Academy celebrated the Epiphany of our Lord the Christ (+VIDEO)

Banks of the river Jordan are crowded. Some people came here to listen to prophet John, others are trying to temp him by peculiar questions or just wander round. 

John the Baptist summons folk to confess their sins and change their lives. He tells about coming Messiah, a long-awaited King, Who has to change the world. And there is arriving the One, Whose hands embrace all the universe. 

The Saviour comes to the prophet and asks to be baptized by him. St. John understands that “He is the One Who was before him” (Jh. 1:15) and asks quite a logical question “«I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?»Кто был прежде него» (Ин. 1:15), и задает логичный вопрос: «Как я могу крестить Того, от Кого мне самому следует принять крещение?»

But Jesus answered and said: «Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.» (Mt. 3:15). Then John allows Him to come to Jordan waters and He came up immediately.нужно исполнить всякую правду» (Мф. 3:15). Иоанн погружает своего Бога и Спасителя в воды Иордана. Христос выходит из воды, и пророк Божий видит, как разверзаются небеса:

When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, «This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.» (Mt. 3:16, 17) 

Christ was sinless so it was no need for Him to confess or change His life. However, He was baptized by the prophet to show that He was not only the true God but also a true Man.

Epiphany is an important Christian holiday as the world met the Holy Trinity. Also we can call this holiday a religious Enlightenment as soon after being baptized Christ went preaching and spread the gospel of salvation and His Holy Kingdom.

In the ancient church on Epiphany’s Eve all the announced were baptized and then went to a cathedral to get the Holy Communion. After that they were considered to became true members of Church as we know about that from the Apostolic regulations.  

The Moscow Theological Academy celebrated the Epiphany in an academic church after the Intercession of the Theotokos. An evening service was performed be the bishop of Zvenigorod Pitirim.

On the festive day the academy rector bishop Pitirim together with clerical academic teachers and students served the Divine Liturgy and the Consecration of water. 

At the end of the service the rector of the Moscow Theological Academy greeted the assembly.

Background information:

The evening service in an academic church was held by the bishop of Zvenigorod Pitirim, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, together with archimandrites Venedict (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Ilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), hegumen Dionisiy (Schlenov), hieromonk Varnava (Losev), hegumen Meletiy (Sokolov), archpriest Sergey Zabelich, priests Valeriy Duhanin, Alexander Kuznetsov, hieromonk Dometian (Kurlanov), deacons Dimitriy Maslov, Stephan Martenyuk, hierodeacons Boris (Zelyuchenko), Pavel(Polevoy), deacon Eugeney Smolyaninov. 

The divine service in an academic church was held by the bishop of Zvenigorod Pitirim, Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, together with archimandrites Venedict (Knyazev), Platon (Igumnov), Ilarion (Forkavets), Luka (Golovkov), hegumens Adrian (Pashin), hieromonk Varnava (Losev), hegumen Meletiy (Sokolov), priest Dimitriy Baritskiy, hieromonk Philofey (Artyushin), priests Valeriy Duhanin, Alexander Kuznetsov, hieromonk Dometian (Kurlanov), deacons Dimitriy Maslov, Stephan Martenyuk, hierodeacons Boris (Zelyuchenko), Pavel(Polevoy), deacon Eugeney Smolyaninov.

The first and second women choirs under the conduct of Ksenii Tarelkina and Ksenii Alekseeva sang at the service.

MThA Press Office

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