Penza, 18 January 2013. PenzaNews. Metropolitan of Penza and Nizhnelomovsk Benjamin held a rite of the great blessing of water after the Divine Liturgy in honor of Epiphany in Dormition Cathedral in Penza on Friday, January 18. “Today we celebrate Christening of our Lord Jesus Christ. I want to congratulate all of you from the bottom of my heart. This day is also called Theophany of the Blessed Trinity to men. We worship the Heavenly Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I wish that the water that you take today enhanced your health, and granted the power, saved and healed your souls and bodies,” Metropolitan appealed to the parishioners.

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Divine Liturgy and the rite of blessing of water are to take place again on Saturday, January 19.

According to the clergymen of Dormition Cathedral of Penza, holy water will have the same properties on Epiphany Eve and Epiphany.

One of the greatest festivals of Russian Orthodox Church — Epiphany — is celebrated on January 19 and marks Jesus Christ coming to the path of service to people. It closes 12 Christmas days.

Epiphany is also called Theophany, because during christening in the waters of Jordan God came in the Holy Trinity: God the Father spoke from heaven about the Son, the Son of God was christened by John and was witnessed by God the Father, the Holy Spirit descended upon the Son in the form of a dove.