In the Orthodox Church, there are twelve special days related to the great twelve feasts. These celebrations are the memory of the Church about historical events that have a special spiritual significance for a person. On January 19, the Orthodox Church celebrates the Baptism of Jesus Christ with special grandeur.
The historical event of the baptism of Jesus Christ in Jordan from the holy prophet John the Baptist is described in detail in three Gospels: in particular, in the gospel from Mark, Luke and Matthew. In addition, the Apostle John the Theologian in his Gospel also mentions this fact, but indirectly - in the form of the testimony of John the Baptist himself about the event that took place.
The Gospel of Luke tells that Christ was baptized in the Old Testament at the age of 30 in the Jordan River. This age is not accidental, because in ancient Israel the thirtieth anniversary marked the formation of a man, in addition, it was upon reaching these years that a person could begin to preach.
The baptism of Jesus Christ took place, according to the gospel story, in Bethara (about ten kilometers from the confluence of the Jordan River into the Dead Sea). Saint John, foreseeing in spirit all the greatness of the incarnate God, initially did not want to baptize the Savior, asking for baptism from the latter. However, Christ insisted on his baptism, because that is how it was necessary to fulfill "all righteousness" (Matthew 3:15).
It is worth noting that the Old Testament baptism was a testimony of faith in the true God, as well as a baptism of repentance, because people, entering the Jordan, confessed their sins. In these senses, Christ did not need to be baptized, because he was sinless, and there was no need to profess faith in God (himself as one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity). However, Christ does this for the people, so that the Jews do not see him as an apostate from their faith. The holy fathers see in the baptism of Christ and the sacred meaning. So, it is said that Christ washed the sins of all mankind in the Jordan River, and the Old Testament baptism itself, performed by Christ, was a prototype of the modern sacrament of baptism.
The Gospels tell that Christ immediately came out of the water (that is, he went out in silence, without confessing his sins). During the very baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father was also heard, saying that Christ is his beloved Son and has the favor of the Father. Many people witnessed these events, and from that the Baptism of the Lord is also called the Manifestation of God, because the whole Holy Trinity was revealed to the people.
The baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ was the first socially significant event accomplished by Christ. It was from that moment that the Savior began to preach to people about salvation and the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven.
