Sunday before The Holy Theophany of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

Scripture readings

• Epistle: The Reading is from Second Epistle of St Paul to Timothy, 4:5-8
  
  


• Gospel: The Reading is from Gospel of St Mark, 1:1-8
  

Saints and Feasts Commemorated today

• The Synaxis of The Holy Seventy Apostles
• St Theoctistos, Abbot of Cucomo in Sicily
• St.Eustathius the 1^st Archbishop of Serbia

The Living

• Patriarch Pavle of Serbia
• Priest George Bousader of Auckand
• June
• Kathleen
• Luba
• Olga
• the Archpriest Ilyan

The Departed we Commemorated today

• Dimitar
• Keriake
• Jelica
• Laura
• Wadier

Old calander Christmas

New Wednesday is Christmas according to the old Calendar. Divine Liturgy will be celebrated from 10am followed by a pot luck lunch to celebrate this feast.

The feast of the Epiphany

This feast will be celebrated next Tuesday according to the new calendar.
From the Archdiocese site

Theophany - 6th January
Theophany is celebrated on January the 6th.

The name is derived from the Greek theophania, translating as "appearance of God" and on this day we recall the Baptism of Our Lord, Jesus Christ in the river Jordan by John the Baptist and the appearance of the Holy Spirit descending upon him in the form of a dove.

Luke 3: 21-22

21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.


The Great blessing of the water is performed on the day before this feast or after Divine Liturgy on the day of the feast.

Often the Parish will go to a nearby lake or river to perform this ceremony.

The faithful will take bring containers to take some of the holy water home with them.

This Feast reminds us not only of of Our Lord Jesus Christ's Baptism but by our own baptism we are Baptised into Christ.

Troparion

When You, O Lord were baptized in the Jordan
The worship of the Trinity was made manifest
For the voice of the Father bore witness to You And called You His beloved Son.
And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, Confirmed the truthfulness of His word.
O Christ, our God, You have revealed Yourself And have enlightened the world, glory to You!

Kontakion

Today You have shown forth to the world, O Lord, and the light of Your countenance has been marked on us.
Knowing You, we sing Your praises.
You have come and revealed Yourself, O unapproachable Light.