It is an Eastern Orthodox tradition that stretches back 1,500 years.
CANTON Today is Epiphany, the final observance of the Christmas season. It marks the wise men's visit to the Christ child, as recorded in Matthew's Gospel.
As part of Epiphany, the Very Rev. Michael Corbin, pastor of St. George Antiochian Church, and some hardy souls from the Eastern Orthodox Christian community will visit Stadium Park at noon today to "bless the water" of Nimishillen Creek.
It is an Eastern Orthodox tradition that stretches back 1,500 years.
"On the Feast of Theophany (Epiphany), Orthodox Christians celebrate the baptism of Christ in which he was revealed as the Son of God, and also cleansed and sanctified the waters and all creation," Corbin said. "In a sermon on Theophany, St. John Chrysostom says: 'On this day Christ was baptized; through his baptism he sanctified the element of water. There let us all draw of the water and store it in homes, because on this day the water is consecrated.'"
Water serves as an integral symbol in religious text. The Bible's book of Exodus details the Israelites' escape from slavery through a miraculous parting of the Red Sea; the same body of water which drowns their Egyptian captors. Exodus also records how Moses' temper while generating fresh water to the Israelites became his undoing.
Matthew and John's gospels make reference to water baptism just prior to Jesus' ministry.
Three symbols
"Water in Christianity represents three things: life, death and destruction, and thirdly, purification," said the Very Rev. Daniel Rogich, pastor of Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church. "There is no life without water; yet it is also the symbol of destruction and death, and finally, it is the symbol of purification, for there is no cleanliness without it."
"For Christians, as for all humans, water surrounds us in the womb, washes and cleanses us, sustains our lives, refreshes us when we are parched, causes our food to grow, and terrifies us with its power and destructive capacity," said the Rev. Darla Kratzer, pastor of historic First Lutheran and Bethel Lutheran churches. "The biblical writers speak of all these things but focus primarily on the life-giving and purifying qualities of water."
Krazter said that water, when combined with the word of God, is at the center of baptism: The ritual that initiates new believers into the Christian community.
Living water
"In baptism we are washed with water and born of the Holy Spirit," she said. "In baptism, we are adopted into Jesus' family — we become brothers and sisters of Jesus. Just as the ancient Israelites were brought through the waters of the Red Sea to safety and freedom, we are freed from the power of sin, death, and the devil as we are brought up out of the waters of baptism."
She noted that her congregations currently are using a series of prayers, "Sundays and Seasons" published by Augsburg Fortress, which focus on the idea of Jesus as "living" water;" a description he gave himself in the Gospel of John.
Corbin said Epiphany includes a Blessing of Water in the church after the Divine Liturgy that the faithful can drink from and take with them home.
"Following the Liturgy, there is traditionally a blessing of water outside at a natural body of water," he said. "Showing that Christ blesses and sanctifies the entire creation."
During this season, Orthodox priests also visit the homes of their parishioners and bless their homes with holy water, Corbin said.
Reach Charita at 330-580-8313 or charita.goshay@cantonrep.com
On Twitter: @cgoshayREP