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The Holy Theophany

Today the nature of the waters is sanctified, and the Jordan is parted in two. It holds back the streams of its own waters, seeing the Master wash Himself. Follow this link for a video-clip of: Jordan Water Blessing

On the Feast of Theophany ( also known as "Epiphany" ) we celebrate the Baptism of our Lord, Christ Jesus.

As it is recorded in the Gospels:

It was at this time that Jesus come from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised in the Jordan by John. And at once, as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit, like a dove, descending on him. And a voice came from heaven, "You are my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on you."

Mark 1:9-11

This Feast - together with Pascha and Pentecost - make up the 3 great Feasts of the ancient Church.

Through the Baptism of the Lord the Most Holy Trinity has been revealed to the world.

God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son.

The Son was baptised by the Lord's holy Forerunner, John.

And the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of a Dove.

The icon of Theophany, as shown above, is called: "The New Testament Trinity".

(As distinguished from the "Old Testament icon of the Trinity", which symbolizes the Trinity using the encounter of Abraham and Sarah with the 3 'Angels' ".)

Tropar of Theophany

"Theophany" ( and "Epiphany" ) means God's "Appearing", i.e. God's Self-Revelation.
From ancient times, Theophany was called the "Day of Illumination" and "the Feast of Lights".

On that day, God, who is Light, appeared to illumine "those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death" (Mt 4:16) and to save through grace the human race.

In the early church, this was one of the times when people were baptised.

So today, the Great Blessing of Water is served during the Festal Services.

This takes place inside the Church during the Vigil, but on the next morning outside at a local body of water.

At our parish, we dress up warmly after Divine Liturgy and process out to our pond where we have set up an Ice Cross.

There we bless the water and all the waters of the world.

During the blessing the Priest blesses the water by making the sign of the life-giving Cross three times in the water

- with the 3 branched Theophany Candles,

- with his hand,

- with his breath,

- and with the Cross.

There is also a tradition of casting the Cross into the local body of water, whether that be the Aegean Sea near Constantinople or the frozen Dnipro river by Kiev.

So doing, not only is the water in the font blessed, but also all the waters of the world are sanctified.

Great are You, O LORD, and wonderous are your works and no word can do justice to the praise of your Wonders.

Follow these Links for a video-clip of the Great Blessing of the Waters:

The Jordan Candle Blessing

The Jordan Cross Blessing

By sanctifying the waters, all the material world is blessed, for the Christ this day has entered the waters and revealed himself and the most holy Trinity to all the world.

So too all those who partake thereof or use this holy "Jordan water" are blessed.

While the Catechumens are being baptised, all those passages from the Old Testament are read which trace the Salvation History of the human race whereby God used the instrumentality of water to work saving grace amongst us.

All these incidents are antitypes of the Baptism of the Lord, e.g.:

- Israel's crossing through of the Red Sea,

- the purification of the water by Moses using the wood of the tree,

- the contest of St. Elias the Prophet against the priests of Baal,

- Holy Elisha's the healing of Naaman in the waters of the Jordan,

- the stopping of the Jordan when Israel crossed over into the Promised Land.

- The Miraculous Dew Sign shown to Gideon the Judge, when the LORD called him to defend Israel against oppressor Gentiles.

And all we baptised, are baptised into the saving Death and Resurrection of the Lord.

The voice of the Lord upon the waters cries aloud saying, "Come, ye all, and receive the Spirit of Wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of the fear of God, from Christ who is made manifest. "

(The Stikhera of the Great Blessing of Waters)

THEOPHANY-2004

The Great Blessing of the Waters

The Procession

Toward the end of the Divine Liturgy the Clergy and Faithful process out of the Temple to the closest body of water (where possible).

During the procession such Hymns (Tropars) as the following are sung:

The Lord's voice cries out over the waters saying:
Come, all you, and receive the Spirit of Wisdom,
the spirit of understanding, the spirit of the fear of God,
from this manifestation of the Messiah.

Today the nature of water is sanctified.
The Jordan is parted and reverses its flow
on seeing its Master being baptised.

At the voice of one crying in the wilderness:
"Prepare the way of the Lord!",
you came in the form of a servant asking for baptism, O Lord, though you knew no sin.
On seeing you the waters became frightened.
The Forerunner shuddered and cried out saying:
How can a lantern give light to the Light?
How can a slave place his hands upon his Master?
Bless me, rather, and the waters, O Saviour
who take away the sin of the world.

