Christmastide

The Orthodox Church today celebrates the Epiphany - Jordan's Day, which is the third most important Christian holiday of the year.

It is one of the twelve feasts of the Lord and the Mother of God, known as the Baptism of the Lord, Epiphany or Jordan's Day, informs BTA.

The Orthodox Church celebrates, on Wednesday, the Baptism of the Lord or the Epiphany, and the liturgical events occasioned by this celebration will take place this year in compliance with the sanitary rules.

Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens, the head of the Greek Orthodox Church has decided to convene the Holy Synod Monday after the government forced churches to close for a week, starting Sunday.

The closure means that the Epiphany, which commemorates Jesus' baptism, will not be celebrated this January 6 and priests will not conduct the customary blessing of the waters.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou (front, center), Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (not pictured) and other officials of the country's political, religious and military leadership attended a special service for the New Year at Athens Metropolitan Cathedral, on Friday.

In North Macedonia, the Christmas celebrations began on January 5, the night before Christmas Eve, with bonfire nights organised across the country. This one took place in the capital, Skopje. Photo: EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI

On 6th of January every year, Bulgaria marks St. Jordan's Day (Epiphany). It falls on the twelfth day after Christmas and marks the day Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River by John the Baptist,reports BNT. 

A Greek Orthodox man identified as Nikos Solis kisses the wooden cross in the chilly Bosphorus, during Epiphany Day celebration in Istanbul, on Saturday. The cross was thrown into the water by Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomaios, the spiritual leader of the world's Greek Orthodox Christians.

On 6th of January every year, Bulgaria celebrates St. Jordan's Day (Epiphany). It falls on the twelfth day after Christmas and marks the day Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

The Orthodox Christian custom of blessing the waters on the day of Epiphany was celebrated throughout the country, despite the severe weather conditions. The menacing weather in Heraklion, Crete led to the cancellation of the Epiphany festivities, including the traditional throwing of the cross by the priest into the waters.

The days following Christmas have been a good opportunity for Orthodox priests accross Romania to encourage parishioners to back a campaign for a change to the constitution outlawing same-sex marriage.