Daugava water will be consecrated in Riga for baptism

In Riga on the festival of the Baptism of the Lord, which is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on January 19 (according to the new style), in Riga, on the embankment on November 11, with the blessing of Metropolitan of the Riga and All Latvia Alexander (Kudryashov) and, with the support of the Riga Duma, the rank of great consecration of water in the Daugava River will be held.

By tradition, after the consecration of water in the temples, the Orthodox reached the procession and to consecrate water in reservoirs. Before the Second World War, such a tradition also existed in Latvia. There are historical evidence and photographs in which thousands of Orthodox go from the Cross from the Cathedral of the Christmas Cathedral from the Esplanade to Daugava in order to attend the rank of great consecration of water, which is performed by the Archbishop of Riga and Latvian John (Pommer), now glorified in the face of the saints, the Blagovers-Info reports.

In the atheistic period, it was not possible to sanctify water in the open air. Water was consecrated only in the Orthodox churches, and the tradition of the crossings on Daugava was interrupted.

Nowadays, in some places in Latvia, they tried to revive it - the rank of great consecration of water in different years was carried out in Madon, Yekabpilsa, Livans, Ludze and other places in Latvia. The third year in a row, with the support of the Riga Duma, the Latvian Orthodox Church has been performing the rank of great consecration of water in Riga in Daugava.