Icon of the Baptism of the Lord. The most famous icons of the baptism of the Lord
Read also
Before us icon XV century " Epiphany", belonging to an icon painter from the circle of Andrei Rublev. The icon is very laconic, corresponds to the Gospel story about Baptism, showing not only Baptism itself, but also the theological meaning of the holiday: on this day God appeared One in Three Persons:
God the Son - Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit - in the form of a dove and God the Father as a voice from Heaven. “In the Jordan I am baptized to You, O Lord, the Trinity adoration appears...”,
- this is how it is sung in the troparion of the holiday. Jesus Christ first appeared as one of the Trinity. That is why the holiday is correctly called not Epiphany, but Epiphany.
The peculiarity of the icon and its bewitching beauty is in the smoothness and special tenderness with which both the water and the mountains envelop the Savior; and how John the Baptist deeply bows before the Savior; and with what trepidation the Angels are waiting for Him on the shore, having prepared swaddling clothes as receivers, and how tenderly he lays down the colors, etc. O The icon painter is white, making the image of the Baptism of Jesus transparent and gentle. The warmth emanating from the icon is transmitted to those praying.
The icon has an emphatically vertical dimension. It is created due to the river directed upward, and the mountains, the tops of which are inclined to the right, repeating the bow of John.
The vertical is strengthened by a double diagonal movement from bottom to top. One diagonal - from the lower left corner to the upper right - ends with a river going into the mountains.
The other - from the lower right corner to the upper left - runs from the lower ledge of the mountain on which the Angel's foot stands, through the figure of John the Baptist. These diagonals intersect in the center - on the figure of Jesus Christ, making him the focus and heart of the image.
The vertical is strongly emphasized by the beam, in the center of which is a dove. Triple Beam blue color comes from the semicircle at the top of the icon, which symbolizes Heaven. He focuses on Jesus. It is God the Holy Spirit who descends on the Son God and at the same moment the voice of God the Father is heard:
“This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
The image of Jesus Christ is central. His figure, although fragile and elongated vertically, is full of strength: all its members - chest, shoulders, arms, legs - are round and soft. The loins are girded, although in other versions Jesus is depicted naked. Softness is created by the smooth bends of the river, rhythmically repeating the pattern of the figure of the Savior, washing it and lovingly carrying it over the waters. The figure seems to float in the air without touching the water.
The rocky shores part at the very bottom of the figure - at the feet - and narrow at its widest part, as if supporting it along with the Angels, giving the figure stability. Then they expand again at shoulder level, narrowing at the halo and rushing upward, closing above His head, completely hiding the figure as if in a gorge.
Gentle curves, repeating and enveloping the figure of the Savior in a musical rhythm, as if performing a love dance, carefully accompanying every curve of the body of Jesus Christ. The gorge in which the figure of the Lord lies symbolizes hell, the grave and death at the same time.
These are not random images. In the Sacrament of Baptism, when immersed in water, the old man dies, and upon emerging from it, a new man is born, renouncing Satan and all his works and taking an oath to serve from now on and forever and ever, no longer to the devil, but to God.
The icon painter, placing Jesus during Baptism in a cave, as in a coffin, shows precisely this meaning and image of the Sacrament of Baptism. The gorge is also an image of hell, into which Jesus descends in order to bring Adam and all the Old Testament righteous out of it.
The head and face of Jesus repeat the image of the Lord on Rublev’s icon “The Savior”: the same powerful neck, calm, soft gaze, thick hair, as if forming a halo. Warm light brown colors the Savior's body emphasizes the tenderness of the image.
On the left we see the low-bowed figure of John the Baptist. The ledges of rocks place him high above the Savior and he is forced to bow low before Him in a gesture of blessing.
This bending emphasizes that the slave, unworthy even to untie the belt at the Master’s feet, baptizes His Master, before Whom he bows low as unworthy.
The figure of John is generally very strange: too long right hand baptizing Jesus, and too small, as if shortened, the left one, the back is also very long.
If John had straightened up, then all the absurdity of the figure would have been immediately visible. His legs are drawn strangely: they seem to be crossed. The right leg is written out the way the left leg should be written out and vice versa.
