The sacred texts of the New Testament tell about the most important events of the earthly life of Jesus Christ. The story of the Savior's baptism is found in three gospels, authored by the apostles Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
From the sacred texts of the New Testament it is known that the baptism of Jesus Christ took place in the Jordan River in Jerusalem. The Holy Prophet John the Baptist baptized over the Savior Himself.
John's baptism was a symbol of repentance and confession of the Jewish faith in one true God. Each person entering the waters of the Jordan at first confessed his sins, and only then came out of the water. Christ, having reached the age of thirty, also proceeded to John for baptism. However, the Savior himself did not need to confess his faith in God (Himself) and repent of sins, because the difference between Christ and other people is understandable in the sense of Jesus' absence of sins. It turns out that the baptism of Christ can be called formal. It was a kind of symbol that Christ does not reject the teachings of the Jews about God. Jesus does this, for the most part, for the rest of the people.
John the Baptist did not want to baptize Christ, because he understood that he himself needed to be baptized by the Savior. However, Jesus commanded John to perform this rite.
The Gospel tells us that Christ immediately came out of the water because there was no sin in it (there was nothing to confess). At the same time, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the form of a dove. and from heaven came the voice of God the Father, claiming that Jesus is His beloved Son, in whom is all the grace of the Father. Only after baptism did Christ go out to a public sermon.
The event of the baptism of Jesus Christ is expressed in the feast of Orthodoxy, also called the Epiphany. Celebrations in honor of this event take place in all Orthodox churches on January 19 (new style). There is a tradition to consecrate water in churches on the Epiphany Eve, as well as on the day of the holiday itself.
