Cross Procession and Great Blessing of water held in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra on Holy Theophany

On 19 January – the Holy Theophany and Baptism of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ – His Beatitude Metropolitan of Kiev and all Ukraine conducted a Divine Liturgy in Trapezny church of the Venerable Anthony and Theodosius of the Holy Dormition Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, reported by the UOC Information and Education Department.

After reading the Gospel His Beatitude addresses numerous believers with his sermon.

During the Liturgy there was offered a special prayer for peace in Ukraine.

Upon the end of the Divine Liturgy a cross procession took place to the wells of Venerable Anthony and Theodosius, where the hierarchs conducted the rite of the Great Blessing of water.

In the aftermath of the worship in the Lavra His Beatitude conducted a rite of the blessing of River Dnieper waters on Obolon district of Kiev near the Holy Intercession Cathedral.

The Baptism of our Lord by Saint John the Precursor is described by evangelist Matthew with the following words: “As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.” Thus, God Who is one by nature and three in persons, appeared before the world, due to which the holiday is called Theophany (Holy Manifestation of the Divinity of our Lord).