Eastern churches see Epiphany differently

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Northwest Edition

Posted on Saturday, January 3, 2004

Email this story | Printer-friendly version

SPRINGDALE — While the Western church celebrates Epiphany as the revelation of Christ, Eastern churches have a different interpretation of the day.

The Rev. John Atchison, priest at St. Nicholas Antiochian Orthodox Christian Church in Springdale, says in the East and in Orthodox churches the day is a celebration of the baptism of Christ. "The baptism is extremely significant in that the Holy Spirit was manifest. We make a big thing out of that — Jesus’ manifestation to the world,"Atchison says.

The divine liturgy for the Feast of the Epiphany includes the blessing of water — water that is used for either drinking or sprinkling in the home as a blessing. "Sometimes we keep the water all year. Some drink it every day as a ritual to think about God,"Atchison says, noting that the importance of water stems from Jesus’ baptism, which sanctified water and made it holy. "He made something very common very special,"he says. "It’s the same for humans. Some are very common, and He makes us very special."

The Feast of Epiphany is one of 12 major feast days within the Eastern Church, and Atchison says all Orthodox churches commemorate the day. "John the Baptist, being the most significant prophet of the whole era, was baptizing people for righteousness, and Jesus went to be baptized to set an example and humble himself. Before that He was a humble carpenter,"Atchison says, adding that after Jesus’ baptism, his ministry began. "He was revealed at that point,"Atchison says. "He was fulfilling righteousness when He didn’t even need to, to set an example. I think it helps us to see that we all need to have a personal experience or epiphany with God of some sort, and if we ask for one, we will receive it."The divine liturgy will begin at 6 p.m. Monday. The church is at 105 S. Blair St. in Springdale. Water will be blessed, and everyone will receive some. Atchison says he is instructed by the archdiocese to visit the homes of all his parishioners during the month of January and to bless their homes with water from the service.

— Christie Storm

FEEDBACK:

Something to say about this topic? Submit a Letter to the Editor online