YOUNGSTOWN — What Lake Glacier lacks in ice, courtesy of the recent mild weather, it makes up for in symbolism.

“We are here to pray for the betterment of Youngstown. The water here flows into the Mahoning River, so it’s a blessing for Youngstown,” said the Rev. Thomas Constantine, pastor of St. John the Forerunner Greek Orthodox Church in Boardman.

Constantine was referring to one of the main underlying reasons behind the annual Blessing of the Waters ceremony Sunday at Mill Creek Park’s Lake Glacier.

More than 40 children and adults stood in the parking lot in front of an ice-free lake for the blessing, which also was symbolic of the Feast of Epiphany, or the Baptism of Christ, which many Christians worldwide celebrate Jan. 6, 12 days after Christmas in the Gregorian calendar.

Many believe John the Baptist baptized Jesus Christ in the River Jordan, and the Epiphany also denotes the visit of the three Magi to the infant Jesus as well as the wedding at Cana, at which Christ is said to have performed his first miracle by turning water to wine.

In addition, the 45-minute event was to celebrate the Theophany, which is when the manifestation of God is revealed to the world, Constantine said. He added the occasion also is, by extension, to bless people’s homes and bring Christ’s love to them.

On display was a small table on which was an icon of Christ being baptized in the River Jordan by John the Baptist, along with two decorative plants, a cross on which was an assortment of pine needles, a bowl partially filled with water and an assemblage of twigs used to bless those in attendance.

One of the Bible readings was from a portion of Isaiah 35, which talks, in part, about how the wilderness and dry, barren lands will celebrate, blossom and bloom as God’s splendor will be seen.

Also during the gathering, David Gemmel, a deacon with St. John’s Orthodox Church in Campbell, said a series of prayers for the Mahoning Valley, local and national leaders, people who are suffering and others.

Afterward, Constantine used the bundled twigs to sprinkle water on attendees as a way to bless them.

A short time later, the Rev. Ivan Tchopko, pastor of SS. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Church on the West Side, tossed a small white cross into Lake Glacier, then used a long string to retrieve it.

The Mahoning Valley has 12 orthodox churches, so the Blessing of the Waters also was designed to be more inclusive, Constantine said.

“We all work together and are united,” he said.

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