Page 2 - Revista Paisiana Nr 11 Ianuarie 2025

Feast of the Theophany of our

Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

he Feast of the Holy Theophany it was the beginning of our Lord’s public ministry. It
(Epiphany) of our Lord God and Savior was also a “theophany” in that the world was granted
Jesus Christ is celebrated each year on a revelation of the Holy Trinity. All three Persons were
January 6. made manifest together: the Father testified from on
Theophany is the Feast which reveals the high to the divine Sonship of Jesus; the Son received
Most Holy Trinity to the world through the Baptism His Father’s testimony; and the Spirit was seen in the
of the Lord (Mt.3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22). form of a dove, descending from the Father and res-
God the Father spoke from Heaven about the Son, the ting upon the Son. From ancient times this Feast was
Son was baptized by the Saint John the Forerunner, called the Day of Illumination and the Feast of Lights,
and the Holy Spirit descen- since God is Light and has
ded upon the Son in the appeared to illumine
form of a dove. “those who sat in dar-
John the Baptist, kness,” and “in the region
the cousin of Jesus and the of the shadow of death”
one chosen by God to pro- (Mt.4:16), and to save the
claim His coming, was prea- fallen race of mankind by
ching in the wilderness and grace.
was baptizing all who On the Feast of the
would respond to his mes- Baptism of Christ, the Holy
sage calling for repentance. Church proclaims our faith
As he was doing this, John in the most sublime mys-
was directing the people to- tery, incomprehensible to
ward the one who would human intellect, of one
baptize them with the Holy God in three Persons. It
Spirit (Matthew 3:11). teaches us to confess and
The Scriptures tell glorify the Holy Trinity,
us that Jesus came from Ga- one in Essence and Indivi-
lilee to John at the Jordan sible. It exposes and overt-
to be baptized by him. Ini- hrows the errors of
tially, John would not do ancient teachings which
this, saying that Jesus attempted to explain the
should baptize him. Jesus Creator of the world by
said to John, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in reason, and in human terms.
this way to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). The Church shows the necessity of Baptism for
John consented and baptized Jesus. believers in Christ, and it inspires us with a sense of
When Jesus came up from the water, the hea- deep gratitude for the illumination and purification of
vens opened suddenly, and the Holy Spirit descended our sinful nature. The Church teaches that our salva-
upon Him. The Bible records that the Spirit descended tion and cleansing from sin is possible only by the
like a dove and alighted on him. When this happened, power of the grace of the Holy Spirit, therefore it is
a voice came from heaven and said, “This is my Son, necessary to preserve worthily these gifts of the grace
the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” This was of holy Baptism, keeping clean this priceless garb, for
the voice of God the Father. “As many as have been baptized into Christ, have put
Christ’s baptism in the Jordan was “theop- on Christ” (Gal 3:27).
hany,” a manifestation of God to the world, because
2 sursa informațiilor și ilustrația articolului: PAISIANA nr. 1 / ianuarie / 2025
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