1. The Feasts of the Lord
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
III. The Theophany of the Lord
Homily No. 2: On the Divine Service on the Feast of the Theophany of the Lord
By Archpriest Grigory Dyachenko
III. The Theophany of the Lord
Homily No. 2: On the Divine Service on the Feast of the Theophany of the Lord
I. On January 6 the Holy Church celebrates the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The day of the Lord’s Baptism is one of the great Twelve Feasts and is celebrated just as solemnly as the day of the Nativity of Christ. The entire period from the Nativity to the Baptism is called the Holy Days (Svyatki). According to the instruction of the Church, we are to spend them in spiritual rejoicing, reflecting on the events in Bethlehem and on the Jordan.
The feast of the Baptism is also called the feast of Theophany, Illumination, and the Feast of Lights. It is called Theophany because at the Baptism of the Savior all three Persons of the Most Holy Trinity were revealed to the world. From the opened heavens “the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form, like a dove” (that is, upon the baptized Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity), and a voice (of God the Father) came from heaven, saying: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” It is also called Theophany because at His Baptism Jesus was revealed to His Forerunner and then to the whole world as the true Messiah. Saint John Chrysostom says: “It is not the day on which the Savior was born that should be called His manifestation, but the day on which He was baptized. It was not through His birth that He became known to all, but through His Baptism; therefore Theophany is called not the day on which He was born, but the day on which He was baptized.”
This day is also called Illumination and the Feast of Lights because through His Baptism the Savior was revealed to the world as the true Messiah, God who came to earth to enlighten “the people who sat in darkness.” With His appearing, “the people who sat in darkness saw a great light, and upon those who sat in the land and shadow of death light has dawned” (Matt. 4:16). In the ancient Church, on the eve of the feast, the catechumens were illumined, that is, they received Baptism. During the celebration of the Mystery many lamps were lit, and at the blessing of the waters the faithful stood holding lighted candles. From this come the names of the feast: “Illumination” and “Feast of Lights.”
II. The Divine Services of the Feast of the Baptism Resemble Those of the Nativity.
a) First, let us speak about the services on the eve of the feast of the Lord’s Theophany. On the eve of the feast (the Paramoni) a strict fast is prescribed.
1) After Matins the Royal Hours are sung. At the First Hour, after the Lord’s Prayer, the Reader reads three Psalms — Psalms 5, 22, and 26 — and after the troparia proclaims the prokeimenon: “The Lord thundered from heaven, and the Most High gave His voice.” Then follows the reading of the Old Testament lesson from the prophecy of Isaiah (ch. 35). The Prophet foresees the time of the abundant outpouring of the grace of the Holy Spirit, the time of renewal and rebirth of people through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. What the Prophet proclaimed from distant times was now close at hand through John, the Lord’s Baptist, who announced to the people the Lord who had appeared in the flesh. Concerning the Baptist, the Apostolic and Gospel readings proclaim the good news (Acts 13:25–32; Matt. 3:1–11).
At the Third Hour, in the Psalms (28, 41, and 50), the Lord is glorified as having power over the waters. After the troparia the prokeimenon is proclaimed: “The waters saw You, O God; the waters saw You and were afraid,” and the prophecy of Isaiah is read concerning the grace-filled Kingdom of God, in which people receive cleansing and renewal. In the Apostolic reading, the difference between the baptism of John and Christian baptism is explained (Acts 19:1–8). The Forerunner baptized with water unto repentance, calling all to believe in the One coming after him, Jesus Christ. He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit — our Lord — appeared. John pointed to Him. This is proclaimed by the Holy Gospel (Mark 1:1–8).
In the Psalms of the Sixth Hour (73, 76, and 90) the majesty and power of God are praised, and in the Old Testament reading (Isaiah 12) salvation from the Lord is proclaimed. The Apostle calls believers and the baptized to live according to Christ, in newness of life (Rom. 6:3–12). The Holy Gospel speaks of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, His forty-day fast, and the beginning of His preaching (Mark 1:9–15).
In the Psalms of the Ninth Hour (92, 113, and 85) the royal majesty and might of the Lord are praised, and in the Old Testament reading (Isaiah 49:8–15) God’s love for the human race is proclaimed. The Apostolic reading proclaims the appearance of the grace of God, saving all people (Titus 2:11–14; 3:2–7), and the Holy Gospel speaks of the Baptism of the Savior and the Theophany.
