Reception at the Residence of Patriarch Eirinaios and Epiphany Report

On the eve of Epiphany Eve, the Deputy Head of the Russian Ecclesiastical Mission in Jerusalem, Heguman Andronik, Abbess Moisseia and Abbess Elizabeth along with 24 nuns from Gethsemane Convent made the traditional Christmas visit to the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Eirinaios. The clergy and monastics presented His Beatitude with gifts and a greeting from the First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, Metropolitan Laurus, and also gave him a cake baked in the Convent. The meeting was imbued with warmth and was held in an atmosphere of mutual love and respect. The Patriarch asked to relay to His Eminence Metropolitan Laurus his greetings and wishes for health and spiritual renewal in the new year. At the end of the meeting, Patriarch Eirinaios blessed everyone with an icon of the Nativity of Christ.

Epiphany Eve

The holiday of the Epiphany of the Lord is marked in the Holy Land very solemnly. Bethabara, the site where Our Lord Jesus Christ was baptized by John, has for many years been an Israeli military zone, restricted to visitors. For this reason, the formerly glorious monastery of St. John the Forerunner has fallen to disrepair. However, Orthodox faithful are allowed, once a year, on the eve of the Epiphany, to travel to the site. Everyone tries to go there: some on buses arranged for by the Jerusalem Patriarchate, while others walk on foot along the scenic Jordanian wilderness. Hundreds of faithful on the banks of the Jordan River await the Patriarch of Jerusalem, who is to officiate at vespers and will perform the great blessing of the waters. A white dove is brought from the Monastery of St. Gerasim, which they release to everyone’s great delight during the blessing of the waters. On the opposite shore, which is the territory of Jordan, a multitude of clergymen and Orthodox Arabs gather. The Israeli side is guarded by the military. The Jordan River flows quickly here, but the stream is shallow yet almost 4 km wide. To the east is Moab Mountain and to the west, the Judean wilderness. Nothing has changed. One can imagine how 2000 years ago, the blessed waters of the Jordan accepted Christ the Savior. (Photo below: the Monastery of St. John the Forerunner and the road leading to the Jordan River. Both sides of the road are lined with barbed wire and threatening signs: “Warning—Minefield.”)

Trip to the Jordan in Galilee

On the second day of the Epiphany, the nuns of the two convents, Mt. Of Olives and Gethsemane, led by Hegumen Andronik, made their annual trip to Galilee, a site accessible year round. The Jordan River, rising from the foot of the Hermon, flows into the Sea of Galilee, and moves due south to the Dead Sea. At first the weather was rainy. After the blessing of the waters, quite a few declined to immerse themselves into the Jordan because of the cold and rain. But nothing could keep seven catecumens from accepting their baptism. Standing barefoot in the rain, with children in their arms, they awaited their joyful moment. Fr. Hegumen Andronik baptized them in the waters of the Jordan. Fr. Andronik waded out waist-deep while baptizing the infants, and even immersed himself three times during the rite. The rain fell harder. Fr. Andronik, all wet, trembling from the cold, performed the Mystery of Chrismation. All the newly-baptized Christians were beaming. Remarkably, two-year-old Maria and her brother, four-year-old Leonty did not even cry, only trembled in the arms of their parents, Eugene and Xenia, who were also baptized. The whole family accepted Christianity, as well as John from Ireland, Theodora from Syria and Sofia from Ashkelon. Several of the nuns and parishioners of the convents became the godparents.

From the Jordan River, everyone went to Capernaum to visit the hospitable Fr. Irinarchos, and had lunch on the shores of the Galilee. The rain ended, quietude reigned. Light and joy filled the soul for the newly-baptized and for the opportunity to once again celebrate Epiphany on the holy site of the Gospel’s events.