(Some thoughts about water
)Perhaps there is no other natural element on which our industrial activity has more demaging impact than on water. We pollute the waters and we let the pollution flow freely to the oceans. Yet 90% of our human body is as it were "orgnaised" water.
A deeper understanding of the importance of water can help us perhaps to understand more about our own roots. To know our own origins can help us also to understand the natural wisdom with which we are losing contact today, and also to distinguish better between good and bad which we do in our present time.
The works of the pre-historic painters prove a deep connection between human culture and water. Almost all stories of creation of the world contain a so-called "aquatic" myth, according to which water came earlier than the land.
It is characteristic that Jericho - one of the oldest towns of the world - was established on a sacred spring. The most advanced ancient civilisations arose at the banks of the rivers. Water is in everything that lives. In some cosmologic systems the sun was even regarded as the fruit of water.
Never ending streams of waters gave the inspiration to the early Greek painters for decorating ceramics, and also to serious thinkers such as Thales, Herakleitos from Ephes or the the author of the biblical book of Ecclesiastes.
In this context water was always understood as an element which is very close to categories like arché, physis or sofia. But in its destroying power it was always understood as an element of the original chaos and tohu vabohu.
The language of water in all its forms is thus sometimes the language of the myth, poetry and mystery, and sometimes the language of the philosophy and religion.
The poor state of the waters on earth today are a reminder for us fragility of our own life. We have forgotten so much and we have not fulfilled what we should have done. In total, all this points strongly to the fact that a recovery of the importance of water, and of all living nature, has a direct connection with the renewal of our own inner being.
By means of this short reminder of the connection between the changing element of water and changes of the human thinking and culture in history, we therefore seek to add the dimension of wonder and mystery to the rather narrow and exact scientific definitions and approaches. Rather than to rely only on the logic of a scientific argument we would like to ask water to tell its own story. The learning which comes from this story can, perhaps surprisingly, prove to be no less practical than our modern understanding. It can give us insights which are perhaps both more wise and more spiritual.
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It i what people managed to do with the waters of the world. The warning given to King Achab in the 1st book of Kings by prophet Eli´íjah that there won’t be enough water in the time of injustice was on many places fulfilled in our era.
According to the ancient teachings the water does not take care just for the physical hygiene of the world, but its quality is deeply connected with the state of our souls and minds.
Waters deprived of life by the dirt of our world are striking witness of the crisis of our civilisation crisis. The poisioning of many of our rivers, lakes and even seas today remind us of the the apocalyptic star which fell to earth and poisoned the waters (Revelation 8:11), and of the waters which resembled the blood of a dead body, killing every living thing in them (Revelation 16:2).
The presence of at least partially unaffected water systems show that God has not yet completely abandoned his creation. But the warning for us is that, as in the time of Noah, only a few people admit the possibility of a coming disaster.
God hovewer has made a covenant with the humankind that the waters will never be released again for the destruction.
The rainbow is perhaps the most moving and beautiful spectacle which is caused by water. The rainbow appeared in the sky after the Flood as a sign of the living covenant between God and people. In the history it has been called the heavenly ring, the belt of the Virgin Mary, the sun band, and so on. From the colours of the rainbow God has painted all animals and plants. It was said that angels can climb down on it. Some ancient civilisations saw in a rainbow a mythical snake who drinks water from the rivers and lakes.
One of the most beautiful Church traditions which has preserved the original connection of the water with the human culture is the Feast of Blessing of the Water. This Day perhaps had its origins in the pre-Christian era, and was celebrated in the time of the summer solstice. Later it was replaced by the feast of St. John the Baptist and because of its deeper meaning, and it was transferred by the church to the Feast of the Epiphany (Theophany) - the Appearance of the Lord
In some countries where there would be ice on a river or a lake at this time of year, a hole is made in the ice on this day, in the shape of a cross. This hole is then decorated by the colour made from the boiling red beetroot and by green spruce branches. The water in the river or lake is then blessed by special prayers and ceremony which remind us of the important events which occured when Christ was baptised in the River Jordan. Believers then drink the water that has been blessed and take it home in various jars and vessels. In some other countries during the same ceremony a cross is thrown into the water by the priest and it is brought out of the waves by the believers. The feast is then followed by the special ceremony in which priests visit believer’s households and bless them with the water.
