Theophany of our Lord, Troparion, Tone I —
When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan,/ the worship of the Trinity was made manifest;/ for, the voice of the Father bare witness unto Thee,/ calling Thee His beloved Son;/ and the Spirit in the form of a dove/ confirmed the certainty of His word./ O Christ our God, Who hast appeared and enlightened the worlds,// glory be to Thee!Troparion on the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord, Tone 1
Thursday, 19th January, 2023, on the Feast of the Theophany (Baptismal) of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the parishioners of the Metropolitan, Nativity of the Lord Cathedral in Chisinau, attended the Divine Liturgy and participated in the order of the Blessing of the Waters after the service.
Metropolitan Vladimir, assisted by Archpriest Vadim Cheibas, Cathedral Dean, and the clergy of the holy place, celebrated the Divine Liturgy. Archpriest Veniamin Onu, missionary priest in northern parishes of Italy, was a special guest who shared the liturgical prayers with the community.
Liturgical responses during the service were provided by the Cathedral Choir conducted by Angela Angheni.
Multitudes of church-goers arrived early in the morning, to participate in the Liturgy and the Blessing of the Waters traditionally officiated on the Theophany.
The Baptismal of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is called Theophany, because in the moment when Jesus Christ was baptized by Holy Prophet and Forerunner John, the Holy Spirit descended in form of a dove on the head of the Lord, and the voice of God-Father was heard from above, confirming that Jesus is the Son of God.
In antiquity, the feast of the baptismal of the Lord was celebrated together with the birth of Christ, and this event was known in the Church as the Feast of Epiphany, that is, showing of God to people. In approximately 3-4th c the two events were definitively separated, for the importance of both feasts, and each of them began to be celebrated separately, one as Nativity of Christ, and the other, as Baptismal, or Theophany. The period between the two Feasts is knows as Holy Days.
After the Divine Liturgy, Metropolitan Vladimir officiated the service of the Blessing of the Waters. The water blessed on this day, that is, Great Agiasma (Great Holiness) is consumed by Christians with great piety, after Communion or at moments when Communion is not possible, in sickness and hard times, as great spiritual remedy. It is also used to sprinkle homes and all things we use in our everyday life, as a symbol of God’s blessing and protective power.
Synodal Sector of Institutional Communication and Mass-Media Relations