Traditions and signs of the great holiday of baptism. Epiphany conspiracies for health on water. Where to swim at Epiphany - Southern District of South Administrative District
On January 19, Orthodox believers in Russia will celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord. The holiday is considered one of the 12 main Christian holidays after Easter. On this day (January 6, according to the old style), the church remembers the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan River by the prophet John the Baptist. This event is described in all four Gospels - from Matthew, Luke, John and Mark. Initially, the holiday was called the Epiphany. It arose in memory of a miracle that, according to the Bible, happened during baptism: the Holy Trinity (God the Son, God the Father and God the Holy Spirit) appeared to the world for the first time. The Holy Spirit descended from heaven on Jesus Christ in the form of a dove and a voice was heard saying: "This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased."
At first, the early Christians celebrated the feast of the Nativity and the feast of Epiphany (Theophany) on the same day - January 6th. Starting from the 4th century, Christmas and Epiphany began to be celebrated on different dates.
Today Russian, Georgian, Jerusalem, Serbian Orthodox Churches, Athos monasteries in Greece, oriental catholic churches and Old Believers celebrate Epiphany (Epiphany) on January 19th. Roman Catholic, Protestant and 11 Orthodox churches, including Alexandria, Constantinople and a number of others - January 6. The difference in dates is explained, in particular, by the difference in the Gregorian and Julian calendars, which are followed by the Church. Epiphany as a single holiday of Christmas and Epiphany has been preserved in the ancient Eastern churches - the Armenian Apostolic (January 6) and the Coptic Orthodox (January 7). In some Catholic countries the holiday is called the Day of the Three Kings - and on the holiday the adoration of the Magi is remembered.
The eve of the holiday (January 18) is called Epiphany Christmas Eve. On this day, a one-day fast is established, during which believers are ordered not to eat food until the end of the liturgy and communion. holy water. The main dish of this day is sochivo. It is prepared from boiled cereals with honey, nuts or raisins. After Baptism, "wedding weeks" come, during which you can get married, since you can't get married on Christmas Lent and Christmas time after Christmas.
During the Epiphany service, Epiphany water is consecrated - in memory of the fact that Christ blessed the Jordan River with his baptism.
The rite of the Great Blessing of Water is performed on the eve of the holiday on January 18 and on January 19 after the liturgy. According to church canons, after the clergy read prayers and immerse the cross three times in consecrated water, she is endowed with special power and becomes a saint. It is believed that on the day of Epiphany all the water on the planet acquires healing properties. You can store baptismal water whole year until the next holiday. It should be drunk on an empty stomach, after reading a prayer. It is interesting that for the first time the veneration of baptismal water was mentioned in the sermons of St. John Chrysostom (4th century).
Every year on January 19, our most courageous fellow citizens plunge into the so-called "Jordan" - into the holes cut in the frozen rivers, lakes and ponds in the form of a cross or a circle, the water in which is consecrated. This tradition is connected with the fact that in the first centuries of Christianity, believers were baptized just on the feast of Theophany.
The Church does not consider demonstration swimming in the hole on a holiday mandatory. You can be cleansed from sins through the sacrament of Baptism or confession.
Which Christian holiday falls on January 19, 2019? On this day, Orthodox believers celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord - one of the twelve church holidays.
Let us tell you in more detail what religious holiday celebrated on January 19th. It was installed in memory of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by the prophet John the Baptist (John the Baptist). During the baptism on Christ, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove. These events were described by all four evangelists.
January 19, 2019 - what is the Orthodox holiday today?
At first, Epiphany and the Nativity of Christ were a single holiday, which was called Epiphany. Since the 4th century they have been celebrated separately. The Feast of Baptism (Theophany) has 4 days of forefeast and 8 days of afterfeast.
How is this church holiday celebrated on January 19? On this day, the Slavs end the period of Christmas time, which has lasted since the Nativity of Christ, when it is customary to invite friends and relatives to visit, have fun, carol and guess at the future.
Believers are preparing for the holiday, which is believed to cleanse people from sins, including Christmas ones.
On the eve, January 18, on the eve of the Theophany of the Lord (Epiphany Christmas Eve), observed strict post. Believers refuse food until the candles are taken out in the temple. A festive dinner on Epiphany Christmas Eve, when only lenten dishes are served at the table, is called “hungry kutia”.
