Israel, Jordan, Dispute Site of the Lord's Baptism

Jordan and Israel are disputing which country occupies the site of the baptism of the Christ in the Jordan River, with each claiming to have the true site. Israel recently renovated its site, which is technically in the West Bank and therefore part of Palestine, and opened it to regular visits by pilgrims, but the authenticity of Jordan's site has been affirmed by both the recent Amman meeting of representatives of the Alexandrian, Antiochian, Jerusalemite, and Cypriot Orthodox Churches and by the Roman Catholic Church. More here.

Bishop Benjamin Visits Nondalton, AK; Opposes US Mine Opening

On Theophany this year Bishop Benjamin (Peterson) of San Francisco of the American Orthodox Church celebrated the festal services in Nondalton, Alaska, to highlight the plight of the Athabaskan Orthodox village and its neighboring villages, which have been targeted by US companies to be turned into the world's largest open pit copper and gold mine. The Diocese of Sitka and Alaska is strongly behind the villages' efforts to halt the development of the mine, which has already been approved by the US-backed government of Alaska. More here.

Theophany Celebrations in Eritrea

T'imqet (Theophany) celebrations in the Eritrean capital were led yesterday by the government-appointed Patriarch Abune Diosqoros of Asmera and other hierarchs of the government-approved Holy Synod of the Eritrean Orthodox Tewahdo Church. Despite the recent repression of religious activity in Eritrea thousands of Eritrean Orthodox faithful turned out for the holiday, which is one of the largest (if not the largest) in the Ethiopian Rite. More here.

A Homily on Theophany

A Theophany homily by St. Philaret (Vosnesenky) the Confessor of New York can be found here.

Theophany in Yelokhovo

Patriarch Cyril of Moscow, Metropolitan Jonah of Washington, and Bishop Melchisedek of Pittsburgh following the festal services at Holy Theophany Cathedral in Yelokhovo, Russia. More pictures from the celebrations can be found here.

T'imqet (Theophany) in Addis Abeba

The tabots (arks) present at today's patriarchal Theophany celebrations at Jan Meda in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia.

The crowds at Jan Meda today.

Patriarch Abune P'awlos of Addis Abeba blessing the faithful at Jan Meda with holy water.

"The Mystery of Theophany"

Fr. Stephen Freeman's recent article on the significance of Theophany in our lives as Orthodox Christians can be found here.

"On Holy Water"

Some words from St. John (Maximovich) of San Francisco on Theophany and holy water can be found here.

Theophany Celebrations in Russia

Some pictures from today's Theophany celebrations in Russia can be found here and here.

Pope Shenouda Cancels Public Papal Theophany Services

Pope Shenouda III (al-Suriani) canceled the public services that had been planned for Theophany due to security concerns for the large crowds expected on the holiday. More here.

Theophany

Joyous feast!!! Christ is baptized!!! More on this great feast can be found here.

Saakashvili Visits Armenian Church

In an effort to shore up the support of Georgia's remaining ethnic minorities for his government President Mikheil Saakashvili has attended an Armenian Orthodox Theophany service and expressed his congratulations to the substantial Armenian minority in southeast Georgia and to Armenians throughout the world. More here.

Pictured is President Saakashvili in the Holy Echmiadzin Armenian Orthodox church in Avlabari, a district of Tbilisi.

Pope Theodore Meets with Governor of Alexandria

In a meeting with Pope Theodore II (Horeftakis) of Alexandria after the festal services for new style Theophany the governor of Alexandria guaranteed the security of the city's Orthodox Greeks, Copts, and Arabs and noted the generally excellent relations between Islam and Orthodoxy in the city. More here.

Pictured is Pope Theodoros with the Orthodox who dove after the blessing cross this year in Alexandria following the blessing of the waters.

Theophany Celebrations in Echmiadzin

Some beautiful pictures from the new style celebration of the Lord's Nativity and Theophany yesterday at the seat of the Armenian Orthodox Church in Holy Echmiadzin can be found here. (The Armenian Rite is the only rite in the Orthodox Church to have preserved the older custom of celebrating the Lord's Nativity and Theophany together on the same day.)

Pictured is Catholicos-Patriarch Karekin II (Nersessian) of Echmiadzin blessing the waters after yesterday's festal Divine Liturgy.

Blessing of the Waters of the Mississippi

On new style Theophany many of the Orthodox clergy of St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States will gather together at the site of the city's famous Gateway Arch to celebrate the great blessing of the waters at the Mississippi River. More here.