But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” — Matthew 3:14 It’s a good question: Why did Jesus Christ need to be baptized? That’s basically the question ...

The Baptism of the Lord closes the Christmas season. The next day begins the First Week of Ordinary Time, Lent following in five weeks on Feb. 17. The Christmas season is full of theophanies, i.e., ...

On the banks of the Jordan River where the Bible says Jesus was baptized, 15-foot-high reeds rustle in the wind. The site on the Jordanian side of the river looks much like the New Testament describes ...

That's how Christian pilgrims greet one another to commemorate the Feast of the Epiphany, Jan. 19 on the Orthodox calendar when Jesus was baptized in the Jordan River. “At this time of year, we wish ...

As the Christmas season comes to a close, the hearts of believers shift from meditating on the birth of the Lord to the beginning of his mission. This weekend we contemplate St. Matthew’s version of ...

Editor's Note: During Pope Francis’ upcoming visit to Jordan (May 24), he has invited Syrian refugees and disabled people to join him at the Jordan River Baptism site, revered by many Christians as ...

Jesus’ baptism is mentioned in all four of the Gospels, and so it was an important event in Salvation History. Having said that, it’s important for us to remember that Jesus didn’t need to be baptized ...

BETHANY BEYOND THE JORDAN, Jordan — Where was Jesus baptized? Biblical scholars and the Bible state that Jesus was baptized by the apostle John at a site on the Jordan River in approximately 30 AD.