This absurdity of the figure of John against the background of the slender and graceful figure of the Savior emphasizes the slavery of one and the Divine dignity of the other. Behind John you can see a tree that gives him stability, because... he is leaning over Jesus so much that he seems about to fall. The peaks of the mountains echo John’s worship: they also lean in the same direction and with the same inclination.
On the opposite bank there is a beautiful festive and flowery group of angels, although the Gospel says nothing about them. Their number varies on different icons. There are four of them on this icon and this distinctive feature This excerpt is filled with deep theological and philosophical meanings. All the angels are wearing blue tunics.
In front are two Angels in a low bow, on their hands are lush clothes, like towels, into which the Baptized Person will be received. They are recipients, ready to receive Him as soon as He comes out of the water. These two Angels especially feel the solemnity of the moment. The third Angel, who is barely visible behind the backs of the first two, is also with veiled clothing, but in a pose not as solemn as the first two. 
But the fourth Angel especially stands out. His hands are covered, but he raised them to the sky in a prayerful pose and looks at the blue beam pointing to the Savior, at the dove descending in this beam - the Holy Spirit, and as if he listens to the voice of God the Father emanating from the Heavenly cloud.
The entire Epiphany and the theological meaning of the holiday lies in the image of this Angel. While all the others - John the Baptist and three angels - are directly occupied with the action of the Sacrament of Baptism, the fourth, the only one of them, contemplates the Epiphany - the Trinitarian Trinity.
This Angel is written out in the Divine blue tones, emphasizing his peculiarity, his greater connection with nature and the water of the Jordan than with human figures.
The angels, although there are four of them, do not distort the balance of the icon, because the figure of John the Baptist balances the right and left sides of the river. And their hands meet above the Lord’s head, enveloping Him in their arms.
The worship of human figures and the upward movement of nature follow the movement of the Lord’s hands: the Savior’s right hand is bent at the elbow, as if pointing man to his place before God, the slightly bent left hand corresponds to the movement of the Jordan and the mountains.
The icon is filled not only with the gospel account of events, but also with elements of Old Testament images familiar from the psalms, and even images of antiquity.
So, in the river we see a gray-haired old man at the very bottom. This is an image of the Jordan River. And below on the right is another man swimming on two dolphins. This is an image of the sea. And together, both are visible images of the psalm:
“See the sea and run, Jordan come back…”,
pointing to the prophetic image of the passage through the Red Sea, and the prototype of Baptism in the New Testament. The figures themselves are an ancient heritage, because... Among the Jews, the image of a person was prohibited. This is also the personification of the two streams Jor and Dan, from which, upon merging, the Jordan River was formed.
In general, the impression that the icon leaves could be called a love song. And this makes it stand out from all the other versions depicting the Baptism of the Lord.
Gaikova Alevtina Aleksandrovna
Now this icon is invariably present in every church and occupies a central position in the altar composition. After all, the plot of the icon of the Baptism of the Lord represents one of the most significant events of the Savior’s earthly journey: John the Baptist baptizes Christ in the waters of the Jordan River. Moreover, on this significant day, Christ not only received baptism, but also all the components of the Holy Trinity manifested themselves, that is, Christ himself, the Most High Lord and the Holy Spirit.
Just like many other icon paintings, this one may have some differences depending on the time of creation of the icon and other factors. The content has changed over the centuries, but, one way or another, there have always been two main figures:
- John the Baptist;
- The Holy Trinity.
This is exactly how one should understand the icon of the Baptism of the Lord, because the vision of only John the Baptist and Christ is a little limited. In fact, in the image the Almighty Lord appears before us in symbolic form as the Holy Trinity:
- Christ is an earthly hypostasis;
- dove is a symbol of the Holy Spirit;
- The Lord is in invisible form.
Thus the Trinity is formed. The Lord himself is not depicted, since none of the people can see him. At the same time, those who understand the content of the icon understand and know that the third hypostasis of the Trinity is also present there in an invisible form.
In the composition, as a rule, Christ is located in the center, standing in the waters of the Jordan River, which he previously consecrated so that other people could wash away their sins. On one side stands John the Baptist, sometimes with a cross in one hand, and with the other hand he points to Christ. On the other side there are angels or apostles, the angels here serve St. John, just as deacons serve the priests in the church.
In the upper part, an oval symbolically depicts the firmament from which a dove (the Holy Spirit) descends. On both sides there are high mountains near the Jordan, which carry symbolic meaning and often look like a ladder - they represent spiritual ascent.
