JAN 5: VESPERS & DIVINE LITURGY WITH GREAT BLESSING OF WATER – 6:30 PM (LIVE-STREAMED); JAN 6: DIVINE LITURGY – 6:00 PM.
FATHER VASYL’S MESSAGE FOR THEOPHANY – JANUARY 2023: Message for Theophany January 2023
PROPERS ROYAL HOURS: TheophanyRoyalHours
PROPERS VDL: 01-06_Theophany_Vesper_Liturgy
PROPERS DL: 01-06_Theophany_DL
GREAT BLESSING OF WATER: Great_Blessing_of_Water
Streaming via Facebook Live. https://www.facebook.com/saintscyrilandmethodius/
Parishes live-streaming in the Diocese can be found here: https://www.eparchyofpassaic.com/livestream
THE BYZANTINE RITE CELEBRATION of THE FEAST OF THE EPIPHANY OF OUR LORD with the Traditional BLESSING OF THE WATER and the BLESSING OF HOMES (from the Byzantine Catholic Archeparchy of Pittsburgy): https://archpitt.org/the-byzantine-rite-celebration-of-the-feast-of-the-epiphany-of-our-lord-with-the-traditional-blessing-of-the-water-and-the-blessing-of-homes/#:~:text=Theologically%20speaking%2C%20the%20blessing%20of,and%20those%20living%20in%20it.
On January 5th & 6th we celebrate the Feast of Theophany which commemorates Christ’s baptism in the River Jordan, and the beginning of Christ’s earthly ministry. At the baptism of Jesus, the Holy Trinity appeared clearly to mankind for the first time. At the Baptism of Christ, all three Persons of the Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—were made manifest. Thus, the name of the Feast is Epiphany, meaning manifestation, or Theophany, meaning manifestation of God.
The Gospel Reading on the Vigil of Theophany is Luke 3: 1-18, in which John the Baptist Prepares the Way. “The word of God came to John… and John went proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” There are 2 parts to John’s message from God: The first part is to “repent.” The second part is forgiveness of sins and the salvation of God. As John baptized the people, they wondered if he was the Messiah. John answered them by saying, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17 “
The Gospel Reading on Theophany is Matthew 3:13-17, The Baptism of Jesus. “13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
From January 5 through January 14, the Church celebrates post-festive days of the Theophany. January 14 is the leave-taking, or last post-festive day, of the Theophany; the Divine Liturgy for this day repeats most of the hymns of the feast.