"Baptism" in literally means “immersion in water”, and one of the traditions of this holiday is the blessing of water. It is consecrated twice - on Epiphany Christmas Eve - by the rite of the Great Blessing of Water, which is also called the Great Agiasma.
And the second time - on the day of the Epiphany, on Divine Liturgy. Water is consecrated not only in temples, but also in natural reservoirs, for which ice holes are cut down in rivers and lakes. It is believed that bathing in such an ice-hole cleanses the soul and body, and a true believer after that will not get sick with anything for a year.
Epiphany water, which is credited with healing properties, is used together with a piece of prosphora "so that we can receive power that strengthens health, heals illnesses, drives away demons and averts all enemy slander, we could receive from God." The water consecrated in the church is also sprinkled at home.
HOLY APPOINTMENT. THE BAPTISM OF THE LORD GOD AND OUR SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST
Great consecration of water.
Holy Epiphany. Baptism of the Lord God and our Savior Jesus Christ.
Today the Holy Church celebrates the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is one of the great twelfth holidays, which is celebrated no less solemnly than the Nativity of Christ.
The Baptism of the Lord is called Theophany, because on this day God appeared, worshiped in the Holy Trinity: God the Father - in the voice, the Son of God - in the flesh and the Holy Spirit - in the form of a dove; and also by Enlightenment, since Christ from this day on has been the light that enlightens the world.
Epiphany is one of the main Christian holidays. The feast of the Epiphany ends with Christmas time, which lasts from January 7 to 19.
The holiday begins on the evening of January 18, when all Orthodox celebrate Epiphany Eve. We can say that Christmas and Epiphany, connected by Christmas time, constitute a single celebration - the feast of the Epiphany. It is in the unity of these holidays that all three persons appear to us Holy Trinity. In the Bethlehem den, the Son of God was born in the flesh, and at His baptism, from the open heavens “the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove” (Luke 3:22) and the voice of God the Father was heard, “saying: You are My Son Beloved; My favor is in you!” (Luke 3:22).
St. John Chrysostom writes that “it is not the day on which the Savior was born that should be called a phenomenon, but the day when He was baptized. Not through His birth He became known to everyone, but through baptism, therefore, the Epiphany is not called the day on which He was born, but the one on which He was baptized.
According to the gospel story, Jesus Christ came to John the Baptist, who was at the Jordan River in Bethabara (John 1:28), in order to be baptized. (Location of Bethabara, Beit Abar, believed to be the site of the present day monastery of St. John, one kilometer from present-day Beit Abar, about 10 kilometers east of Jericho.) John, who preached a lot about the imminent coming of the Messiah, when he saw the Savior, was surprised and said: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” To this, Jesus replied that "it behooves us to fulfill all righteousness" and was baptized by John. During baptism, “the sky was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in bodily form like a dove, and there was a voice from heaven, saying: You are My Beloved Son; My favor is in you!” (Luke 3:21-22).
Thus, with the participation of John, the messianic predestination of Jesus was publicly witnessed. According to the gospel story, after his baptism, Jesus Christ, led by the Spirit, withdrew into the wilderness in order to prepare in solitude, prayer and fasting for the fulfillment of the mission with which He came to earth.
This holiday is associated with the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. During his earthly life, only adults were baptized, who fully felt the faith in the one God and realized in themselves this, at that time new, religion, because then Christians were persecuted, monotheism was rejected. Therefore, it is not surprising that Jesus Christ was baptized at the age of 30.
In remembrance of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan River, on the feast of Epiphany, procession to the river for the blessing of water. This move is called the Jordan move. Blessing of water also happens on the eve of the holiday in temples. With blessed water, the clergy go from house to house. This is done for the consecration of both houses and those living in them. A similar walk with holy water also happens on other holidays, for example, on temple holidays. Water consecrated on the feast of Epiphany is taken from house to house and stored. It is used to heal the soul and body.
