Feasts
Theophany. The Baptism of the Lord
The Baptism of Christ in the Jordan and the Great Blessing of Water.
The event
John the Baptist baptizes Jesus in the Jordan; the voice of the Father is heard and the Spirit appears as a dove (Matthew 3:13–17). Hence the name Theophany — the manifestation of the Holy Trinity.
The blessing of water
On the eve and on the feast itself the Great Blessing of Water (agiasma) is celebrated. The faithful keep Theophany water through the year and drink it with reverence. Bathing in an ice-hole is a folk custom, not a church requirement.