2) The Divine Liturgy is celebrated together with Vespers if the eve of Theophany does not fall on a Saturday or Sunday. After the Great Litany, following the stichera at “Lord, I have cried” and the entrance with the Gospel, the Old Testament readings are read. The first, from the Book of Genesis (Gen. 1–13), speaks of the creation of the world; the second, of the miraculous passage of the Hebrews through the Red Sea (Exod. 14:15–28); and the third, of the transformation of the bitter waters of Marah into sweet (Exod. 15:22–27; 16:1). After the third reading the Reader proclaims the troparia: “You have appeared in the world, You who created the world, to enlighten those who sit in darkness, O Lover of mankind, glory to You,” and others, which praise God’s goodwill toward those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.
The fourth reading recounts the miraculous crossing of the Jordan by the Hebrews (Josh. 3:7–17); the fifth, the crossing of the Jordan by the Prophets Elijah and Elisha (4 Kings [2 Kings] 2:6–15); and the sixth, the miraculous cleansing of Naaman the Syrian from leprosy after his immersion in the waters of the Jordan at the word of the Prophet Elisha (4 Kings [2 Kings] 5). The readings are again interrupted by brief troparia praising the light of Christ shining upon those who sit in darkness. In the following seven readings, the miracles performed on the waters for God’s chosen people are recalled. After the readings, the Apostle is read concerning the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies in the person of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 10:1–4). The Holy Gospel sets forth the preaching of John the Baptist about the coming Kingdom of God (Luke 3:1–18). Then the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great or of Saint John Chrysostom continues, if the eve of Theophany falls on a Saturday or Sunday.
3) At the end of the Liturgy the sanctification of water is performed. It is called Great in contrast to the Lesser sanctification, which is performed very often in churches, homes, and at springs. The Great Sanctification of Waters was established in remembrance of the Lord’s Baptism. It also points to events from the ancient history of the Christian Church. In the first centuries of Christianity, on the eve of Theophany those entering the Church were usually baptized. While they were preparing for Baptism, they were called Catechumens, because they were instructed in the truths of the faith and the rules of Christian life. Just as today candles are given to sponsors at Baptism, so in ancient times the baptized themselves held candles in their hands, and those present also stood with candles out of love for them. In remembrance of this, the Church Typikon still prescribes that Orthodox Christians hold lighted candles during the sanctification of the waters.
At the beginning of the Great Sanctification of Waters, the troparia are solemnly sung: “The voice of the Lord cries upon the waters, saying: Come, receive all of you the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of the fear of God, Christ who has appeared,” and others. Then three Old Testament readings are read, describing the joy of people who have come to know the true God and have been reborn by God’s grace (Isaiah chs. 35, 55, and 12). The Apostolic reading proclaims the Old Testament types that pointed to the person of our Lord Jesus Christ who was baptized (1 Cor. 10:1–4), and the Holy Gospel speaks of the Baptism of the Savior and the Theophany (Mark 1:9–11).
In the Great Litany the Holy Church prays: “That these waters may be sanctified by the power and operation and descent of the Holy Spirit… That the grace of deliverance may be granted to them… That Satan may be crushed beneath our feet and every evil counsel raised against us be destroyed… That this water may be a gift of sanctification, deliverance from sins, healing of soul and body, and for every good purpose… That this water may lead to eternal life… For those who draw and take it for the sanctification of their homes,” and so forth. During the litany the priest prays silently that the Lord would hear our supplications and mercifully grant our requests; then he calls aloud upon the grace of the Holy Spirit: “Therefore, O loving King, come now also through the descent of Your Holy Spirit and sanctify this water… Grant to all who touch it and are anointed with it sanctification, health, purification, and blessing,” and so on. After the prayer, the priest gives peace to all and, at the exclamation, immerses the Honorable Cross into the water three times with the singing of the troparion:
“When You were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was made manifest; for the voice of the Father bore witness to You, calling You His beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ God, who have appeared and enlightened the world, glory to You.”