Then 3 Readings from the Old Testament are chanted:

Isaiah 35:1-10
"Thus says the LORD: The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad, the desert shall rejoice and blossom; like the crocus it shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice with joy and singing...
Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with he recompense of God. He will come and save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame leap like a hart, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters shall break broth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert...
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, everlasting joy shall be upon their heads;
they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and mourning shall flee away."

Isaiah 55:1-13
"Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.

Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.
See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,
a leader and commander of the peoples.
Surely you will summon nations you know not,
and nations that do not know you will hasten to you,
because of the LORD your God,
the Holy One of Israel,
for he has endowed you with splendor."
Seek the LORD while he may be found;
call on him while he is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
and the evil man his thoughts.
Let him turn to the LORD , and he will have mercy on him,
and to our God, for he will freely pardon.
For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,"
declares the LORD .

As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy
and be led forth in peace;
the mountains and hills
will burst into song before you,
and all the trees of the field
will clap their hands.
Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree,
and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.
This will be for the LORD's renown,
for an everlasting sign,
which will not be destroyed."

Isaiah 12:3-6
With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
In that day you will say: "Give thanks to the LORD , call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done,
and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the LORD , for he has done glorious things;
let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
for great is the Holy One of Israel among you."

The Apostolic Reading (I Corinthians 10:1-4)

For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

The Gospel Reading (Mark 1:9-11)

At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

The Great Blessing of the Waters

The Litany of the Great Sanctification of Waters

For the peace from on high and for the salvation of our souls, let us pray to the Lord.

For the peace of the whole world, for the wellbeing of the holy Churches of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.

For this holy Temple, and for those who enter it with faith, reverence and the fear of God, let us pray to the Lord.

For our holy ecumenical hierarch, NN, Pope of Rome, for his Beatitude our father, Kyr NN, Patriarch of Kyiv and all Rus’, his Eminence our father NN, Archbishop of Winnipeg and Metropolitan of all Canada, his Grace our God-loving Bishop NN, for the reverend presbyters, for deacons who serve in Christ, for all the clergy and the people, let us pray to the Lord.

For our civil authorities and all who protect us, let us pray to the Lord.

For this city, for every city and region, and for the faithful who dwell in them, let us pray to the Lord.

For favourable weather, an abundance of the fruits of the earth, and peaceful times, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who travel by land, air or water, for the sick, the suffering, for those in captivity, and for their safety and salvation, let us pray to the Lord.

That this water may be sanctified by the power and operation and visitation of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.

That the purifying acton of the transcendent Trinity may come down upon these waters, let us pray to the Lord.

That there to be given them the grace of redemption, the blessing of Jordan, let us pray to the Lord.

That we may be enlightened with the enlightenment of knowledge and true religion through the visitation of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.

That this water may become a gift of sanctification, a deliverance from sins, for healing of soul and body and for every suitable purpose, let us pray to the Lord.

That this water may become water springing up to eternal life, let us pray to the Lord.

That this water may be shown to be an averting of every assault of visible and invisible enemies, let us pray to the Lord.

For those who draw from it and take from it for the sanctification of their homes, let us pray to the Lord.

That it may be for cleansing of souls and bodies for all those who draw from it with faith and who partake of it, let us pray to the Lord.

That we may be counted worthy to be filled with sanctification through communion of these waters by the invisible manifestation of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.

That the Lord God may hear the voice of supplication of us sinners and have mercy on us, let us pray to the Lord.

That we may be delivered from all affliction, wrath, danger and need, let us pray to the Lord.

Help and save us, have mercy on us, and protect us, O God, by your grace.

Remembering our all-holy, all-pure, most blessed and glorious Lady, the Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, with all the Saints, let us commend ourselves and one another and our whole life to the Christ our God.

Lord Jesus Christ, only-begotten Son, who are in the bosom of the Father, true God, source of life and immortality, Light from Light, who came into the world to enlighten it, flood our mind with light by your Holy Spirit and accept us as we bring you praise and thanksgiving for your wondrous mighty works from every age, and for your saving dispensation in these last times.

By it you clothe yourself in our weak and beggared matter and coming down to the measure of our servitude, King of all, you accepted also to be baptised in the Jordan by the hand of a servant, so that, having sanctified the nature of the waters, you, the sinless one, might make a way for our rebirth through water and Spirit and re-establish us in our original freedom.

As we celebrate the memory of this divine Mystery, we entreat you, Master, lover of mankind:
Sprinkle on us, your unworthy servants, cleansing water, in accordance with your divine promise,
the gift of your compassion, that the request of us sinners over this water may become acceptable by your goodness
and that through it your blessing to be granted to us and to all your faithful people,
to the glory of your holy, venerated Name.