In Russia and Bulgaria, water is blessed on the Feast of Epiphany. Sometimes the consecration is carried out directly on the reservoirs in specially punched holes, which are called "Jordan", in remembrance of the baptism of Christ in the Jordan. There is also a tradition of bathing in these holes. Interestingly, in Spain and many Spanish-speaking countries, it is on the feast of the Epiphany, and not on Christmas or St. Nicholas Day, that children receive gifts. It is believed that they are carried by the magi (in Spanish, "Los reyes magos" - magician kings).
No songs, divination, round dances and special dances are associated with this holiday. It just so happened. In contrast to this, there are a lot of beliefs and signs associated with Baptism.
Today is an Orthodox church holiday:
Tomorrow is a holiday:
Holidays expected:
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Epiphany or Baptism of the Lord is one of the most important twelfth feasts of Orthodoxy. Read all about the history of this event in the article!
The Baptism of the Lord, or Epiphany - January 19, 2019
What holiday is it?
Prefeast of the Epiphany
Theophany has long been among the great twelfth feasts. Even in the Decrees of the Apostles (book 5, ch. 12) it is commanded: "May you have great respect for the day on which the Lord revealed to us the Divinity." This holiday in Orthodox Church is celebrated with equal grandeur, as is the feast of the Nativity of Christ. Both of these holidays, connected by "Christmas" (from December 25 to January 6), constitute, as it were, one celebration. Almost immediately after the celebration of the feast of the Nativity of Christ (since January 2), the Church begins to prepare us for the solemn feast of the Baptism of the Lord with stichera and troparia (at Vespers), triplets (at Compline) and canons (at Matins) specially dedicated to the upcoming feast, and church chants in The honor of Theophany has already been heard since January 1: on the morning of the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord, the hyrmos of the canons of Theophany are sung for katavasia: “The depths have opened, there is a bottom ...” and “A sea storm is moving ...”. With her sacred remembrances, following from Bethlehem to the Jordan and meeting the events of Baptism, the Church in the pre-holiday stichera calls on the faithful:
“Let’s go from Bethlehem to the Jordan, where the Light is already beginning to illuminate those who are in darkness.” The nearest Saturday and Sunday before Epiphany are called Saturday and the Week before Theophany (or Enlightenment).
Eve of the Epiphany
The eve of the holiday - January 5 - is called the Eve of the Epiphany, or Christmas Eve. The services of the eve and the feast itself are in many ways similar to the service of the eve and the feast of the Nativity of Christ.
On Christmas Eve of the Epiphany on January 5 (as well as on Christmas Eve of the Nativity of Christ), the Church prescribes a strict fast: eating once after the blessing of water. If Eve takes place on Saturday and Sunday, fasting is facilitated: instead of once, eating is allowed twice - after the liturgy and after the blessing of the water. If the reading of the Great Hours from Eve, which happened on Saturday or Sunday, is transferred to Friday, then there is no fast on that Friday.
Features of worship on the eve of the holiday
On all weekly days (except Saturday and Sunday) the service of the Eve of Theophany consists of the Great Hours, pictorial and Vespers with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great; after the liturgy (after the ambo prayer) there is the blessing of the water. If Christmas Eve happens on Saturday or Sunday, then the Great Hours are celebrated on Friday, and there is no Liturgy on that Friday; the liturgy of St. Basil the Great is transferred to the day of the holiday. On the very day of Christmas Eve, the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom happens in due time, and after it - vespers and after it the blessing of water.
Great hours of the Baptism of the Lord and their content
The troparia point to the separation of the waters of the Jordan by Elisha by the mantle of the prophet Elijah as a prototype of the true Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, by which the watery nature was sanctified and during which the Jordan stopped its natural flow. The last troparion describes the trembling feeling of Saint John the Baptist when the Lord came to him to be baptized. In the parimia of the 1st hour, with the words of the prophet Isaiah, the Church proclaims the spiritual renewal of those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Is. 25).
The Apostle and the Gospel proclaim the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, who testified to the eternal and Divine greatness of Christ (Acts 13:25-32; Matt. 3:1-11). At the 3rd hour, in special psalms - the 28th and 41st - the prophet depicts the power and authority of the baptized Lord over water and all the elements of the world: “The voice of the Lord is on the waters: God of glory will thunder, the Lord is on the waters of many. The voice of the Lord in the fortress; the voice of the Lord is in splendor ... ”The usual 50th psalm joins these psalms. In the troparia of the hour, the experiences of John the Baptist are revealed - trembling and fear at the Baptism of the Lord - and the manifestation in this great event of the mystery of the Trinity of the Godhead. In parimiya we hear the voice of the prophet Isaiah, foretelling spiritual rebirth through baptism and calling to the acceptance of this sacrament: “Wash yourself, and you will be clean” (Is. 1, 16-20).
The Apostle tells about the difference between John's baptism and baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-8), while the Gospel tells about the Forerunner who prepared the way for the Lord (Mark 1:1-3). At the 6th hour in Psalms 73 and 76, King David prophetically depicts the Divine majesty and omnipotence of the One who came to be baptized in the form of a slave: “Who is a great god, like our God? You are God, do miracles. Seeing You the water, O God, and fearful: the abyss was troubled.
The usual, 90th psalm of the hour also joins. The troparia contain the Lord's answer to the Baptist to his bewilderment about Christ's self-abasement and indicate the fulfillment of the prophecy of the Psalmist that the Jordan River stops its waters when the Lord enters it for Baptism. The parimia speaks of how the prophet Isaiah contemplates the grace of salvation in the waters of baptism and calls on believers to assimilate it: “Draw water with joy from the source of fear” (Is. 12).
The apostle inspires those who have been baptized into Christ Jesus to walk in newness of life (Rom. 6:3-12). The gospel announces the appearance of the Holy Trinity at the Baptism of the Savior, about His forty-day feat in the wilderness and the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel (Mark 1, 9-15). At the 9th hour, in Psalms 92 and 113, the prophet proclaims the royal majesty and omnipotence of the baptized Lord. The third psalm of the hour is the usual 85th. With the words of parimia, the prophet Isaiah depicts the inexpressible mercy of God to people and the grace-filled help for them, manifested in Baptism (Is. 49: 8-15). The apostle announces the manifestation of the grace of God, “saving to all men”, and the abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the believers (Tit. 2, 11-14; 3, 4-7). The Gospel tells about the Baptism of the Savior and Theophany (Matthew 3:13-17).
Vespers on the Day of the Feast of the Feast
Vespers on the eve of the feast of the Epiphany is similar to the one that happens on the eve of the Nativity of Christ: the entrance with the Gospel, the reading of parimia, the Apostle, the Gospel, etc., but the parimii at Vespers of the Epiphany Eve is read not 8, but 13.
After the first three paroemias, the singers sing to the troparion and verses of the prophecy: “Let you shine in the darkness of the sitting one: Lover of mankind, glory to Thee.” After the 6th Parimia - a refrain to the troparion and verses: "Where Thy light would shine, only on those who sit in darkness, glory to Thee."
If on the eve of the Epiphany Vespers is combined with the Liturgy of St. Basil the Great (on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday), then after reading paroemias, a small litany follows with the exclamation: “For thou art holy, our God ...”, then the Trisagion and other following of the liturgy are sung. At Vespers, which is celebrated separately after the Liturgy (on Saturday and Sunday), after parimiias, a small litany, and the exclamation: “For thou art holy…” is followed by a prokeimenon: “The Lord is my enlightenment…”, Apostle (Cor., end 143rd) and the Gospel (Luke 9th).
After that - the litany "Rzem all ..." and so on.
Great consecration of water
The Church renews the remembrance of the Jordanian event with a special rite of the great consecration of water. On the eve of the feast, the great consecration of water takes place after the prayer behind the ambo (if the liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served). And if Vespers is celebrated separately, without connection with the Liturgy, the consecration of water takes place at the end of Vespers, after the exclamation: "Be the power ...". The priest, through the royal gates, while singing the troparions "The voice of the Lord on the waters ...", goes out to the vessels filled with water, carrying on his head Honest Cross, and the consecration of water begins.
The consecration of water is also performed on the very feast after the liturgy (also after the ambo prayer).