The sanctification of the water is completed. Drink it with reverence, Orthodox Christian, and take it to your home. Keep it for the whole year, for it is very beneficial in many circumstances of life. From the earliest times Christians have held it in deep reverence. It was used in the exorcism of the possessed. It is drunk by those who cannot or are unworthy to approach the Mystery of Holy Communion — the mentally ill and those barred from Communion for sins. The sick use it and, through faith, receive healing. Fields, livestock, and bees are sprinkled with it; it is also used in the sanctification of vessels defiled in any way. See what grace the Lord God grants to water. Therefore it is called hagiasma, that is, a holy thing. With this sanctified water clergy go from house to house of Orthodox Christians to glorify the baptized Lord. Receive them with honor: in the name of God they bring you blessing and sanctification.
b) On the day of the Lord’s Baptism, as on the Nativity, the services begin with Great Compline, at which the prophetic verses “God is with us” are sung. Compline ends with the hymn “Glory to God in the highest.” Then follow the Litia and Matins. The Matins Gospel proclaims the Baptism of the Savior and the manifestation of the Most Holy Trinity.
The Liturgy on the feast of the Baptism, as on the Nativity of Christ, is celebrated early “because of the vigil.” At the Liturgy the antiphons from Psalms 113, 114, and 117 are sung. They contain prophetic references to the baptized Lord and point to the pitiable state of humanity before the appearance of Christ. Instead of the Trisagion, the hymn is sung: “As many as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.” The Apostle from the Epistle to Titus (Titus 2:11–15; 3:5–7) proclaims the sending to us, through Christ, of divine grace that saves all people, and calls us to “live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age” and to be “heirs of eternal life.” The Gospel proclaims the Baptism of the Savior (Matt. 3:13–17).
After the Liturgy a solemn procession is made to the springs, to the water. The priest and deacon go in full vestments. The priest carries the cross on his head, and the deacon walks with the censer. Lighted candles, banners, the altar cross, the Holy Gospel, the icon of the Mother of God, and the icon of the feast are carried in front. During the procession, stichera appointed for the sanctification of the waters are sung, and the bells are rung. The rite of sanctification the water is the same as that performed on the eve after Vespers. The water blessed on the eve in the church and that blessed on rivers or wells on the feast itself have the same meaning and holiness. The afterfeast continues until January 14 (see Extra-Liturgical Talks on the Divine Services, part 2, issue VI, St. Petersburg, 1889).
III. Thus, Christian brethren, this is a brief outline of that highly edifying divine service which is performed on the eve and on the day of the feast of the Lord’s Baptism. Remember, then, the saving lessons which it teaches all of us.
Appendix to Homily No. 2
A. Historical Note on How the Sanctification of Water was Performed in Old Russia
From the day Christianity was accepted and down to the present time, nowhere has the feast of the Baptism of the Lord been celebrated with such solemnity as in Russia. The celebration of this day reached particular splendor and ceremonial richness in the 16th and 17th centuries, during the patriarchal period. In those times, the festal solemnity usually began on the eve, on the Eve of Theophany, or the Paramoni of the Lord’s Baptism. The celebration ordinarily began with the Royal Hours, which were served with exceptional solemnity in the Dormition Cathedral, in the presence of the Tsar himself.
After the Hours, in the same cathedral, the Liturgy with Vespers was celebrated, with which the rite of the sanctification of water was inseparably connected. Both Vespers and the sanctification of water took place in the presence of the sovereign. The cathedral wardens, having received the Patriarch’s blessing “to arrange the place for the water,” placed two tables in the middle of the church: one for the basin with water and other sacred objects, and another, made of dark stone, for holy relics. On one table they placed “a silver tub, a silver bowl, and three vasilki, that is, sprinklers.” With the Patriarch’s blessing, the bowl was filled with water, and around it on the table were placed “four silver chased candlesticks, with candles lit upon them, and above the table, on an analogion, the festal icon was set.”
After the immersion of the Cross into the water, the Patriarch himself poured the holy water into a basin, with which he immediately proceeded into the altar for sprinkling. Then he poured it into cups and chalices (kratiri), drank from the chalice himself three times, and afterward gave the Tsar to drink from it the same number of times, sprinkling him with holy water and giving him antidoron. After this, the protodeacon proclaimed many years to the sovereign and the members of the royal family by name. When this was completed, the singers again offered congratulations to the Tsar from the Patriarch, the boyars, and other dignitaries, and with this the celebration of the Eve of Theophany came to an end.
