, reverently and with prayer.

When to collect baptismal water?

Water on the Epiphany is consecrated twice. On the eve of January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, the Rite of the Great Blessing of Water, which is also called the Great Agiasma. And the second time - on the day of the Epiphany, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy. When to sanctify water, it does not matter at all.

Is all water for baptism holy?

Archpriest Igor Fomin, rector of the Alexander Nevsky Church at MGIMO, answers:

I remember that in childhood we left the church for Epiphany and carried a three-liter can of Epiphany water with us, and then, already at home, we diluted it with tap water. And the whole year they accepted water as a great shrine - with reverence.

On the night of the Epiphany of the Lord, indeed, as Tradition says, the entire watery nature is sanctified. And it becomes like the waters of the Jordan, in which the Lord was baptized. There would be magic if the holy water became only where the priest consecrated it. The Holy Spirit breathes wherever it wants. And there is an opinion that at any moment of Baptism, holy water is everywhere. And the consecration of water is a visible, solemn church rite that tells us about the presence of God here on earth.

Epiphany frosts

The time of the feast of the Epiphany in Russia usually coincided with severe frosts, so they began to be called "Epiphany". People used to say: "Crack frost, don't crack, but Vodokreschi passed."

Swimming in the hole (Jordan) for Epiphany

In Russia simple people called the Epiphany "Water Baptism" or "Jordan". Jordan - an ice hole in the shape of a cross or a circle, cut in any reservoir and consecrated on the day of the Baptism of the Lord. After the consecration, the daring guys and men took a dip and even swam in the icy water; It was believed that in this way one could wash away one's sins. But this is only popular superstition. The Church teaches us that sins are washed away only by repentance through the sacrament of Confession. And swimming is just a tradition. And here, firstly, it is important to understand that this tradition is completely optional for execution. Secondly, one should remember the reverent attitude towards the shrine - Epiphany water. That is, if we still decide to bathe, then we must do it reasonably (taking into account the state of health) and reverently - with prayer. And, of course, not replacing the presence of a festive divine service in the temple with bathing.

Epiphany Christmas Eve

The Feast of the Epiphany is preceded by Epiphany Christmas Eve, or the Invocation of the Epiphany. On the eve of the holiday, Orthodox Christians observe a strict fast. The traditional dish of this day is sochivo, which is made from cereals (such as wheat or rice), honey and raisins.

Sochivo

To prepare juicy you will need:

Wheat (grain) - 200 g
- peeled nuts - 30 g
- poppy - 150 g
- raisins - 50 g
- fruits or berries (apple, blackberry, raspberry, etc.) or jam - to taste
- vanilla sugar - to taste
- honey and sugar - to taste
- cream - 1/2 cup.

Wash the wheat well hot water, covering the grain, and cook in a saucepan over low heat until soft (or in a clay pot, in the oven), periodically adding hot water. Rinse the poppy seeds, steam with hot water for 2-3 hours, drain the water, grind the poppy seeds, add sugar, honey, vanilla sugar or any jam, crushed nuts, raisins, fruits or berries to taste, add 1/2 cup of cream or milk or boiled water, and combine all this with boiled wheat, put in a ceramic bowl and serve chilled.

A poem about baptism

What are the life-giving and what are the terrible waters... At the beginning of the Book of Genesis, we read about how the breath of God hovered over the waters and how all living beings arose from these waters. During the life of all mankind - but so bright in Old Testament- we see water as a way of life: they preserve the life of the thirsty in the desert, they revive the field and forest, they are a sign of life and God's mercy, and in the sacred books of the Old and New Testaments, water is an image of purification, washing, renewal.

But what terrible waters there are: the waters of the Flood, in which all those who could no longer stand before the judgment of God perished; and the waters that we see throughout our lives, terrible, destructive, dark flood waters ...

And so Christ came to the Jordanian waters; into these waters is no longer a sinless land, but our land, defiled to its very depths by human sin and betrayal. People came to these waters to bathe, repenting according to the preaching of John the Baptist; how heavy were these waters by the sin of the people who washed them! If only we could see how those washing these waters gradually became heavy and became terrible with this sin! And Christ came into these waters to plunge at the beginning of His feat of preaching and gradual ascension to the Cross, to plunge into these waters, bearing the entire burden of human sin - He, sinless.

