Divine Liturgy and Blessing of Jordan Water

About the service

On Sunday, 7 January 2024, Darwin's Ukrainian community gathered in Wanguri for a Divine Liturgy and the traditional blessing of water associated with the Feast of Theophany.

Celebrated in the Ukrainian liturgical tradition, the service gave families an opportunity to pray together in their own language and maintain a deeply meaningful part of the church calendar far from Ukraine.

The blessing of Jordan water

Theophany commemorates the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the River Jordan. During the Great Blessing of Water, prayers are offered for the sanctification of the water and for all who receive it in faith. Many Ukrainian families take blessed water home and keep it throughout the year.

For members of the community in Darwin, the service sustained not only their spiritual life but also their connection to the Ukrainian language, inherited traditions, and one another.

The gathering included

• Divine Liturgy in the Ukrainian tradition
• The Great Blessing of Water
• Community prayer and fellowship