January 2026

As we begin the New Year, the first great feast we celebrate is the Feast of Theophany—the Baptism of our Lord. This feast calls each of us to remember our own baptism, which was performed for every one of us. At that baptism, whether we spoke for ourselves as adults or our godparents spoke on our behalf, a solemn promise was made to God: to renounce Satan and all his works, and to unite ourselves to Christ.

Sadly, we sometimes forget this promise. Yet it is something we should always remember, especially as the world around us grows increasingly filled with confusion and evil. As Orthodox Christians, we are called to draw closer to Christ, who alone heals us of our sins and restores our souls.

During the first week of January, we celebrate the solemn rite of the Great Sanctification of Water. At the heart of this service is the prayer in which the Lord is glorified and the grace of the Holy Spirit is called down upon the waters. This prayer begins with the words:

“Great art Thou, O Lord, and marvelous are Thy works, and there is no word sufficient to hymn Thy wonders.”

Anyone who has attended the mystery of Baptism will recognize these same words, for the prayer of sanctification of the baptismal water begins in exactly the same way. In fact, the first part of the prayer is identical in both services, changing only later to reflect the specific mystery of a new soul being baptized. This connection reminds us that Theophany is not only about Christ’s Baptism, but also about our own.

When a person is baptized as an adult, he or she makes these vows personally. When baptized as an infant, the godfather or godmother—the sponsors—make these vows on the child’s behalf. Yet many people forget these promises, and some are not even aware that such vows were ever made for them.

We should reflect seriously on how we are fulfilling these vows in our lives. What would happen if, on the last day, it were revealed that vows were made, yet the person never even knew what was promised? What does it truly mean to renounce Satan and all his works, and to unite oneself to Christ?

To renounce Satan means to reject whatever stifles the soul and distracts us from God. As the Lord says in the Gospel of Luke, “One thing is needed.” To unite ourselves with Christ means not only to know His commandments, but to live them, and to grow into real communion with Him.

On this great feast of Theophany, let us think deeply about these things. Let us pray that the Lord grants us firm faith, wisdom, and strength to fulfill the vows made at our baptism—not to be swallowed up by the distractions of the world, but to remain faithful to our promise to be united with Christ forever.

May our good Lord grant us the grace to live out our baptismal vows throughout this New Year of 2026.

Fr. Mikel

What is the proper Orthodox Church Dress Code?

1) Men should not wear hats, bandanas, shorts, sleeveless shirts, or casual footwear like flipflops.

2) Women should not wear miniskirts, spandex-tight clothing, low-cut or revealing tops (unless covered with a sweater or other garment), or casual footwear like flipflops.

3) Children should be given a little more flexibility but should still wear “church clothes” so that they know they are somewhere that is special and holy.

4) Everyone should refrain from clothing that is immodest, ostentatious, a fashion-statement, or otherwise distracting from the prayerful and sacred space of the Lord’s House. Clothing or bodily adornments with images, symbols, or writing should not be worn or at least covered up, so that the holy icons and Word of God do not have to compete with the logo of our favorite sport team, the name of a music band, or the slogan of our political party.