This moment of the Baptism of the Lord is one of the most terrible and tragic moments of His life. Christmas is the moment when God, out of His love for man, who wishes to save us from eternal perdition, takes on human flesh, when human flesh is pierced by the Divine, when it is renewed, it becomes eternal, pure, radiant, the flesh that through the Cross, the Resurrection , Ascension will sit at the right hand of God and the Father. But on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, this preparatory path ends: now, having already matured in His humanity, the Lord, having reached the full measure of His maturity, the Man Jesus Christ, united by perfect love and perfect obedience to the will of the Father, goes free will, freely fulfill what the Eternal Council has ordained . Now the Man Jesus Christ sacrifices this flesh and as a gift not only to God, but to all mankind, takes on His shoulders all the horror of human sin, human fall, and plunges into these waters, which are now the waters of death, the image of death, carry in themselves all evil, all poison, and all sinful death.

The Baptism of the Lord, in the further development of events, most closely resembles the horror of the Garden of Gethsemane, the excommunication of death on the cross and the descent into hell. Here, too, Christ unites with human destiny in such a way that all its horror falls on Him, and the descent into hell is the last measure of His unity with us, the loss of everything - and victory over evil.

That is why this majestic holiday is so tragic, and that is why the waters of Jordan, bearing all the weight and all the horror of sin, by touching the body of Christ, the body of the sinless, all-pure, immortal, permeated and radiant with the Deity, the body of the God-man, are cleansed to the depths and again become primary, primeval waters of life, capable of cleansing and washing away sin, renew a person, restore incorruption to him, commune him with the Cross, make him a child no longer of the flesh, but of eternal life, the Kingdom of God.

How awesome is this holiday! That is why, when we bless the waters on this day, we look at them with such amazement and reverence: these waters, by the descent of the Holy Spirit, become the waters of the Jordan, not only the primitive waters of life, but waters capable of giving not only temporal life, but also eternal; that is why we partake of these waters reverently, reverently; that is why the Church calls them a great shrine and calls us to have them in our homes in case of illness, in case of spiritual sorrow, in case of sin, for purification and renewal, for communion with the newness of a purified life. Let us taste these waters, let us touch them reverently. Through these waters began the renewal of nature, the sanctification of the creature, the transfiguration of the world. Just as in the Holy Gifts, here we see the beginning of the future age, the victory of God and the beginning of eternal life, eternal glory - not only of man, but of all nature, when God becomes all in all.

Glory to God for His infinite mercy, for His Divine condescension, for the feat of the Son of God, who became the Son of man! Glory to God that He renews both man and our destinies, and the world in which we live, and that we can still live with the hope of an already won victory and rejoicing that we are waiting for the day of the Lord, the great, wondrous, terrible when the whole world will shine with the grace of the received, and not just the given Holy Spirit! Amen.

Metropolitan Anthony of Surozh. Sermon on the Baptism of the Lord

With what a feeling of reverence for Christ and gratitude for the relatives who lead us to faith, we remember our Baptism: how wonderful to think that since our parents or people close to us discovered faith in Christ, vouched for us before the Church and before God, we , the Sacrament of Baptism, became Christ's, we are called by His name. We bear this name with the same reverence and amazement as a young bride bears the name of a man whom she loved for life and death and who gave her his name; how we protect this human name! How dear it is to us, how holy it is to us, how terrible it would be for us to give it away for blasphemy to ill-wishers in our own way ... And this is how we unite with Christ, the Savior Christ, our God, who became a Man, gives us to bear His name. And just as on earth, according to our actions, they judge the whole generation that bears the same name, so here, according to our actions, according to our life, Christ is judged.

What a responsibility! The apostle Paul almost two thousand years ago warned the young Christian Church that for the sake of those of them who live unworthy of their calling, the name of Christ is blasphemed. Isn't it like that now? Are millions of people all over the world now who would like to find the meaning of life, joy, depth in God, do not move away from Him, looking at us, seeing that we are, alas, not a living image of the gospel life - either personally or as a society? ?

And on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, I want to speak before God on my own behalf and call on everyone to say to whom it was given to be baptized in the name of Christ: remember that you have now become bearers of this holy and divine name, that you will be judged by God, your Savior, the Savior of all what if your life is my life! - will be worthy of this gift of God, then thousands around will be saved, and if it is unworthy, they will disappear: without faith, without hope, without joy and without meaning. Christ came to the Jordan sinless, plunged into these terrible Jordanian waters, which, as it were, became heavy, washing away human sin, figuratively became, as it were, dead waters– He plunged into them and shared our mortality and all the consequences of human fall, sin, humiliation in order to make us able to live worthy of our human calling, worthy of God Himself, Who called us to be related to Him, children, to be related to Him and our own ...

Let us respond to this work of God, to this call of God! Let us understand how high, how majestic our dignity, how great is our responsibility, and let us enter the year that has already begun so as to be the glory of God and the salvation of every person who touches our life! Amen.