The sacred meaning of the icon for the Baptism of the Lord
In a historical sense, the icon of the Epiphany states the fact of Christ’s participation in the rite of baptism. As you know, John the Baptist spent some time in the Mocheron desert, where he baptized the Jews. The people of Israel trusted the prophet and went to be baptized in order to get rid of their sins.
The Savior himself came to the waters of the Jordan and asked John for baptism, but he rejected the request, saying: “I myself need to be baptized by you.” Christ objected and called on John to fulfill the prophecy.
Thus, at a deep level, the icon speaks of Christ’s humility before the destined. The Lord himself strengthened him with the famous words: “You are my beloved son...”. John also humbles himself, touching the Lord with his right hand and washing him with water, performing the ritual.
One of the surviving Christian relics is the very hand of John the Baptist with which he touched the Lord. The Right Hand of Saint John remains incorrupt to this day.
The icon of the Baptism of the Lord captures the fulfillment of what was ordained by the Lord, that is, his will, that is, the truth. Accordingly, the observer turns out to be not only involved in the holy sacrament, but also in the highest truth.
Also interesting is the symbolism of the two banks of the Jordan:
- where John stands is called “that” shore;
- where the angels are - “this” shore.
Christ, in turn, becomes a kind of connecting link between them. However, the icon of the Epiphany of the Lord also makes the sacrament of baptism itself such a link.
Where the angels stand is Israel - the holy land. Accordingly, crossing the Jordan symbolically means crossing to the Holy Land.
Undoubtedly, we're talking about not about geographical magnitudes, but about the spiritual path that Christ opens for everyone.
As you can see, the sacred meaning of the Baptism of the Lord icon is deep and multifaceted, here every detail is in deep unity with the rest, ultimately creating a complete composition that tells the story of Christian faith. That is why this plot is included in various services. Prayer in front of this image helps to strengthen one’s faith and advance on the spiritual path.
Prayer to the icon of the Baptism of the Lord
Troparion, tone 1
In the Jordan I am baptized to You, O Lord, Trinitarian adoration appeared: for the voice of your parents testified to You, naming Your beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, announced your words of affirmation. Appear, O Christ God, and enlighten the world, glory to Thee.
Kontakion, tone 4
Thou hast appeared this day to the whole universe, and Thy light, O Lord, has appeared upon us, in the minds of those who sing Thee; You came and you appeared, the unapproachable Light.
Greatness
We magnify You, Life-Giving Christ, for our sake now baptized in the flesh by John in the waters of the Jordan.
Prokeimenon
See the sea and run, Jordan return back.
There are many icons in Orthodoxy that are dedicated to various events, holidays. One of them is “Epiphany”. This image is dedicated to the feast of the Epiphany.
This is one of the greatest images, since it is dedicated to perhaps the most important holiday after Easter - Epiphany. Such an icon simply must be in your home if you want there to always be harmony and happiness in your family.
History of the Epiphany Icon
This icon is also called the "Baptism of the Lord" as it is an alternative name for the holiday. IN in this case, according to many clergy, the icon was painted in honor of the event, and not the holiday established almost immediately after the biblical events. This is one of the most ancient holidays, which is why this icon was created almost immediately after the crucifixion of Christ.
And yet, quite a few remain adherents of the theory that the icon is associated with the holiday, because Epiphany is a holiday that in those days included the Nativity of Christ, Epiphany and the Adoration of the Magi. Epiphany is associated with the confirmation of the divine essence of Christ, with his formation as God, but through human custom.
Description of the icon “Epiphany”
The icon always depicts Jesus Christ in full height and John the Baptist, also called the Baptist. It was he who baptized Christ, although at first he refused, saying that he was unworthy of such an honor. Jesus convinced him, saying that the prophecy must be fulfilled in any case. In the icon, the holy prophet John reaches out to the Son of God, trying to sprinkle his forehead with the holy water of the Jordan. This action is watched by Father God, from whom emanates the Holy Spirit, depicted as a dove. Three rays of light emanate from the dove, symbolizing the Holy Trinity. Often John the Baptist stands surrounded by angels, but there is a variant of the icon where only the Forerunner and Christ are depicted.
