On January 6, the Orthodox Church celebrates one of the greatest Christian feasts called Epiphany, Yordanovden, or the Baptism of Lord. This is the day on which St. John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.
Epiphany is also called the Feast of Enlightenment because the baptism of Jesus Christ revealed to the world the mystery of the Most Holy Trinity.
Until the 4th century, the Feast of Epiphany was celebrated together with the Nativity of Christ. Later, the Church adopted the practice of celebrating the two events separately – Christmas on December 25, and the Baptism of Christ on January 6.On this day, all bodies of water are blessed in memory of Christ's Baptism in the River Jordan.Traditionally, on Epiphany, the battle flags of the Bulgarian Army are also consecrated to receive God's blessing and support.
The Great Water Blessing, also known as the Jordan Blessing because of Christ's baptism in the River Jordan, takes place only twice a year – on January 5 and 6. The service is solemn and the water blessing takes place after the Divine Liturgy. On both days, priests bless the homes of the faithful with Epiphany water.
You can learn more details about the Feast of Epiphany in Radio Bulgaria’s articles:
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