The Feast of Theophany in Fiji
With splendour, reverence, and deep spiritual joy, the great Feast of Holy Theophany was celebrated in Fiji, one of the most significant feasts of the Orthodox Church. The day commemorates the Baptism of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in the River Jordan by Saint John the Baptist and Forerunner, revealing to the world the mystery of the Holy Trinity.
The centre of the celebrations was the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity in Saweni, where the sacred services of Matins, the Divine Liturgy, and the Great Blessing of the Waters were conducted by Fr Timothy Triantafyllou. With reverence, spiritual reverence, and pastoral care, Fr Timothy guided the faithful toward a deeper understanding of the meaning of the feast, blessing the waters and conveying the grace of Theophany to all those present. A particular blessing was the large number of faithful who gathered from various regions to pray together and receive the sanctification of this great day.
After the conclusion of the sacred services, at midday, children from St Tabitha’s Orphanage, together with parishioners and pilgrims, travelled to Lomolomo Beach, approximately ten minutes south of the Cathedral. There, Fr Timothy conducted the Service of the Blessing of the Waters, bringing the celebrations to their culmination with the traditional immersion and throwing of the Holy Cross into the sea, in accordance with Church tradition.
The moment of the casting of the Cross was especially moving, as young men dove into the waters to retrieve it, expressing zeal, faith, and love for the Church. John was declared the winner, having retrieved the Holy Cross, and received the congratulations and blessings of all. As a blessing and keepsake, he was presented with a Cross, generously donated by a devout individual from Australia who wished to remain anonymous. The local church community expresses its sincere gratitude for this generous offering.
Following the conclusion of the festivities, refreshments were served to all those present, in an atmosphere of fellowship, hospitality, and joy, hallmarks of the Orthodox witness in the Pacific.
The celebration of Holy Theophany in Fiji stands as a living testimony to the presence and vitality of the Orthodox Church in the region, revealing that the light of Christ continues to illumine peoples and nations in every place.
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