Крещение Господа Иисуса Христа

Six months before the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Forerunner of the Lord John was born. The birth of John was marked by miracles. It was predicted by an Angel to his father the priest Zechariah, who was punished with dumbness for not believing the word of the Angel. Upon the birth of John, Zechariah’s lips opened, and he glorified the Lord with a song of thanksgiving, in which he prophesied about the Lord the Savior and about his son, as His forerunner and herald. Those who saw these miracles said with amazement about John: what will happen to this baby? John's mother Elizabeth was a close relative of the Blessed Virgin Mary. In his early youth, John lost his parents and fled into the desert. Here he spent his life like the strictest ascetic: he wore clothes made of coarse camel hair and was girded with a leather belt. His food was locusts (a type of locust) and wild honey. In complete solitude, through fasting and prayer, he prepared for his ministry, and for a long time the life of this great man was unknown to the World. But behold, the Holy Spirit called John out of solitude and commanded him to preach on the banks of the Jordan - the Jews had not had a prophet for more than four hundred years. One can imagine what an impression the sudden appearance of the greatest of the prophets must have made on the people. John announced to the people about the imminent coming of the Savior and demanded from them repentance and correction of life in order to meet the Lord worthily: “Repent, for the meeting of God has come near!” Many Jews from surrounding cities and Jerusalemites came to John. His thunderous preaching shook hearts: many sincerely repented of their sins and were baptized by him in the Jordan River. Together with others, the Lord Jesus Christ came to John to receive baptism from him. Although John was a relative of the Lord in the flesh, he still did not know Him. However, he immediately distinguished Him from other people and said to Him: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” “Do not hold Me back,” Jesus Christ answered him, “so it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” After this, John immersed Him in the waters of the Jordan. Others confessed their sins, and Jesus Christ, as sinless, immediately came out of the water and prayed. Suddenly the heavens opened: the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove, and God the Father testified about Him: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ. From a painting Mikhail Vasilievich Nesterov. Sketch of the painting of the Vladimir Cathedral in Kiev. You might be interested in: