DUSHANBE, January 19, 2016, Asia-Plus – Russian Orthodox Christians living in Tajikistan celebrated Epiphany on the night of January 18-19.
The main celebrations took place in St. Nicholas Cathedral Church in Dushanbe. A series of services that were held in the St. Nicholas Cathedral Church ended with a blessing of the water. Water blessed on this day is considered by millions to have holy powers of healing.
In Russia, hundreds of thousands of people plunged into freezing waters to mark the Orthodox Epiphany.
The Epiphany is an ancient Christian feast day and is significant in a number of ways. In the East (the Orthodox Church), where it originated, the Epiphany celebrates the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. It also celebrates Jesus” birth.
The Western Church began celebrating the Epiphany in the 4th century where it was, and still is, associated with the visit of the magi (wise men) to the infant Jesus when God revealed himself to the world through the incarnation of Jesus. According to Matthew 2:11 they offered him gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
For many Protestant church traditions, the season of Epiphany extends from 6 January until Ash Wednesday, which begins the season of Lent leading to Easter.
Other traditions, including the Roman Catholic tradition, observe Epiphany as a single day, with the Sundays following Epiphany counted as Ordinary Time.
