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On January 6th, the Orthodox believers of Berati celebrated the Feast of Theophany, also known as the Holy Epiphany of our Lord Jesus Christ. When Jesus Christ was 30 years old came to the Jordan River to John the Baptist to be baptized by him. With His baptism, Jesus Christ sanctified the waters and buried our sins in the River Jordan.
The Holy Services for this feast were celebrated in the beautiful City of Berat on January 5th and 6th.
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On January 5th in the Church of Saint Spyridon celebrated the Services of the Great Hours, the Great Vesper, the Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great, and the Service of Sanctification of the Waters.
On January 6th, the Divine Liturgy of Saint John Chrysostomos, and the Service of the Sanctification of the Waters were celebrated. The ceremony of the throwing of the cross into Osum River, from the Gorica Bridge was held after the Service.
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Metropolitan of Berati, Vlora, Kanina and all Myzeqe, His Grace Ignati, celebrated these Holy days together with hundred faithful. They shared with each other a token of water token, blessed with the Grace of the Holy Spirit. The water will stay in the homes of the believers for one year.
Many young people challenged the cold waters of Osum River to take place in the blessedness of the retrieving the Holy Cross.
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His Grace Ignati, himself, prepared an explicative text for the daily events for all of the believers. He emphasized the significance of Mystery of Baptism, giving examples from the Holy Scriptures about this major event; recalling the prophecies of David and Isaiah about the Holy Baptism. After a good explanation of the Mystery of Baptism, he emphasized the celebration of the Feast of Theophany: Today we celebrate the manifestation of our Trinitarian God and the entrance of the Divine Grace; by the grace of God we become inheritor, according our hope, of eternal life. Amen!
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Joan Qako
Translated by Sonila Dedja
Edited by Anastasia Pamela Barksdale