Perhaps nobody today can say where are the roots of the old saying that most dirty water is more clean than a man. Paintings from the Palaeolithic settlement in Petersfels or ritual basins in Knossos direct us to twilight of the human history.
One of the oldest traditions of the ritual bath is kept by the Judaism. The obligation to take a ritual bath before the worship already appears among the Jewish people after setting up the Ark of Covenant. There was a copper vessel for ritual washing of hands and feet in front of the tent where the Ark was housed. Much later, after the synagogues came into existence, this ritual bath developed into the ceremony of Micveh. Together with the worship, Micveh forms one of the important pillars of the contemporary Judaism.
The ritual bath takes place in a holy well called Micah. There must be a natural flow of water and minimum content of the tank should be 762 liters. Ritual bath are most often built in a place of the natural spring under the synagogue. If rain water is used the Micah bath can be placed elsewhere.
Believers come into the bath completely naked, as they were created, and immerse themselves into water completely three times, so that the cleaning water can reach to the most hidden parts of the body.
Christianity did not abolish the symbolism of water. On the contrary, in the ceremony of baptism the old ritual experience of humankind with water is transformed and finds its final meaning.
The flowing waters of the Jordan were the place where the first baptism took place. Perhaps this is because the Jordan, more than any other river, responds to inner symbolism of baptism, because the Hebrew word for Jordan - jarden - means river of death.
In the 4th century, St. John Chrysostomos spoke about baptism also in this context, "Baptism is like the death, by immersion into the waters the old man is buried and thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit, which until now flows above the waters, he gets back the image and likeness of God."
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More about the Feast of the Epiphany
in the Orthodox Church
The sixth of January is the feast of the Epiphany. Originally it was the one Christian feast of the "shining forth" of God to the world in the human form of Jesus of Nazareth. It is included in the celebration of Christ's birth, together with the adoration of the Wise men, all the childhood events of Christ, such as his circumcision and presentation to the temple, and also his baptism by John in the Jordan.
There seems to be little doubt that this feast, like Easter and Pentecost, was understood as the fulfilment of a previous Jewish festival, in this case the Feast of Lights. Epiphany means shining forth or manifestation. The feast is often called, as it is in the Orthodox service books, Theophany, which means the shining forth and manifestation of God. The emphasis in the celebration is on the appearance of Jesus as the human Messiah of Israel and the divine Son of God, one of the Holy Trinity with the Father and the Holy Spirit.
Thus, in the baptism by John in the Jordan, Jesus identifies himself with sinners as the "Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29), the "Beloved" of the Father whose messianic task it is to redeem men from their sins (Luke 3:21, Mark 1:35). He is revealed as a person of the Divine Trinity, testified to by the voice of the Father, and by the Spirit in the form of a dove. This is the central epiphany glorified in the main hymns of the feast:
"When Thou, O Lord, was baptised in the Jordan the worship of the Trinity was made manifest! For the voice of the Father bore witness to Thee, calling Thee his Beloved Son. And the Spirit, in the form of a dove, confirmed the truthfulness of his Word. O Christ our God, who hast revealed Thyself and hast enlightened the world, glory to Thee"
(Troparion).
"Today Thou hast appeared to the universe, end Thy Light, O Lord, has shone on us, who with understanding praise Thee: Thou hast come and revealed Thyself, O Light Unapproachable!"
(Kontakion).
The services of Epiphany are set up exactly as those of Christmas, although historically it was most certainly Christmas which was made to imitate Epiphany since it was established later. Once again the Royal Hours and the Liturgy of Saint Basil are celebrated together with Vespers on the eve of the feast; and the Vigil is made up of Great Compline and Matins. The prophecies of Epiphany repeat the God is with Us from Isaiah and stress the foretelling of the Messiah as well as the coming of his forerunner, John the Baptist:
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his path straight. Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God."
(Is 40:3-5; Lk 3:4-6).
Once more special psalms are sung to begin the Divine Liturgy of the feast, and the baptismal line of Galatians 3:27 replaces the song of the Thrice-Holy. The gospel readings of all the Epiphany services tell of the Lord's baptism by John in the Jordan River. The epistle reading of the Divine Liturgy tells of the consequences of the Lord's appearing which is the divine epiphany.
"For the grace of God has appeared for the salvation of all men, training us to renounce irreligion and worldly passions, and to live sober, upright and godly lives in this world, awaiting our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all iniquity and to purify for himself a people of his own who are zealous for good deeds."
