During the first centuries of Christianity, the Feast of Theophany was celebrated together with a number of observances as recorded in the Gospels. They are: the Annunciation of the archangel Gabriel to the Holy Virgin Mary; the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, with the glorification of the heavenly hosts, the veneration by the shepherds and the coming of the Magi; the Circumcision; the Naming of our Lord; the Presentation to the Temple; the Flight into Egypt and Return; the Baptism at the River Jordan; the Temptation in the Wilderness and the Testimony (Witness) of St. John the Forerunner. This group of feasts was celebrated from the 6th to the 13th of January called the octave of Theophany [8 days]; the most prominent being the Birth and Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ, with special importance afforded to the Baptism. The church grouped the birth and baptism, together (called Theophany, "the revelation of God,") on January the 6th [as a fixed date] because they were the first revelations of His divinity, incarnation, and the beginning of His ministry as Lord and Savior of mankind.
Until about the second half of the second century, both in the East and the West, the Baptism of Christ was held in preeminence above all other celebrations, even to that of the Birth. It was also in that same period that in the West a need arose to separate the Feast of the Birth from Theophany by celebrating it on December 25. This was also designed to discourage Christians from partaking in a major pagan festival on that day. This custom eventually became accepted in the East as well, particularly in Jerusalem where it was very difficult to celebrate Christ’s Birth In Bethlehem and His Baptism at the River Jordan on the same day. Therefore, by the end of the fourth century, all churches were celebrating Christ's Birth on December 25, with the exception of the Armenian Church, which did not feel the need to deviate from the original practice.
The other observances connected with Theophany also did not retain their previous status. The Annunciation was changed to April 7th (in other churches near March 25). Feasts of the Holy Mother of God became special occasions of pious celebration and specific ritual; the Presentation to the Temple was changed to forty days after the Nativity -- February 14 (in other churches February 2). The Circumcision, Name Day of our Lord and the Temptation in the Wildemess were recalled during the octave of Theophany (to January 13); the Coming of the Magi, the Escape to and Return from Egypt are also recalled during that period.[i]
After the Divine Liturgy on January 6, The Blessing of the Water, takes place as a symbolic commemoration of the "Baptism of Christ". In the Armenian Church, the service is called CHURORHNEK. The Blessing of the Water celebration was originally performed in the Holy Land, at the river Jordan on Theophany, January 6. As the word spread of the beautiful ceremony in the Holy Land, churches outside of Jerusalem began to perform this ceremony by the riverside or at the seashore. Later, because of subsequent Islamic prohibitions under the Ottoman Turkish Empire, this and other public out-door rituals were henceforth accomplished within the confines of the churches.
A large silver basin containing water is placed on the table in the sanctuary in front of the Altar. The priest, signifying Christ’s entry into the river Jordan, immerses a cross in the water. A silver dove-shaped chrism or "Muron" container is brought up in procession as the choir sings the Hymn Looys ee Looso [Light of Light]. Next the water is blessed, and the dove is raised up by the celebrant who takes it to the basin of water and dispenses a few drops of the holy oil into the water through the mouth of the dove.
We know from biblical accounts that God revealed Himself as a Triune God-Father, Son and Holy Spirit, at the time of Jesus’ baptism by John. The voice of God the Father was heard saying: "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased", and the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove. Muron is kept in a dove-shaped container symbolic of the Holy Spirit who dispenses the graces that are given to those who are anointed and who receive it through the blessed water at Theophany.[ii]
The Gospel reading of Baptism from the Blessing of the Water is according to St. Matthew 3:1-17
[i] Christmas in the Armenian Church. Samoorian. G. “The Armenian Church”. Winter 1980. Also Dzisagan Pararan. Ormanian.
[ii] Saints and Sacraments. S. Kaloustian.
Excerpt from: Samoorian, V. Rev. Fr. Ghevont. DOMAR: A Compendium of Directorium and Calendar of the Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church according to the traditions of the Apostolic See of Jerusalem. Armenian Orthodox Theological Research Institute [AOTRI], 2006.
