Source: Interfax-Religion
Latakia, January 19, 2016
Russian servicemen deployed at the Hmeimim airbase in Syria's Latakia celebrated the feast of the Baptism of Christ, one of the oldest Orthodox holidays, overnight into Tuesday.
"Today, the entire group will take part in the Epiphany blessing of the waters because for a person wearing army shoulder boards, especially not on Russian soil, faith is not an idle word. The feast of the Baptism of Christ has always been celebrated very warmly," Chaplain Fr. Ilya said.
An ordinary army tent housed the Russian airbase's field church, where the blessing of the waters took place. Two makeshift Epiphany bathing pools, made from army water reservoirs, were installed nearby.
"Today, I have baptized 42 servicemen, who have become Orthodox warriors. They adopted the Orthodox faith of their own free will. All of them came from different parts of Russia, and now their faith is what unites them," Fr. Ilia said.
All servicemen - both officers and ordinary soldiers - took a dip in these makeshift bathing pools as the bells rang.
"Our relatives will mark this holiday in Russia, and we will celebrate it together with them. In our home country, Epiphany bathing takes place in rivers, and we have a makeshift Epiphany Day bathing site here. Those who will not enter this church, will have to wait a little outside. There is nothing new in it for them, and they are treating all this seriously: even if you stay outside the church, you still pray and celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of Christ in such a manner," the priest said.
