Orthodox icon | Baptism of Jesus | Theophany | Bronze | 24629

Orthodox icon | Baptism of Jesus | Theophany | Bronze | 24629.

This is a bronze/brass/yellow metal icon adorned with multicolored enamel. It is part of a wing of a Tetraptych and depicts the “Baptism of Christ.”

The icon actively illustrates the moment when Jesus approaches John at the Jordan River for baptism, a pivotal event detailed in all four Gospels. This event carries immense significance in Christian art, festival hymns, and baptismal rites.

In this depiction, Jesus is in the Jordan’s waters while John administers the baptism. Angels holding handkerchiefs bear witness from the riverbank. You can often find images of sea creatures and the Jordan god either retreating from or paying homage to Christ in the river’s narrow rock valley.

Christians commemorate the “Baptism of Christ” on January 6th, one of the oldest Christian festivals. This celebration has roots in both pagan and Christian customs, such as the consecration of the Nile River during its regular floods on December 25th and January 25th, with origins extending back to the 2nd or 3rd century.

The festival on January 6th eventually became known as “Theophany,” which signifies the appearance of a deity. Even today, the focus of the celebration often involves the consecration of water in nearby rivers, a ceremony that attracts significant participation from the community.

Source: Orthodox icon | Baptism of Jesus | Theophany | Bronze | 24629 © Ikonen Mautner. Typing errors, other errors or changes reserved. For more information: “Das Synaxarion. Die Leben der Heiligen der Orthodoxen Kirche.” (http://www.prodromos-verlag.de/buecher.html) and Joachim Schäfer: Das Ökumenische Heiligenlexikon – https://www.heiligenlexikon.de