The Eve of Theophany was observed in former times with great reverence. Many pious people did not partake of food until after the sanctification of the water. Even then, the food was extremely simple, so that eating fish on that day was considered a grave sin. On the Tsar’s table itself — from which, according to the custom of the time, dishes were sent to the patriarch and the boyars—there was to be “nothing except white bread (one loaf), raw and cooked cabbage, milk mushrooms and saffron milk caps, salted, raw, and cooked, kutya, and dishes made of berries.” On this same day, following the example of the Tsar and the boyars, it was customary to give alms to the poor in the form of food, clothing, and money.
On the very day of Theophany in Moscow, a celebration took place which, in its grandeur and magnificence, surpassed all other festivities. On this day the Tsar appeared before the people in the full splendor of his royal majesty. At twelve noon, the Tsar, dressed in ordinary ceremonial attire, processed to the Dormition Cathedral to the ringing of the bells on Ivan the Great Bell Tower. In the cathedral, the sovereign vested himself in the “royal dignity” (that is, the great royal vestments with all the regalia), after which the Liturgy began. After the Liturgy, the Tsar exited the cathedral through the southern doors, and the Patriarch through the western doors, proceeding to the “Jordan.”
The “Jordan” itself was cut into the ice of the Moscow River in the form of a cross and covered with a beautiful canopy supported by four columns with cornices painted with colors, silver, and gold, and adorned with a gilded cross at the top. At the corners were placed images of the four Evangelists, and inside — icons of the Apostles and other saints, and finally the icon of the Baptism of the Lord. All of this was decorated with silk and with painted flowers and leaves cut from tin.
The rite of the sanctification of the waters was performed as follows. First, the clergy approached the Patriarch and the Tsar two by two and made deep bows. Then the Patriarch distributed candles to all, beginning with the sovereign. During the immersion of the Cross into the water, cannons were fired and the bells of all the Moscow churches were rung. After immersing the Cross, the Patriarch drew water from the Jordan with a silver bucket and handed it to the warden to sprinkle the troops and the people. The Patriarch himself thrice blessed the sovereign with the Cross, sprinkled him with holy water, and congratulated him on the feast. The celebration ended very late, so that Vespers on that day were usually served “without dismissal.”
With no less solemnity, even in our own time, in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, the sanctification of water is performed both on the eve and on the feast itself; in ancient Russian chronicles this is called vodokreshchenie (“water-baptism”). On the eve it is performed in churches, and on the feast itself on rivers, ponds, and wells — what among us is called the Procession to the Jordan. Especially solemn is the sanctification of the waters in Saint Petersburg (and partly in other provincial cities). Here, opposite the Winter Palace, a magnificent Jordan is arranged on the Neva River. After the Liturgy in the Winter Palace, a solemn procession — in which Their Imperial Majesties and members of the August House, hierarchs present in the Holy Synod, and numerous clergy take part — proceed to the Jordan, and at the moment when the Life-giving Cross is immersed in the river by the Metropolitan, cannon shots ring out from the Peter and Paul Fortress (see Missionary Review, 1897).
B. Historical Note on Why Water is Blessed Twice on the Feast of the Baptism
On the feast of the Baptism, water is blessed twice. Someone may ask: why is the water blessed twice on the feast of the Lord’s Baptism?
It is known that at the place where Christ the Savior was born, lived, and was baptized, the sanctification of the waters of the Jordan was performed from ancient times and is still performed at midnight or at dawn, since, according to tradition, it was at this hour that Jesus Christ was baptized. Later, however, when Christian services began to be celebrated not at night but during the day, it became necessary to transfer the blessing of water to daytime — but to which day? To the very day of the feast, or to its eve, since every feast in the Church begins in the evening?
Here is what occurred. In the first centuries, many pagans and Jews were converted to Christianity; they were called catechumens (that is, those already instructed in the Christian faith but not yet baptized). Special days of the year were appointed for their baptism (for example, Pascha and Pentecost), and the day before the Baptism of Christ was also assigned for this purpose. Since the baptism of catechumens required sanctified water, it was decided to perform the sanctification of water on the day before the feast of Christ’s Baptism — not the lesser sanctification performed throughout the year as needed, but the Great Sanctification, in honor of the feast’s eve. Thus it was established to sanctification the water twice: before the feast, for the baptism of catechumens, and on the feast itself, in remembrance of the Baptism of Christ.