Where is the icon
This icon is in a huge number of churches, so there is no point in listing them all. This image is very important for Christians, so you need to try to find a church that does not have this icon. The main places where you can venerate the “Epiphany” icon: the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker in Kronstadt, St. Nicholas Cathedral there, the Church of St. George the Victorious in Moscow, the Church of the Epiphany in Kolomna.
What does an icon help with?
It is not the icon itself that helps so much as the prayers in front of it, because it depicts a great event from the life of Christ. This is the moment when two principles united in Christ: the human and the divine.
The icon helps to heal illnesses, atone for sins, and seek inspiration for one’s faith. This is the greatest image from which special energy emanates.
Prayer before the icon “Epiphany”
If you pray in front of this icon, then on Epiphany on January 19 you will need to read the troparion:
“You, our Lord Jesus Christ, were baptized in the Holy Jordan when the Holy Trinity became one. The Father's voice spoke to You, calling You His beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove confirmed these words. Appear to the world, Christ, to sanctify this world by your presence in it.”
Celebration date
January 19 is the day of the Epiphany icon. This is a great day on which you can give yourself a gift by buying such an icon so that it will protect you and your home from enemies and from troubles. When you pray in front of the icon, you can read any prayers, including “Our Father,” “I Believe,” and “Living Help.”
Never forget that each icon has its own history and meaning. You don't have to buy all the icons for every holiday in the Christian calendar. It’s enough just to choose those that are closest in meaning to you. There is nothing wrong with this, even if you only have one at home. If you decide to purchase it or give someone his first icon, it is better that it be the “Epiphany” image. Good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and
18.01.2018 05:13
The Baptism of the Lord is often called the Epiphany. Many believe that under different names means one and the same...
Before us icon XV century " Epiphany", belonging to an icon painter from the circle of Andrei Rublev. The icon is very laconic, corresponds to the Gospel story of Baptism, showing not only Baptism itself, but also the theological meaning of the holiday: on this day God appeared One in Three Persons:
God the Son - Jesus Christ, God the Holy Spirit - in the form of a dove and God the Father as a voice from Heaven. “In the Jordan I am baptized to You, O Lord, the Trinity adoration appears...”,
This is how it is sung in the troparion of the holiday. Jesus Christ first appeared as one of the Trinity. And therefore the holiday is correctly called not Epiphany, but Epiphany.
The peculiarity of the icon and its bewitching beauty is in the smoothness and special tenderness with which both the water and the mountains envelop the Savior; and how John the Baptist deeply bows before the Savior; and with what trepidation the Angels are waiting for Him on the shore, having prepared swaddling clothes as receivers, and how tenderly he lays down the colors, etc. O The icon painter is white, making the image of the Baptism of Jesus transparent and gentle. The warmth emanating from the icon is transmitted to those praying.
The image of Jesus Christ is central. His figure, although fragile and elongated vertically, is full of strength: all its members - chest, shoulders, arms, legs - are round and soft. The loins are girded, although in other versions Jesus is depicted naked. Softness is created by the smooth bends of the river, rhythmically repeating the pattern of the figure of the Savior, washing it and lovingly carrying it over the waters. The figure seems to float in the air without touching the water.
The gorge in which the figure of the Lord lies symbolizes hell, the grave and death. These are not random images. In the Sacrament of Baptism, when immersed in water, the old man dies, and upon emerging from it, a new man is born, renouncing Satan and all his works and taking an oath to serve from now on and forever and ever, no longer to the devil, but to God. The icon painter, placing Jesus during Baptism in a cave, as in a coffin, shows precisely this meaning and image of the Sacrament of Baptism. The gorge is also an image of hell, into which Jesus descends in order to bring Adam and all the Old Testament righteous out of it.
The head and face of Jesus repeat the image of the Lord on Rublev’s icon “The Savior”: the same powerful neck, calm, soft gaze, thick hair, as if forming a halo. The warm light brown colors of the Savior’s body emphasize the tenderness of the image.
If John had straightened up, then all the absurdity of the figure would have been visible. His legs are drawn strangely: they seem to be crossed. The right leg is written out the way the left leg should be written out and vice versa. This absurdity of the figure of John against the background of the slender and graceful figure of the Savior emphasizes the slavery of one and the Divine dignity of the other. Behind John you can see a tree that gives him stability, because... he is leaning over Jesus so much that he seems about to fall. The peaks of the mountains echo John’s worship: they also lean in the same direction and with the same inclination.
