Transfiguration of Jesus

The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported by the Synoptic Gospels in which Jesus is transfigured upon a mountain (), and the three Apostles are described as interpreting Jesus' statement as a reference to John the Baptist.(

Christian commemorations of the Transfiguration

In the Eastern Orthodox, Catholic, and Anglican churches, the Feast of the Transfiguration is observed on 6 August and is considered a major feast, numbered among the twelve Great Feasts in Orthodoxy. In all three churches, if the feast falls on a Sunday, its liturgy takes the place of the Sunday liturgy. In some liturgical calendars the last Sunday in the Epiphany season (that immediately preceding Ash Wednesday) is also devoted to this event.

Eastern Orthodox practices

[
thumb|Icon of the Transfiguration by Theophanes the Greek (15th century, Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow).]

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, grapes are traditionally brought to church to be blessed after the Divine Liturgy on this day (if grapes are not available in the area, apples or some other fruit may be brought). This begins the "Blessing of First Fruits" for the year. The Transfiguration falls during the Dormition Fast, but fish, wine and oil are allowed to be consumed on this day in recognition of the feast. The Transfiguration is the second of the "Three Feasts of the Saviour in August", the other two being the Procession of the Cross (August 1) and the Icon of Christ Not Made by Hand (August 16). The Orthodox view the Transfiguration as not only a feast in honor of Jesus, but a feast of the Holy Trinity; for all three Persons were actively present: God the Father spoke from heaven; God the Son was the one being transfigured, and God the Holy Spirit was present in the form of a cloud. In this sense, the transfiguration is also considered the "Small Epiphany" (the "Great Epiphany" being that of the Baptism, where the Holy Trinity appears in a similar pattern).

Catholic Church

In the Catholic Church, the Transfiguration was once celebrated locally in various parts of the Catholic world on different days, including August 6, but was not universally recognized. In 1456, the Kingdom of Hungary repulsed an Ottoman invasion of the Balkans by breaking the Siege of Belgrade. News of the victory arrived in Rome on August 6. [http://www.breviary.net/propsaints/propsaints03/propsaints03283.htm] Given the importance to international politics at that time of such battles between Christian and Muslim nations, in celebration of the victory Pope Callixtus III elevated the Transfiguration to a Feast day to be celebrated in the entire Catholic Church.

ee also

* Tabor Light
* Buhe

References

External links

* [http://www.icon-art.info/topic.php?lng=en&top_id=40 Icons and Mosaics of the Transfiguration]
* [http://www.stjrussianorthodox.com/images/blessfruit.jpgBlessing of Firstfruits on Transfiguration]
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/15019a.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: Transfiguration]
* [http://198.62.75.1/www1/ofm/san/TAB05mnt.html The Mountain of the Transfiguration] by Michele Piccirillo
* [http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/angelus/2006/documents/hf_ben-xvi_ang_20060312_en.html Pope Benedict XVI on Transfiguration of Jesus]
* [http://ocafs.oca.org/FeastSaintsViewer.asp The Holy Transfiguration of our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ] Orthodox icon and synaxarion