In our time there are almost no catechumens among us, and therefore, it may seem that there is no need to bless the water before the feast. But the Holy Church has preserved this practice because the double sanctification of the water — on the eve and on the feast itself — enhances the festal solemnity and our sanctification and illumination. We should rejoice that on the feast of the Lord’s Baptism the water is sanctification not once, but twice.
One may also say that the sanctification of water on the eve and on the feast itself has somewhat different meanings. On the eve, the water is sanctified primarily for our needs and for the needs of that particular day — that we may sprinkle and sanctify our homes, all our possessions, and above all ourselves. It is blessed so that we, having fasted until evening, may partake of the holy water, be sanctified, prepared, and at the same time taste beforehand the joy of the coming great feast.
On the feast day itself, the water is blessed specifically in remembrance of the Baptism of Christ the Savior. Then we are no longer preparing for the feast by means of holy water, but are already celebrating the feast itself through the blessing of the waters.
C. Some Hymns of the Day of Theophany With Brief Explanations
a) At the blessing of the waters
“The voice of the Lord cries upon the waters, saying: Come, receive all of you the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of the fear of God, the Spirit of Christ who has appeared.”
“Today the nature of the waters is sanctified, and the Jordan is divided, and it turns back the streams of its waters, seeing the Master being baptized.”
“As a man You have come to the river, O Christ the King, and You hasten to receive a servant’s baptism, O Good One, from the hand of the Forerunner, for the sake of our sins, O Lover of mankind.”
“At the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,’ You have come, O Lord, taking the form of a servant, asking for baptism, though You know no sin. The waters saw You and were afraid; the Forerunner trembled and cried out, saying: ‘How shall the lamp illumine the Light? How shall the servant lay his hand upon the Master? Sanctify me and the waters, O Savior, You who take away the sin of the world.’”
b) Troparion
“When You, O Lord, were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was revealed; for the voice of the Father bore witness to You, calling You His beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ God, who have appeared and enlightened the world, glory to You!”
c) At the Litia
“He who clothes Himself with light as with a garment, for our sake deigned to become as we are, and today is clothed in the streams of the Jordan, not needing it for His own purification, but arranging rebirth for us in Himself. O wonder! Without fire He refines, without breaking He renews, and He saves those enlightened in Him, Christ God and Savior of our souls.”
d) At the Aposticha
“When John saw You coming to him at the Jordan River, he said: ‘Christ God, why have You come to a servant, O Lord who have no defilement? And in whose name shall I baptize You? Of the Father? But You bear Him within Yourself. Of the Son? But You Yourself are incarnate. Of the Holy Spirit? And You know how to give Him to the faithful by Your breath. O God who have appeared, have mercy on us.’”
e) Irmoi (selected)
“He uncovered the depths and led His people through on dry land, covering their adversaries therein the mighty Lord in battles, for He has been glorified.”
“The Lord who gives strength to our kings and exalts the horn of His anointed is born of a Virgin and comes to baptism. To Him, the faithful cry aloud: There is none holy as our God.”
“I heard, O Lord, Your voice, which You called the voice of one crying in the wilderness; for You thundered over many waters, bearing witness to Your Son. And the Forerunner, filled with the Spirit who had descended, cried out: You are the Christ, the wisdom and power of God.”
“Jesus, the Author of life, comes to loose the condemnation of the first-formed Adam; needing no purification as God, He cleanses the fallen one in the Jordan, where, having slain enmity, He grants peace that surpasses all understanding.”
“The Voice of the Word, the Lamp of the Light, the Dawn of the Sun — the Forerunner — cries out in the wilderness to all people: Repent and be cleansed beforehand; for behold, Christ stands ready, delivering the world from corruption.”
“The godly youths, having entered the fiery furnace, were kept unharmed by the dewy breeze, and by the descent of the Angel of God; therefore, being refreshed in the flames, they sang in thanksgiving: Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers.”
“The Babylonian furnace, pouring forth dew, revealed a wondrous mystery; but the Jordan was to receive in its streams the immaterial Fire and to embrace the Creator being baptized in the flesh, whom the people bless and exalt unto all ages.”
“Every tongue is at a loss to praise you worthily, and even the angelic mind is overwhelmed in trying to hymn you, O Theotokos; yet since you are good, accept our faith, for you know our fervent love. You are the intercessor of Christians; you we magnify.”
a) At the blessing of the waters
“The voice of the Lord cries upon the waters, saying: Come, receive all of you the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of the fear of God, the Spirit of Christ who has appeared.”
“Today the nature of the waters is sanctified, and the Jordan is divided, and it turns back the streams of its waters, seeing the Master being baptized.”
“As a man You have come to the river, O Christ the King, and You hasten to receive a servant’s baptism, O Good One, from the hand of the Forerunner, for the sake of our sins, O Lover of mankind.”
“At the voice of the one crying in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way of the Lord,’ You have come, O Lord, taking the form of a servant, asking for baptism, though You know no sin. The waters saw You and were afraid; the Forerunner trembled and cried out, saying: ‘How shall the lamp illumine the Light? How shall the servant lay his hand upon the Master? Sanctify me and the waters, O Savior, You who take away the sin of the world.’”
b) Troparion
“When You, O Lord, were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Trinity was revealed; for the voice of the Father bore witness to You, calling You His beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truth of His word. O Christ God, who have appeared and enlightened the world, glory to You!”
c) At the Litia
“He who clothes Himself with light as with a garment, for our sake deigned to become as we are, and today is clothed in the streams of the Jordan, not needing it for His own purification, but arranging rebirth for us in Himself. O wonder! Without fire He refines, without breaking He renews, and He saves those enlightened in Him, Christ God and Savior of our souls.”
d) At the Aposticha
“When John saw You coming to him at the Jordan River, he said: ‘Christ God, why have You come to a servant, O Lord who have no defilement? And in whose name shall I baptize You? Of the Father? But You bear Him within Yourself. Of the Son? But You Yourself are incarnate. Of the Holy Spirit? And You know how to give Him to the faithful by Your breath. O God who have appeared, have mercy on us.’”
e) Irmoi (selected)
“He uncovered the depths and led His people through on dry land, covering their adversaries therein the mighty Lord in battles, for He has been glorified.”
“The Lord who gives strength to our kings and exalts the horn of His anointed is born of a Virgin and comes to baptism. To Him, the faithful cry aloud: There is none holy as our God.”
“I heard, O Lord, Your voice, which You called the voice of one crying in the wilderness; for You thundered over many waters, bearing witness to Your Son. And the Forerunner, filled with the Spirit who had descended, cried out: You are the Christ, the wisdom and power of God.”
“Jesus, the Author of life, comes to loose the condemnation of the first-formed Adam; needing no purification as God, He cleanses the fallen one in the Jordan, where, having slain enmity, He grants peace that surpasses all understanding.”
“The Voice of the Word, the Lamp of the Light, the Dawn of the Sun — the Forerunner — cries out in the wilderness to all people: Repent and be cleansed beforehand; for behold, Christ stands ready, delivering the world from corruption.”
“The godly youths, having entered the fiery furnace, were kept unharmed by the dewy breeze, and by the descent of the Angel of God; therefore, being refreshed in the flames, they sang in thanksgiving: Blessed are You, O Lord God of our fathers.”
“The Babylonian furnace, pouring forth dew, revealed a wondrous mystery; but the Jordan was to receive in its streams the immaterial Fire and to embrace the Creator being baptized in the flesh, whom the people bless and exalt unto all ages.”
“Every tongue is at a loss to praise you worthily, and even the angelic mind is overwhelmed in trying to hymn you, O Theotokos; yet since you are good, accept our faith, for you know our fervent love. You are the intercessor of Christians; you we magnify.”
D. On the sacred River Jordan
There is no river in God’s world more sacred for a Christian than the River Jordan. In its holy streams our Lord Jesus Christ deigned to receive baptism from the Forerunner John. On the Jordan, after the Lord’s Baptism, the New Testament worship of the Holy Trinity was revealed to the world. On the Jordan the greatest mystery of Theophany was disclosed to God’s people: “When You were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was revealed.”
