Epiphany Home Blessings
Dear Parishioners:
On January 5th, we will celebrate the Eve of the Feast day of Epiphany with a Vesperal Divine Liturgy followed by the Blessing of the Waters. The Baptism of Christ in the River Jordan on January 6th by St. John The Baptist presents us with a great mystery of God: “He who is the Master off all is baptized by a servant, and He gives mankind cleansing through water.” As part of our Orthodox Christian Tradition, we have our homes blessed following these services.
What is a House Blessing?
In celebration of Theophany, Orthodox Christians invite Christ not only into their hearts, but also their homes, and we call upon Him to bring the blessings of the Jordan into our daily lives. We do this by having the priest bless our homes with the Holy water from the service of Theophany, offering prayers for our health, our family and the Lord’s abundant blessings in the coming year.
What do I need to do?
Consult the list below to find out when Father Costas will be visiting your area. Before the priest arrives at your home for the blessing, prepare on a table a deep bowl of water, a candle, a censor, and a list of names of all the Christians in your household. Please note, when father arrives at your home, turn off the TV set and radio, and have everyone stand in reverence for the brief service. Everyone is welcome to participate in this service by singing the responses with Father Costas.
In order to better serve those who wish to have their homes blessed, we ask that you communicate with our parish office by doing one of the following by Sunday, December 27th:
1) Call the office at (440) 237-8998
2) Fill out the form on our parish website at www.stpaulgoc.org
3) Complete and return the form available in The Messenger to the parish office.