On Tuesday, 5/18 January 2022, the Patriarchate celebrated the Forefeast of Theophany.
This is feast was celebrated as the commemoration of the baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ by Saint John the Baptist, when “the worship of the Trinity was revealed”, namely the voice of the Father at the Lord’s baptism and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.
For this Despotic feast, the Royal Hours of Theophany were read before the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great and the Service of the Sanctification of the water at the Patriarchal Monastic Church of Saints Constantine and Helen presiding by His Beatitude the Patriarch of Jerusalem Theophilos.
After the service, the Patriarchal Entourage went to the Reception Hall where the ministering Priest sanctified the Hall and His Beatitude waited to receive the Episcopal Entourage of His Eminence Archbishop Theodosios of Sebastia, who had held the same service at Saint James Cathedral.
After this, His Beatitude departed for the River Jordan, through the Monastery of Prophet Elisha in Jericho and the Prefecture of Jericho and arrived at the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist. There, His Beatitude was warmly received by the Hegoumen Archimandrite Bartholomew, the Authorities, the Scouts, the Consul General of Greece in Jerusalem Mr Evangelos Vlioras and the faithful.
At the Monastery of Saint John the Baptist the 9th Hour of Theophany was read, to be followed by the procession down to the river Jordan. Vespers and the Service of the Sanctification of the waters were observed on the platform by the river and the service concluded with the diving of the Cross in the river under the chanting of the “When Thou wast baptised in the Jordan”. The same service was simultaneously held at the East Bank on the opposite side of the river.
The Patriarchal Entourage and many others were offered a reception with fasting food by the Hegoumen Archimandrite Bartholomew.