The Jordan Valley is the deepest valley on earth; there is none deeper. Being such a profound valley, this region has never known our Russian winter, our snows, or our bitter frosts. This deep valley is the natural bed of the sacred streams of the River Jordan. These waters have never been bound by ice nor seen the frozen covering of northern rivers. The temperature of the Jordan’s waters never falls below about 15 degrees. Yet the Jordan takes its origin from the melting of the ancient snows of the heights of the Lebanon Mountains.
Its sources arise as follows: during the wheat harvest in the Holy Land, the snows and ice of the neighboring Lebanese mountains begin to melt. Near the ancient borders of the tribe of Dan, a small stream arises — the first source of the Jordan (the name Dan is clearly reflected in the name Yor-Dan). A second, much larger stream arises near Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13). Along its course, receiving many mountain streams, it joins the first source and flows as a small mountain river into Lake Huleh (now Merom), about six miles long. From Merom the Jordan flows out as a foaming river, like the Caucasian rivers Rioni or Aragvi. After running swiftly for about fifteen miles, it enters the Sea of Galilee, on which Christ’s apostles once fished before being called to become fishers of men. The sudden storms of this sea knew the commanding divine voice of our Savior, who rebuked the winds and brought calm (Matt. 8:26).
From the Sea of Galilee, about twenty-five miles long, the Jordan flows out as a beautiful, full, swift river. It is then received by the broad and fertile Jordan Valley winding between the Moabite and Judean mountains — a wondrous garden of God. After passing through the entire length of the Holy Land, the Jordan finally disappears into the still waters of the Dead Sea. In the lifeless embrace of that sea, the ever-living, murmuring Jordan seems to fall silent. If a small Jordanian fish is carried by the river’s swift current into the asphalt depths of the Dead (Sodom) Sea, it immediately dies. Thus, the embrace of death often unexpectedly seizes those who rush too swiftly along the stream of worldly vanity.
The Jordan Valley stretches in a straight line no more than about sixty miles from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, but winding among the mountains, it extends to nearly two hundred miles. This was the route our Lord Jesus Christ took when traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem, avoiding hostile Samaria and going by way of Transjordan. Along this path He went to His voluntary sufferings on Golgotha. And for us, the path to the Cross and salvation is not always short.
The Jordan’s width varies. In some places the Judean and Moabite mountains narrow the river to only a few fathoms. There it roars and boils, and as the Prophet Jeremiah says, “the Jordan comes up like a lion” (Jer. 49:19). In wider stretches of the valley — fifteen to twenty miles — the river flows calmly, sometimes more than twenty fathoms wide.
There have never been bridges across the Jordan, nor are there any today. As the Patriarch Jacob crossed the Jordan with his staff (Gen. 32:10), so even now pilgrims cross it on foot at shallow fords. Though generally deep, the Jordan has about five natural fords along its course. It is believed these were called Bethabaras. Saint John the Theologian notes that the Baptism of the Lord took place “at Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing” (John 1:28).
As a mountain river, the Jordan flows swiftly, carrying away branches, silt, and sand, making its waters muddy. But when left to settle in a clean vessel, the water becomes clear as crystal and does not spoil when well sealed. How much Jordan water has been brought to Holy Russia by our pilgrims!
The Jordan Valley forms a majestic natural frame for the sacred river - a valley full of unceasing life, where creation offers continual praise to the Creator: mountains and hills, fruitful trees, wild beasts, and birds all glorify God, along with the ceaseless murmur of the river’s waters.
Many sacred events from both the Old and New Testaments took place on the Jordan: the crossing of Jacob, the miraculous passage of Israel under Joshua, David’s escape from Absalom, Naaman’s healing, and the journeys of the apostles with Christ. Above all stands the Baptism of the Lord and the Theophany of the Holy Trinity.
But if someone says, “How unfortunate I am not to have been at the Jordan,” such lament is unfounded. All of us Christians have been granted the great and holy Mystery of Baptism. The baptismal font, which washed away our ancestral sin, was for each of us a sacred Jordan.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
There is no river in God’s world more sacred for a Christian than the River Jordan. In its holy streams our Lord Jesus Christ deigned to receive baptism from the Forerunner John. On the Jordan, after the Lord’s Baptism, the New Testament worship of the Holy Trinity was revealed to the world. On the Jordan the greatest mystery of Theophany was disclosed to God’s people: “When You were baptized in the Jordan, O Lord, the worship of the Trinity was revealed.”
