Thousands of Orthodox Christians braved rain on the banks of the Jordan River yesterday (January 18, 2010) to plunge into plastic tubs filled with its water to celebrate Jesus's baptism, the AFP website reports today.
Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, led a ceremony attended by the faithful from several eastern denominations on the river marking the heavily guarded West Bank-Jordan border.
The event marks the Feast of the Epiphany, when Jesus began His public ministry by receiving baptism in the Jordan River from John the Baptist.
Western Christians celebrate Epiphany on January 6 -- 12 days after their Christmas. Orthodox Christians, who continue to use the old Julian calendar, mark the date on January 18.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment