Epiphany Archives - Page 3 of 3

Second Day of Christmas Advent, Preparing for Birth: The Fast of the Nativity

11/16/2015

By Father Andrew Barakos The fast of the Nativity (November, 15th through December 24th) is first mentioned historically in the 7th Century. The only universal fasting rules (canons) of the Church that exist refer to Great Lent (40 days before Pascha or Easter); which is the most severe fast of the year. The fast of the Nativity on the other hand, varied in duration and degree of severity throughout the Church. The Nativity fast is

Synaxis of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

01/07/2015

In the Orthodox Church it is customary, on the day following the Great Feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, to remember those saints who participated directly in the sacred event. So, on the day following the Theophany of the Lord, the Church honors the one who participated directly in the Baptism of Christ, placing his own hand upon the head of the Savior. St John, the holy Forerunner and Baptist of the

Sanctify the Waters

01/06/2015

By Father John Breck On January 6, Christians of Western tradition (Roman Catholics and Protestants) commemorate the Epiphany or manifestation of the newborn Christ to the Magi. To Orthodox Christians, this day celebrates the Theophany or revelation of the Holy Trinity, not at Christ’s birth, but at his baptism in the Jordan River. It marks a significant interruption in the sequence of Scripture passages read at this time of year, by inserting the baptismal scene

The Synaxis of Saint John the Baptist: The Greatest Born of Woman

01/07/2014

The second day of the feast of the Epiphany is called the Synaxis of Saint John, the prophet, forerunner and Baptist of the Lord. It is a day of liturgical celebration in honor of the one who prepared the way for the Messiah and baptized Him in the Jordan river. According to Jesus himself, there is no one greater than John the Baptist. “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women, there has

The Lord’s Epiphany in the Jordan

01/06/2014

Like the liturgical celebration of the Lord’s Nativity, the festival of His Epiphany in the Jordan at the time of His baptism is inaugurated with a prefeast celebration of five days. And also like the services of the Nativity, many hymns of the Epiphany prefeast are patterned after those of the springtime Pascha of the Lord’s death and resurrection. Once again just a few words in many of the songs are changed from those sung

The Seventh Day of Christmas: The Sun of Righteousness

12/31/2013

One of the titles of the Messiah in the prophetic writings of the Bible is the Sun of Righteousness. It is found in the prophet Malachi. For behold, the day comes, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble; the day that comes shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts, so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear My name,

Thirty-Fifth Day of Christmas Advent: God Is With Us! (Part I)

12/19/2013

The vigil services of Christmas and Epiphany begin with the chanting of great compline, at the heart of which is the solemn singing of the canticle from the prophet Isaiah. God is with us! Understand all nations, And submit yourselves, For God is with us! Hear this, even to the farthest bounds of the earth. Submit yourselves, O mighty ones; If you rise up again in your might, You will be again overthrown. The

First Day of Christmas Advent: The Winter Pascha

11/15/2013

The Christmas-Epiphany season in the Orthodox Church begins with a forty-day fasting period….When winter begins to make its way into the northern hemisphere, the Church of Christ begins to celebrate the feast of Christ’s Nativity…called [Winter] Pascha. This emphasizes its close connection with the mystery of our salvation and deliverance from sin and death; the mystery which the holy Church proclaims in her dogmatic teachings and with which she brings us into direct spiritual contact

Christmas Advent: The Thirty-Sixth Day

12/20/2012

CHRISTMAS DAY IS THE FEAST OF THE INCARNATION, the celebration of God with us. That which we have longed for has entered our human experience. In Christmas services, we hear the pronouncement of the angel: “I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.” Families and churches often represent the Incarnation

Archive

Second Day of Christmas Advent, Preparing for Birth: The Fast of the Nativity

Synaxis of the Holy Glorious Prophet, Forerunner and Baptist John

Sanctify the Waters

The Synaxis of Saint John the Baptist: The Greatest Born of Woman

The Lord’s Epiphany in the Jordan

The Seventh Day of Christmas: The Sun of Righteousness

Thirty-Fifth Day of Christmas Advent: God Is With Us! (Part I)

First Day of Christmas Advent: The Winter Pascha

Christmas Advent: The Thirty-Sixth Day

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