Baptism of Lord – Danaho, Epiphany, Theophany – Jan 6 I Jesus, the Voice, and the Dove, from Heaven

“And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:and, lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3: 16-17; – Mk. 1: 9-11, Lk. 3: 21-22, and Jn. 1: 32-34).

The Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) hovered over the water, at the beginning of the Creation of the World. During the Baptism of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descends to anoint the Son of God. The feast of Baptism of Jesus is commonly known as Epiphany by the Western Christians and properly named Theophany (God revealed) by the Eastern Christians. Both words mean to reveal the divinity of Jesus Christ. The feast of Danaho (Denaha) on 6^th January is an auspicious feast, having unique and important place in the liturgical cycle of the Orthodox Churches. In the early days of Christianity, nativity of Christ, visit of magi and Lord’s baptism was celebrated together on 6th January. Later, 25th December was declared as the date for the celebration of Christmas, separating the Nativity from the Feast of Light, by twelve days.

Epiphany’ comes from two Greek words, epi and phainen, and can variously mean, ‘to shine upon’, ‘to reveal’ or ‘manifest’ or a breaking through from above. In our Church tradition, this day is called as ‘Denaha’, the ‘Syriac equivalent of Epiphany meaning the dawn or to shine. We commemorate the Baptism of Jesus Christ in River Jordan, by St. John the Baptist. Jesus Christ came down from heaven, during His Incarnation and so did the Voice of God the Father and the Holy Spirit in the form of a Dove came from heaven.

‘Theophany’ which means ‘manifestation of God’. Baptism of Jesus. Epiphany. The word means a manifestation or Theophany of God. The word “Theophany” derives from the Greek word Theos (God) and “Phainesthai” (to show forth, appear, manifest). Hence Theophany is an appearance or manifestation of God. This mystery of Theophany, we have seen prototypes of Christ in the Old Testament prefigure His coming in the flesh, theophanies are recognized by the Church as being actual appearances of the pre-incarnate Son and Word of God and directly prefigures Christ’s Incarnation. St. John of Damascus wrote, “No one saw the divine Nature, but rather the image and figure of what was yet to come. For the invisible Son and Word of God was to become truly Man”.

Three Theophanies of Christ often cited in the Old Testament. The visit of the ‘three men or three messengers’ to Patriarch Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18: 1-16: ‘Then LORD appeared to him at the oak of Mamre’ (vs.  1) and when he looked up, he saw three men, Abraham addresses them in the singular, ‘LORD’ and he responds in the singular too (Vs 9-15). Then the Lord said to Abraham (Vs. 20). The LORD remained with Abraham (Vs. 22)

In Genesis Ch. 32, Christ is the ‘One’ who wrestles with Jacob, after which Jacob says. “I saw God face to face” (Verse 30). Jacob says, ‘For I have seen God face to face, as Abraham ate with God”. In the Book of Daniel, a heathen king Nebuchadnezzar bears witness to another theophany of Christ. When of Babylon peers into the fiery furnace, upon seeing a “fourth man” he exclaims, “the vision of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3: 25). One other example of Epiphany are the burning bush (Exodus 3: 1-6) and the Transfiguration of Christ (St. Matt 17: 1-13). Twelve days after Christmas (Yeldo), the Church celebrates the Feast of Epiphany (Danaha) to honour the manifestation of the Holy Trinity at the Baptism of Jesus Christ. (Mark 1: 9-11).

God revealed Himself partially to the world for ages through His prophets and high priests and He completely revealed through Jesus Christ, His Son. God was not identified or revealed as Trinity, in the Old Testament, however it was at the time of baptism of Jesus in River Jordan, the Trinity was revealed to the world explicitly. This is the importance of Epiphany. “In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son” (Heb. 1: 1). “Son is the complete manifestation of God the father, the radiance of His glory and exact representation of His being (Heb. 1: 3).

The most characteristic feature and distinctive aspect of the Orthodox day of Epiphany is the sanctifying of waters by invoking the Holy Spirit that appeared in the form of a dove over Christ at the time of His Baptism. The prayers of Orthodox Churches on the Epiphany Day are reinforcement of the sacred relation between man and nature. Our Lord established and instituted the Sacrament of Holy Baptism as a door to enter the Kingdom of God on earth and the baptized believers receive the grace of righteousness, holiness and adoption of sonship. At the beginning of the baptismal rite the believers profess their faith by confessing in the Holy Trinity, the One God, and the divine revelation that was announced to us from the beginning that God is One. That revelation itself announced to us that this One essence is three equal persons in essence.

Baptism symbolizes the death of Christ, His burial and His resurrection.  Apostle Paul says, “Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6: 4). We are all made one in the spiritual family when we all were born of one mother that is baptism and He granted us to be living members in His holy sacramental body, the Church.