"Come, O Faithful, Let Us See Where Christ Was Baptized, and Let Us Go to the Jordan River": The Academy Solemnly Greeted the Feast of Theophany

Today, Christ's disciples direct their spiritual gaze towards the Jordan, to once again become witnesses of the most radiant event: the Lord appears in the world and, like the sun, shines upon all people with rays of Divine grace. Today God turns back the waters of the Jordan, as if changing the flow of time, and restores the water element to its primordial state. Imparting power and grace to the water, He transforms the nature of the world and adorns it anew.

The fountain of living water, the Lord Jesus, opens to people the depths of His mercy and the abyss of His love for mankind, receiving into His embrace all who come to Him with a sincere heart. God calls His Church to become a participant in the event commemorated today and to immerse itself in His embrace.

Being the true Source of every good, the Lord calls to each one: "Come to Me and partake of divine life. I give you My Body and Blood. Allow Me to dwell in you, that you may also dwell in Me".

On the morning of January 19, on the day of the Lord's Baptism, the academic community partook of the Mystery of the Eucharist at the Divine Liturgy of St. Basil the Great. The service was celebrated by Metropolitan Eugenius of Tallinn and All Estonia, concelebrated by the clergy of the Intercession Academic Church. 

Before Communion, a sermon was delivered by Hieromonk Kirill (Sorokin). 

After the Prayer Behind the Ambo, as on the eve of Theophany, the clergy performed the rite of the Great Blessing of Waters. Then the clergy sprinkled holy water on all the people who had come to the festive service.

After the Liturgy, Metropolitan Eugenius congratulated the worshippers on the feast. 

On the eve of holy Theophany, January 18, the Rector of the Moscow Theological Academy, Bishop Kirill of Sergiyev Posad and Dmitrov, together with the academy clergy, celebrated the All-Night Vigil, which consisted of Great Compline and Polyeleos Matins.

At the conclusion of Compline, Archimandrite Platon (Igumnov) led the festive litany and offered prayer to the Lord for the blessing of the bread. 

Background information: 

Mixed choirs sang under the direction of K.A. Alekseeva and A.A. Boyarchuk.

MThA Press Office