The Orthodox Celebration of the Feast of Epiphany-Vodici
Koper, Slovenia (January 19, 2024) — Orthodox believes celebrate today “Vodici (the Baptism of Jesus Christ) represents the day when St. John the Baptist baptizes Jesus Christ in Jordan.
The celebration of this Feast of our Lord begins on January 19 a day known as the Forefeast of Theophany. Depending on the day of the week, this could be an evening service with Vespers followed by the Liturgy of Saint Basil or a morning service with Matins and the Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom. Prior to the evening or morning service the Royal Hours with the Typika are said.
On January 20 the day of the Feast, the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostom is conducted preceded by Matins and followed by the second Blessing of the Waters.
The Blessing of the Waters is conducted in the church; however in many places throughout the world services are conducted near open bodies of water. As a sign of blessing as Christ blessed the Jordan, holy water is poured into the body of water. An associated tradition has been the tossing of a cross into the water to be retrieved by divers.
The holy water from the church is given to the faithful to consume and to use in blessing their homes. In the weeks following the Feast, clergy visit the homes of parishioners and conduct a service of blessing using the holy water that was blessed on the Feast of Theophany.
The celebrations have two segments and last two days the first one on 19th January is named “Mashki Vodici” (Male Vodici), and the second on 20th January is named “Zhenski Vodici” (Female Vodici). Historically, in Skopje there was a custom that on these days the sons-in-law and their first-born sons, as well as the daughters-in-law and their first born daughters, respectively, were bathed in the river Vardar and sprayed with holy water by a priest.
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.