On the opposite bank there is a beautiful festive and flowery group of angels, although the Gospel says nothing about them. Their number varies on different icons. There are four of them on this icon and this is a distinctive feature of this edition, filled with deep theological and philosophical meanings. All the angels are wearing blue tunics. In front are two Angels in a low bow, on their hands are lush clothes, like towels, into which the Baptized Person will be received. They are recipients, ready to immediately receive Him as soon as He comes out of the water. These two Angels especially feel the solemnity of the moment. The third Angel, who is barely visible behind the backs of the first two, is also with veiled clothing, but in a pose not as solemn as the first two.
But the fourth Angel especially stands out. His hands are covered, but he raised them to the sky in a prayerful pose and looks at the blue beam pointing to the Savior, at the dove descending in this beam - the Holy Spirit, and as if he listens to the voice of God the Father emanating from the Heavenly cloud.
The entire Epiphany and the theological meaning of the holiday lies in the image of this Angel. While all the others - John the Baptist and three angels - are directly occupied with the action of the Sacrament of Baptism, the fourth, the only one of them, contemplates the Epiphany - the Trinitarian Trinity.
This Angel is painted in Divine blue tones, emphasizing his peculiarity, his greater connection with nature and the water of the Jordan than with human figures. The angels, although there are four of them, do not distort the balance of the icon, because the figure of John the Baptist balances the right and left sides of the river. And their hands meet above the Lord’s head, as if enfolding Him in their arms. The worship of human figures and the movement of nature upward and upward follow the movement of the Lord’s hands: the Savior’s right hand is bent at the elbow, as if pointing man to his place before God, the slightly bent left hand corresponds to the movement of the Jordan and the mountains.
“See the sea and run, Jordan come back…”,
pointing to the prophetic image of the passage through the Red Sea, and the prototype of Baptism in the New Testament. The figures themselves are an ancient heritage, because... Among the Jews, the image of a person was prohibited. This is also the personification of the two streams Jor and Dan, from which, upon merging, the Jordan River was formed.
In general, the impression that the icon leaves could be called a love song. And this makes it stand out from all the other versions depicting the Baptism of the Lord.
Tina Guy
Gallery of icons "Baptism of the Lord"
A holiday dedicated to a great event? The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus Christ in the Jordan appeared in the very first years of Christianity. He was loved by all his followers Christian teaching, as it allowed them to relive the exciting moments of their own baptism and mentally immerse themselves in the world of this sacrament. When icons began to enter church use, the “Baptism of the Lord” icon appeared along with others. But first, let's talk about the event that served as the reason for writing it.
Forerunner of the Lord on the banks of the Jordan
The Holy Gospel tells us how the Lord sent the prophet John to prepare people for the coming of His Son Jesus Christ. John who preceded Jesus was called in the New Testament as John the Baptist, or John the Baptist. By the will of the Lord God, he turned to the Jews with a call to come to repent of their sins and cleanse their souls for the acceptance of the Kingdom of God. He himself was the greatest ascetic and ascetic. Having lived his entire life in the conditions of the harsh Judean desert and rejecting worldly joys, Saint John devoted himself entirely to serving God.
His sermons full of life Indeed, they met with a wide response. The Gospel speaks of thousands of Jews who hastened to his call. They all received baptism from John in the waters of the Jordan River. It was a symbolic act of washing the body and soul, but it was not yet blessed Christian sacrament. This was just preparation for it.
Founder of the Kingdom of God
By this time, Jesus Christ, who lived in Nazareth and was not yet known to anyone, was thirty years old. According to Jewish law, this was the age at which a man received the right to become a teacher and be called “rabbi.” From then on, he began his public ministry, the purpose of which was to show people the way to the Kingdom of God, that is, to a new humanity reborn after the Fall.
The gateway to it was baptism, since without cleansing from sins and repentance the entrance there was closed. Jesus Christ, as the founder of this Kingdom, had to be the first to enter it, and therefore, despite his sinlessness, he could not bypass its cleansing gates. This was the reason that one day John the Baptist, while delivering his next sermon, saw Jesus approaching him.