Saint Theophan the Recluse. Thoughts for every day of the year - The Baptism of the Lord

Epiphany (Tit 2, 11-14; 3, 4-7; Matthew 3, 13-17). The Baptism of the Lord is called Theophany because in it He revealed Himself so tangibly true god worshiped in the Trinity: God the Father - by a voice from heaven, God the Son - incarnate - by baptism. God the Holy Spirit - descending on the Baptized. Here the sacrament of the relationship of the persons of the Most Holy Trinity is revealed. God the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and rests in the Son, but does not proceed from Him. It is also shown here that the incarnate economy of salvation was accomplished by God the Son incarnate, co-inherent with Him the Holy Spirit and God the Father. It is also revealed that the salvation of everyone can be accomplished only in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the grace of the Holy Spirit, according to the good will of the Father. All the Christian sacraments shine here with their divine light and enlighten the minds and hearts of those who celebrate this great feast with faith. Come, let us ascend wisely to grief, and let us plunge into the contemplation of these mysteries of our salvation, singing: in the Jordan, to You who are baptized, O Lord, the Trinity worship has appeared, - salvation in Trinity is arranging for us and saving us in Trinity.

Christians around the world refer to the Jordan as sacred river, because according to the Gospel, Jesus Christ was baptized in its waters. But where this very place is located for sure, it became known only at the end of the 20th century.

The source of the Jordan River from Lake Kinneret (Sea of ​​Galilee)

VIFAVARA OUTSIDE JORDAN

The Gospel of John indicates the exact address of the place where John the Baptist preached and baptized - Bethabara near the Jordan (Heb. John 1, 28). But where exactly is this village located? The fact is that in Palestine at that time there were several villages with the same name.

For a long time it was believed that Bethavara is located in Israel, not far from the town Qasr El Yahud, which is 4 kilometers from the place where it flows into.

Map of the Holy Land in the Temple of St. George (Madaba, Jordan)

The mosaic on the floor in the temple of St. George, in the Jordanian city of Madaba, helped to determine its true location. The 15 x 6 meter mosaic image, dating back to the 6th century AD, is a perfectly preserved accurate map of the Holy Land, indicating all Christian Shrines.

The map indicated that the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River is not on the territory of Israel, but on the opposite bank of the river, on the territory of modern Jordan in the town Wadi al-Harar.

It is noteworthy that in the place where the rite of Baptism took place 2000 years ago, there is no more water. For such a huge period of time, the river changed its course at the confluence with the Dead Sea and now flows several tens of meters closer to Israel.

In support of this version, in Wadi al-Harar, on a dry spot in 1996, archaeologists discovered the ruins of three Byzantine churches and a marble base slab, on which it was assumed that there was a column with a cross, installed at the time early christianity on the site of the Baptism of Jesus Christ.

It is this column that is often mentioned in the written testimonies of Byzantine pilgrims who visited the Holy Places.

Wadi al-Harar - the place of the baptism of Jesus Christ

After a heated debate, scientists around the world and leaders of leading Christian denominations came to the conclusion that it was Wadi al-Harar that was the site of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River.

So, in the spring of 2000, the visit of Pope John Paul II to these places ended official recognition Vatican of the fact that Wadi al-Harar is the greatest Christian Shrine.

Orthodox Church of John the Baptist in Wadi al-Harar (Jordan)

Russian Orthodox Church in recognition of this fact, took part in the construction on the territory of Wadi al-Harar Orthodox church in honor of John the Baptist. The temple is based on the very place where, according to legend, Jesus Christ left his clothes before plunging into the waters of the biblical river.

The opening of this greatest object in the whole of Christendom was made possible as a result of the peace agreement signed between Israel and Jordan in October 1994.

At present, in the area of ​​the Evangelical Bethavara, both on the Jordanian and Israeli sides, all conditions have been created for pilgrims who want to perform the ritual of ablution or even baptism in the waters of the Jordan River.

In the foreground is the pilgrimage complex in Qasr el-Yahud (Israel), in the background in Wadi al-Harar (Jordan)

On the Israeli side, the pilgrimage complex is located in Qasr al-Yahud. The distance from Jerusalem to Qasr el-Yahud is 50 km.

On the Jordanian side, the pilgrimage complex is located in Wadi al-Harar, on google maps this place is designated as Al-Makhtas. The distance from Madaba to Al-Makhtas is 40 km.

Israel and Jordan in this place are separated only by the Jordan River, only a few meters wide, the border between the two states runs exactly in the middle.

YARDENIT IN ISRAEL

Many pilgrims who visit Israel every year are wondering: where else is there an opportunity to take a dip or even perform a rite of baptism in the waters of the Jordan River?