BARILOCHE, Argentina – The Marcionite Church, an ancient Christian communion with continuous tradition since its formal organization in 144 A.D., has publicly decreed and explained one of its most central tenets: the annual commemoration of the Eclipse Theophany on November 24th.
This tradition, long observed within the church, holds that on November 24, 29 AD, during a total solar eclipse over Capernaum, Jesus Christ descended from heaven in fully human form to begin his ministry of revelation and liberation. This stands in contrast to the December 25th celebration of the Nativity observed by other Christian traditions.
“For nearly two millennia, our community has preserved this understanding based on the opening of our foundational scripture, the Evangelion: ‘In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar… Jesus descended into Capernaum, a city in Galilee,'” stated A.W. Mitchell, Chancellor. “The Theophany is our anchor – the moment the Gospel of the Father’s grace broke into the world, not through human birth, but by divine mission.”
The move to publicly articulate this doctrine marks a significant step in its ongoing effort to share its traditions with a wider audience. This follows the 2020 initiative by its Greek Pontiate to expand its ministry westward and publish The Very First Bible, containing the complete texts of the Evangelion and Apostolikon (the epistles of Paul). Further teachings and historical resources continue to be shared through the church’s official website, marcionitechurch.org
In a spirit of openness, the Marcionite Church extends a respectful invitation to all Christians to consider the theological implications of the two commemorations. The church proposes the period from November 24th to December 25th as a unique “Season of Sacred Origin,” a time for believers across traditions to reflect on the nature of Christ’s advent.
“We recognize the deep reverence billions hold for the celebration of Christ’s birth in Bethlehem,” the statement continued. “We do not seek to diminish it, but to offer a complementary witness from Christian antiquity. This season invites a profound dialogue: Was Christ’s primary purpose to fulfill an ancient covenant through incarnation, or to proclaim a new revelation of the Father through a liberating theophany? Exploring this question can only deepen our collective understanding of the Christian narrative.”
The church emphasizes that this is an invitation for thoughtful examination, not debate. It welcomes all who are interested in early Christian history and theology to explore its publicly available resources.
About the Marcionite Church:
Formally organized in 144 A.D. by its canonized founder, St. Marcion of Sinope – the compiler of the first known biblical canon – the Marcionite Church is an ancient Christian tradition. It maintains the primacy of the Evangelion (Gospel of the Lord) and the ten-epistle Apostolikon. Its theology is distinguished by its focus on the God of pure grace and love revealed by Jesus Christ.