The Baptism of Jesus Christ and the Institution of the Sacrament
Having realized the Divine power of the One who approached him, John fell into confusion, which was expressed in his words about his unworthiness to perform the ritual in relation to the Messiah himself. Jesus reassured him by quoting words from Holy Scripture, testifying to the Divine destiny of everything that was happening. What followed this is the icon of the Baptism of the Lord.
Jesus entered the waters of the Jordan, performing the ritual and thereby sanctifying it and elevating it to the rank of a sacrament. All those present heard a voice coming from heaven and testifying to the Divine essence of Jesus. At the same time, the Holy Spirit descended on Him in the form of a dove. Did all this prove to people that Jesus of Nazareth combines two essences? human and divine.
Epiphany at the Jordan and its dating
Do the Epiphany holiday established in honor of this event and the icon “Baptism of the Lord” have another name? Epiphany. Is the explanation for this quite obvious? On the banks of the Jordan, God revealed to people all three of His hypostases. Who performed the baptism? The son who spoke from heaven? The Father who descended on Jesus in the form of a dove? Holy Spirit. Thus, the icon “Baptism of the Lord” - Epiphany - is not just an image of a biblical event, but a statement of a deep religious and philosophical doctrine.
Evangelist Luke gives us the opportunity to date this event with certain accuracy. He writes that John the Baptist began his preaching in the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius. According to historical data, this should correspond to 779 from the founding of Rome, or 30 AD. Since there is a short time interval between the beginning of the sermons of John the Baptist and the appearance of Jesus Christ on the banks of the Jordan, we can conclude that the Baptism of the Lord took place in the same year.
The icon, the photo of which is posted at the beginning of the article, represents Jesus Christ standing in the Jordanian waters and John the Baptist performing a ritual over Him. On the right side, the ranks of angels bowed in reverent awe, and the Holy Spirit descended from heaven. Most Orthodox icons adhere to precisely this compositional interpretation when depicting this event.
Other names for this holiday
It is noteworthy that this holiday, celebrated in Rus' since ancient times, initially had different names. It was known as “Epiphania”, what does it mean in Greek? phenomenon, “Theophany”? Epiphany, as well as the “Feast of Lights.” Of course, this meant the Unquenchable Light brought by God into this world. The icon of the Baptism of the Lord, the description of which was outlined above, has another symbolic meaning, going back to Old Testament. It is in it that water is presented as the beginning of life. Let us remember how from it, under the influence life-giving Spirit, everything alive appeared. Therefore, the Lord God and life are inseparable.
Features of the holiday established by the church
The icon “Baptism of the Lord” represents one of the main holidays of Christians. It is celebrated on January 19, it ends the Christmas holidays, which lasted from the day of the Nativity of Christ, that is, from January 7. In memory of how Jesus Christ sanctified the water in the Jordan with His baptism, every year on the eve of holidays in all Orthodox churches The rite of blessing the water is performed. Special prayers are read, and the priest immerses the cross in water three times.
On the day of the holiday, water in reservoirs is blessed, having first performed procession. Often the blessing of water on reservoirs is accompanied by a symbolic immersion of the most zealous pilgrims into the ice hole. On a frosty winter day, they find courage by bewildering themselves sign of the cross, plunge into ice water. A hole in the ice is usually made in the form of a cross. Also in the hands of the clergy present at the same time there is always a cross and an icon of the “Baptism of the Lord.” Is the meaning of this ritual quite clear? triumph of the spirit over the flesh.
Folk customs on this holiday
On the eve of this day, the church established a one-day fast. It's called Epiphany Christmas Eve. Is it customary to eat a symbolic dish on this day? luscious. This is a decoction of wheat and honey. The celebration of Epiphany is rich in various traditions. So, for example, did housewives bake special cookies on Christmas Eve? crosses. On the morning of the holiday they were eaten with holy water. The form of baking cookies and their design had a special meaning, understandable only to those for whom they were intended. During holidays It was not appropriate for women to go to the river to fetch water; this was the responsibility of men. Linen was not washed in the river during these days and for a week after that, as this was considered disrespectful to the holiday.
All over the world, Christians celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The icon, the photo of which concludes the article, belongs to the Western Church, but the similarity is noteworthy plot composition. Even the general arrangement of the figures. Added only a few elements that are not included orthodox icon"Epiphany". Is the meaning of the icon the same? Jesus Christ, by immersing himself in the streams of the Jordan, opens for us the gates of the Kingdom of God.