For to you belong all glory, honour and worship, with your Father who is without beginning,
with you all-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and forever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.

The Great Prayer of Sanctification

Trinity beyond all being, beyond all goodness, beyond all godhead, all-powerful, all-vigilant, invisible, incomprehensible; Creator of the spiritual beings and rational natures, innate goodness, unapproachable Light that enlightens everyone coming into the world, shine also in me your unworthy servant. Enlighten the eyes of my mind that I may dare to sing the praise of your measureless benevolence and power. May my supplication for the people here present be acceptable, so that my offences may not prevent the Holy Spirit from being present here; but permit me now without condemnation to cry out to you and say, Master, lover of mankind, beyond all goodness, Almighty, eternal King.

We glorify you, the Creator and Fashioner of the universe.

We glorify you, only-begotten Son of God, without father from your Mother, without mother from your Father. For in the preceding feast we saw you as a babe, but in the present one we see you full and perfect man, our God, made manifest as perfect God from perfect God.

For today the moment of the feast is here for us and the choir of saints assembles here with us, and Angels keep festival with mortals.

Today the grace of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove dwelt upon the waters.

Today the Sun that never sets has dawned and the world is made radiant with the light of the Lord.

Today the Moon with its radiant beams sheds light on the world.

Today the stars formed of light make the inhabited world lovely with the brightness of their splendour.

Today the clouds rain down from heaven the shower of justice for mankind.

Today the Uncreated by his own will accepts the laying on of hands by his own creature.

Today the Prophet & Forerunner draws near, but stands by with fear seeing God’s condescension towards us.

Today the streams of Jordan are changed into healing by the presence of the Lord.

Today all creation is watered by mystical streams.

Today the failings of mankind are being washed away by the waters of Jordan.

Today Paradise is opened for mortals and the Sun of justice shines down on us.

Today the bitter water as once for Moses’people is changed to sweetness by the presence of the Lord.

Today we have been delivered from the ancient grief, and saved as the new Israel.

Today we have been redeemed from darkness and are filled with radiance by the light of the knowledge of God.

Today the gloomy fog of the world is cleansed by the manifestation of our God.

Today all creation shines with light from on high.

Today error has been destroyed and the coming of the Master makes for us a way of salvation.

Today things on high keep festival with those below, and those below commune with those on high.

Today the sacred and triumphant festal assembly of the Orthodox exults.

Today the Master hastens towards baptism, that he may lead humanity to the heights.

Today the One who does not bow bows down to his own servant, that he may free us from servitude.

Today we have purchased the Kingdom of heaven, for the Kingdom of the Lord will have no end.

Today earth and sea share the joy of the world, and the world has been filled with gladness.

The waters saw you, O God, the waters saw you and were afraid.

The Jordan turned back when it saw the fire of the godhead descending in bodily form and entering it.

The Jordan turned back as it contemplated the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, descending & flying about you.

The Jordan turned back as it saw the Invisible made visible, the Creator made flesh, the Master in the form of a servant.

The Jordan turned back and the mountains leapt as they saw God in the flesh, and the clouds uttered their voice, marveling at what had come to pass, seeing Light from Light, true God from true God, the Master’s festival today in Jordan; seeing him drowning the death from disobedience, the goad of error and the bond of Hell in Jordan and granting the Baptism of salvation to the world.

Therefore I too, a sinner and your unworthy servant, recount the greatness of your wonders and, seized with fear, in compunction cry out to you:

Great are you, O Lord, and wondrous are Your deeds

No word will suffice to sing of your wonders (x3).

Rx: Glory to you, Lord, glory to you!

The Dismissal at the Great Sanctification of Waters

Presbyter: Peace be to all.

Rx: And to your spirit.

Deacon: Let us bow our heads to the Lord.

Rx: To you, O Lord.

Presbyter:

Incline your ear and hear us, Lord, who accepted to be baptised in Jordan and to sanctify the waters, and bless us all, who signify our calling as servants by the bending of our necks.

And count us worthy to be filled with your sanctification through the partaking and sprinkling of this water. And let it be for us, Lord, for healing of soul and body.

For you are the sanctification of our souls and bodies, and to you we give glory, thanksgiving and worship, with your Father who is without beginning, and your All-holy, good and life-giving Spirit, now and for ever, and to the ages of ages.

Rx: Amen.

Ukrainian version
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