(Titus 2:11-14).
The main feature of the feast of the Epiphany is the Great Blessing of Water. It is prescribed to follow both the Divine Liturgy of the eve of the feast and the Divine Liturgy of the day itself. Usually it is done just once in parish churches at the time when most people can be present. It begins with the singing of special hymns and the censing of the water which has been placed in the center of the church building. Surrounded by candles and flowers, this water stands for the beautiful world of God's original creation and ultimate glorification by Christ in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes this service of blessing is done out of doors at a place where the water is flowing naturally.
"The voice of the Lord cries over the waters, saying: Come all you, receive the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of the fear of God, even Christ who is made manifest. Today the nature of water is sanctified. Jordan is divided in two, and turns back the stream of its waters, beholding the Master being baptized. As a man Thou didst come to that river, O Christ our King, and dost hasten O Good One, to receive the baptism of a servant at the hands of the Forerunner (John), because of our sins, O Lover of Man"
(Hymns of the Great Blessing of Waters).
Following are three readings from the Prophecy of Isaiah concerning the messianic age:
"Let the thirsty wilderness be glad, let the desert rejoice, let it blossom as a rose, let it blossom abundantly, let everything rejoice ... "
(Is 35: 1-10)
"Go to that water, O you who thirst, and as many as have no money, let them eat and drink without price, both wine and fat ... "
(Is 55:1-13)
"With joy draw the water out of the wells of salvation. And in that day shall you say: Confess ye unto the Lord and call upon his Name; declare his glorious deeds... his Name is exalted ... Hymn the Name of the Lord ... Rejoice and exult ..."
(Is 12:3.6).
After the epistle (1 Cor 1:10-14) and the gospel reading (Mk 1:9-11) the special great litany is chanted invoking the grace of the Holy Spirit upon the water and upon those who will partake of it. It ends with the great prayer of the cosmic glorification of God in which Christ is called upon to sanctify the water, and all men and all creation, by the manifestation of his saving and sanctifying divine presence by the indwelling of the Holy and Good and Life-creating Spirit.
As the troparion of the feast is sung, the celebrant immerses the Cross in the water three times and then proceeds to sprinkle the water in the direction of the four points of the compass. He then blesses the people and their homes with the sanctified water which stands for the salvation of all men and all creation which Christ has effected by his "epiphany" in the flesh for the life of the world.
Sometimes people think that the blessing of water and the practice of drinking it and sprinkling it over everyone and everything is a "paganism" which has falsely entered the Christian Church. We know, however, that this ritual was practiced by the people of God in the Old Testament, and that in the Christian Church it has a very special and important significance.
It is the faith of Christians that since the Son of God has taken human flesh and has been immersed in the streams of the Jordan, all matter is sanctified and made pure in him, purged of its death-dealing qualities inherited from the devil and the wickedness of humanity. In the Lord's epiphany all creation becomes good again, indeed "very good" - the way that God himself made it and proclaimed it to be in the beginning when "the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters" (Gen 1:2) and when the "breath of life" was breathing in humankind and in everything that God made (Gen 1:30; 2:7).
The world and everything in it is indeed "very good" (Gen 1:31) and when it becomes polluted, corrupted and dead, God saves it once more by effecting the "new creation" in Christ, his divine Son and our Lord by the grace of the Holy Spirit (Gal 6:15). This is what is celebrated on Epiphany, particularly in the Great Blessing of Water. The consecration of the waters on this feast places the entire world - through its "prime element" of watering the perspective of the cosmic creation, sanctification, and glorification of the Kingdom of God in Christ arid the Spirit. It tells us that man and the world were indeed created and saved in order to be "filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph 3:19), the "fullness of him who fills all in all" (Eph 1:22). It tells us that Christ, in whom "the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily," is and shall be truly "all, and in all" (Col 2:9, 3:11). It tells us as well that the "new heavens and the new earth" which God has promised through his prophets and apostles (Is 66:2; 2 Peter 3:13, Rev 21:1) are truly "with us" already now in the, mystery of Christ and his Church. Thus, the sanctification and sprinkling of the Epiphany water is no pagan ritual. It is the expression of the most central fact of the Christian vision of man, his life and his world. It is the liturgical testimony that the vocation and destiny of creation is to be "filled with all the fullness of God" (Eph 3:19).
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