The Jordan Valley is the deepest valley on earth; there is none deeper. Being such a profound valley, this region has never known our Russian winter, our snows, or our bitter frosts. This deep valley is the natural bed of the sacred streams of the River Jordan. These waters have never been bound by ice nor seen the frozen covering of northern rivers. The temperature of the Jordan’s waters never falls below about 15 degrees. Yet the Jordan takes its origin from the melting of the ancient snows of the heights of the Lebanon Mountains.
Its sources arise as follows: during the wheat harvest in the Holy Land, the snows and ice of the neighboring Lebanese mountains begin to melt. Near the ancient borders of the tribe of Dan, a small stream arises — the first source of the Jordan (the name Dan is clearly reflected in the name Yor-Dan). A second, much larger stream arises near Caesarea Philippi (Matt. 16:13). Along its course, receiving many mountain streams, it joins the first source and flows as a small mountain river into Lake Huleh (now Merom), about six miles long. From Merom the Jordan flows out as a foaming river, like the Caucasian rivers Rioni or Aragvi. After running swiftly for about fifteen miles, it enters the Sea of Galilee, on which Christ’s apostles once fished before being called to become fishers of men. The sudden storms of this sea knew the commanding divine voice of our Savior, who rebuked the winds and brought calm (Matt. 8:26).
From the Sea of Galilee, about twenty-five miles long, the Jordan flows out as a beautiful, full, swift river. It is then received by the broad and fertile Jordan Valley winding between the Moabite and Judean mountains — a wondrous garden of God. After passing through the entire length of the Holy Land, the Jordan finally disappears into the still waters of the Dead Sea. In the lifeless embrace of that sea, the ever-living, murmuring Jordan seems to fall silent. If a small Jordanian fish is carried by the river’s swift current into the asphalt depths of the Dead (Sodom) Sea, it immediately dies. Thus, the embrace of death often unexpectedly seizes those who rush too swiftly along the stream of worldly vanity.
The Jordan Valley stretches in a straight line no more than about sixty miles from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea, but winding among the mountains, it extends to nearly two hundred miles. This was the route our Lord Jesus Christ took when traveling from Galilee to Jerusalem, avoiding hostile Samaria and going by way of Transjordan. Along this path He went to His voluntary sufferings on Golgotha. And for us, the path to the Cross and salvation is not always short.
The Jordan’s width varies. In some places the Judean and Moabite mountains narrow the river to only a few fathoms. There it roars and boils, and as the Prophet Jeremiah says, “the Jordan comes up like a lion” (Jer. 49:19). In wider stretches of the valley — fifteen to twenty miles — the river flows calmly, sometimes more than twenty fathoms wide.
There have never been bridges across the Jordan, nor are there any today. As the Patriarch Jacob crossed the Jordan with his staff (Gen. 32:10), so even now pilgrims cross it on foot at shallow fords. Though generally deep, the Jordan has about five natural fords along its course. It is believed these were called Bethabaras. Saint John the Theologian notes that the Baptism of the Lord took place “at Bethabara beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing” (John 1:28).
As a mountain river, the Jordan flows swiftly, carrying away branches, silt, and sand, making its waters muddy. But when left to settle in a clean vessel, the water becomes clear as crystal and does not spoil when well sealed. How much Jordan water has been brought to Holy Russia by our pilgrims!
The Jordan Valley forms a majestic natural frame for the sacred river - a valley full of unceasing life, where creation offers continual praise to the Creator: mountains and hills, fruitful trees, wild beasts, and birds all glorify God, along with the ceaseless murmur of the river’s waters.
Many sacred events from both the Old and New Testaments took place on the Jordan: the crossing of Jacob, the miraculous passage of Israel under Joshua, David’s escape from Absalom, Naaman’s healing, and the journeys of the apostles with Christ. Above all stands the Baptism of the Lord and the Theophany of the Holy Trinity.
But if someone says, “How unfortunate I am not to have been at the Jordan,” such lament is unfounded. All of us Christians have been granted the great and holy Mystery of Baptism. The baptismal font, which washed away our ancestral sin, was for each of us a sacred Jordan.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
