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\nNow, enter Jesus Christ: he represents the second
\nAdam (1 Cor 15). In shame and nakedness, Adam hid. Yet Christ comes in His
\nmajesty, both as God and man, both in glory and nakedness completely unashamed,
\nrepresenting the beauty of the undefiled human made possible through Him (and
\nin the subsequent centuries, Christians were often baptized without any
\nclothing, shedding the garments of the \u201cold man\u201d to die in Christ and be
\nresurrected in Him). But why was Christ baptized if He had no sin?<\/span><\/p>\n\nWhile Christ was baptized in the Jordan River, it
\nwas really the Jordan and all of creation that was baptized in Christ. As
\nCanticle Four of Compline of Theophany states, At Thine appearing in the body, the earth was sanctified, the waters
\nblessed, the heaven enlightened, and mankind was set loose from the bitter
\ntyranny of the enemy.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\nWe see the beginning of a new creation in
\nTheophany. Things are being set right. Christ has come not only to cleanse and
\nrestore mankind, but to adopt us as heirs into His Kingdom. And when we receive
\nHis glory, not only are we redeemed, but we draw all of creation with us into
\nthe final restoration. That is why \u201ccreation groans\u201d in eager expectation,
\nawaiting the glorification of the children of God. (Rom 8)<\/span><\/p>\n\nA few
\nother notes about the Icon:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\n– At the top the Holy Spirit is descending upon
\nJesus as a dove, the Holy Spirit is depicted in a Mandorla. In this manner, The Father, using His own pre-eternal and
\nconsubstantial and subracelestial Spirit as His finger, crying out and point
\nfrom heaven, openly declared and proclaimed to all that the one then being
\nbaptized by John in the Jordan was His beloved Son, while at the same time
\nmanifesting His unity with Him.\u201d<\/i> (St. Gregory Palamas, Homily 60.15). St.
\nJohn Chrysostom also emphasizes that the Gospels state the Heavens were opened<\/i>, the Spirit descends upon us so that we can
\nascend with Christ and the Spirit to the Father in Heaven. For the first time
\nsince the fall of mankind, the Heavens were opened to us.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
– The angels on the right side are waiting to
\nattend and dress Him after the baptism is over.<\/span><\/div>\n\n– John the Baptist, while baptizing Jesus is
\nusually turned away or looking at the Spirit descending upon Christ. This
\nsignifies that Theophany is about elevating Jesus Christ. If this were an
\nOlympic race, it would be as if the Old Testament (John the Baptist and all
\nbefore him) were passing the baton to the New Testament (Jesus Christ and all
\nof the saints).<\/span><\/p>\n\n– There is an axe near John the Baptist, which
\nreflects his warning that our lives must bear the fruit of the Spirit or else
\nwe will be removed. We cannot get comfortable or spiritually lazy.<\/span><\/p>\n\n
– Jesus is not submerged in the water, for
\ncreation was baptized in Him, not vice versa.<\/span>
\n
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\n<\/p>\n\n
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\nLastly, the strange little creatures riding fish
\nat the bottom represent the Jordan River and the Sea, both fleeing at the sight
\nof something much bigger and greater than themselves entering the water. As the
\nPsalms say:<\/span><\/p>\n\nPsalm 73:14<\/span><\/i><\/b> \u2013Thou did establish the sea by Thy might,
\nThou did break the heads of the dragons in the water.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\nPsalm
\n76:15<\/span><\/b> \u2013 The waters saw Thee,
\nO God, the waters saw Thee and were afraid; the abysses were troubled.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\nPsalm 113:3<\/span><\/i><\/b> \u2013 The sea beheld and fled, [the River] Jordan
\nturned back.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n\nTheophany
\nMusic:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\nThere are several hymns sung during this season,
\nbut the forefeast Troparion hymn confirms some of the things I write about here:
\nO Adam, be glad with our first mother,
\nEve; hide not as you did of old in Paradise. Seeing you naked, He has appeared
\nnow to clothe you in the first robe again. Christ has appeared, for He truly
\nwills to renew all creation.<\/i> If you can get a copy of The Festal Menaion
\nproduced by Mother Mary and Met. Kallistos Ware (St. Tikhon\u2019s Seminary Press),
\nthen you will find nearly 100 pages of deep theology regarding this feast day.<\/span><\/p>\n\nTheophany
\nCelebrations:<\/span><\/b><\/p>\n\nDuring this time of the year, a beautiful ceremony
\nis carried out and holy water is prepared in each parish. Congregants are free
\nto take the holy water home with them. A portion is kept and used by the church
\nthroughout the year.<\/span><\/p>\n\nAlso, house blessings are completed during the
\nsubsequent weeks using the holy water prepared during the Feast of Theophany. It
\nis not unusual to give a small gift to the priest who has blessed the home
\n(many priests do not receive a salary and these types of events help carry them
\nfinancially through the year) and\/or you may cook a meal for him. Don\u2019t take
\noffense though if he has several house blessings lined up for that day and does
\nnot have time to sit down for a full meal.<\/span><\/p>\n\nSource: http:\/\/www.orthodoxroad.com\/theophany-icon-explained\/<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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