His Beatitude Daniel, Patriarch of Romania, celebrated Friday, 6 January 2017, the service for the Great Sanctification of the Water at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Bucharest. Their Graces Qais Saddiq, Bishop of Erzurum (Patriarchate of Antioch), and Timotei of Prahova, Assistant Bishop to the Archdiocese of Bucharest, also attended.
Patriarch Daniel delivered a homily focusing on the great mystery of the Baptism of the Lord – the revelation of the Most Holy Trinity.
The Holy Spirit as a dove, the Patriarch said, recalls the dove that appeared at after the flood in Noah’s time, and through which God manifested His reconciliation and forgiveness towards humankind. The dove was a symbol of reconciliation and of purity, which means that Baptism cleanses us of spiritual and fleshly sins, and grants us a new life: the life in Christ.
The Patriarch went on to say that the Feast of the Theophany represents a source of joy, which recalls us about our own Baptism. It is the renewal of our own Baptism, not by repeating it, but rather by refreshing it when we taste the Holy Water and sprinkle our houses with it, the Patriarch added.
Referring to the Holy Water, His Beatitude said that it has three powers: the power to cleanse and sanctify souls and bodies, the power to heal spiritual illnesses, and the power to cast out unclean spirits.
His Beatitude concluded his homily by urging the faithful to pray that Christ our Lord grant everyone His grace through the Holy Water. He also said that we should ask for the joy of being a Christian, to bear Christ’s name and to live as God’s children by grace.
His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel offered to every faithful small icons of the Baptism of the Lord.
Prior to the Great Blessing of the Waters, His Grace Bishop Timotei of Prahova celebrated the Divine Liturgy.
