A week after New Year’s Day, as many are wrapping up their holiday seasons, dozens of worshippers gathered at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Portland for another sacred celebration.
It’s called Theophany, or the Feast of the Epiphany, and it’s one of the most important feast days for the Orthodox Christian Church, and commemorates the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River.
Rev. Father Christos Kalaitzis blesses holy water using a cross and rosemary branch at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Portland on Jan. 6, 2023. It was to celebrate Theophany an important holiday in the Orthodox church.
Joni Land / OPB
Rev. Father Paul Paris said the holiday helps adherents reflect on their own baptisms, a sacred moment in their religious lives. Some in the church consider Theophany more important than even Christmas, he said.
“Epiphany is a continuation of this joyful time of light,” Paris said.
The celebration is especially known for the sprinkling of holy water over the congregation. During the celebration Jan. 6, the priests used soaked rosemary branches to fling the water across the church, sprinkling everyone in attendance.
Paris said Theophany is an important holiday in Orthodox countries around the world — in Greece, it’s a national work holiday. A common celebration is for a priest to throw a cross into a large river for believers to retrieve. Whomever grabs the cross first receives a blessing.
Believers also take home bottles of holy water to use in their homes, which are meant to last the rest of the year.
Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Portland, Oregon, just as Theophany is about to start on Jan. 6, 2023. It's an important holiday in the church.
Joni Land / OPB
To hear this year’s Theophany service in Portland and reflections from parishioners, use the audio player above.