The Orthodox Church performs the great consecration of water on the eve and on the feast itself from ancient times, and the grace of consecrating water on these two days is always the same. On Eve, the consecration of water was performed in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, which sanctified the nature of the water, as well as the baptism of the ordained, which in ancient times took place on the Eve of Theophany (Post. Apost., book 5, ch. 13; historians: Theodoret, Nicephorus Callistus). On the feast itself, the consecration of water happens in remembrance of the actual event of the Baptism of the Savior. The consecration of water on the feast itself began in the Jerusalem Church and in the 4th - 5th centuries. was performed only in it alone, where it was customary to go to the Jordan River for water blessing in remembrance of the Baptism of the Savior. Therefore, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the consecration of water on the eve is performed in churches, and on the feast itself it is usually performed on rivers, springs and wells (the so-called “Journey to the Jordan”), for Christ was baptized outside the temple.
The great consecration of water got its start in the early days of Christianity, following the example of the Lord Himself, who sanctified the waters by His immersion in them and established the sacrament of Baptism, in which from ancient times there is the consecration of water. The rite of consecrating water is attributed to the Evangelist Matthew. Several prayers for this rank were written by St. Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople. The final design of the rank is attributed to St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem. The consecration of water on the feast is already mentioned by the teacher of the Church Tertullian and St. Cyprian of Carthage. The Apostolic Decrees also contain prayers that were said during the consecration of water. So, in the book The 8th says: “The priest will call on the Lord and say: “And now sanctify this water, and give it grace and power.”
St. Basil the Great writes: “According to what scripture do we bless the water of baptism? - From the Apostolic Tradition, according to the succession in the mystery" (91st canon).
In the second half of the 10th century, Patriarch Peter Fulon of Antioch introduced the custom of consecrating water not at midnight, but on the Eve of Theophany. In the Russian Church, the Moscow Council of 1667 decided to make a double consecration of water - on the eve and on the very feast of the Theophany, and condemned Patriarch Nikon, who forbade the double consecration of water. The succession of the great consecration of water both on the eve and on the feast itself is the same, and in some parts resembles the succession of the small consecration of water. It consists in remembering the prophecies relating to the event of Baptism (parimia), the event itself (the Apostle and the Gospel) and its meaning (litanies and prayers), in invoking the blessing of God on the waters and three times immersion in them. Life-Giving Cross Lord's.
In practice, the rite of consecration of water is performed in the following way. After the prayer beyond the ambo (at the end of the liturgy) or the petitionary litany: “Let us fulfill evening prayer”(at the end of Vespers) the rector in full vestments (as during the celebration of the liturgy), and the other priests only in stole, ensigns and the rector carrying the Holy Cross on an uncovered head (usually the Cross is relied on in the air). At the place of consecration of water, the Cross rests on a well-decorated table, on which there should be a bowl with water and three candles. During the singing of the troparia, the rector with the deacon incense the water prepared for consecration (near the table three times), and if the water is consecrated in the temple, then the altar, clergymen, singers and people are also incensed.
At the end of the singing of the troparions, the deacon proclaims: “Wisdom,” and three parimias are read (from the book of the prophet Isaiah), which depict the blessed fruits of the Lord’s coming to earth and the spiritual joy of all who turn to the Lord and partake of life-giving springs salvation. Then the prokimen "The Lord is my enlightenment ..." is sung, the Apostle and the Gospel are read. The Apostolic Reading (Cor., end 143) speaks of persons and events that, in Old Testament, during the wanderings of the Jews in the desert, were a type of Christ the Savior (the mysterious baptism of the Jews into Moses in the midst of the cloud and the sea, their spiritual food in the desert and drinking from the spiritual stone, which was Christ). The Gospel (Mark 2nd) tells of the Baptism of the Lord.
After reading Holy Scripture the deacon pronounces the great litany with special petitions. They contain prayers for the consecration of water by the power and action of the Holy Trinity, for sending the blessing of the Jordan to the water and granting it grace to heal spiritual and bodily infirmities, to drive away any slander visible and invisible enemies, for the consecration of houses and for every benefit.
During the litany, the rector secretly reads a prayer for the purification and sanctification of himself: "Lord Jesus Christ ..." (without a cry). At the end of the litany, the priest (rector) loudly reads the sanctifying prayer: “Great art thou, O Lord, and marvelous are thy works…” (thrice) and so on. In this prayer, the Church implores the Lord to come and bless the water so that it receives the grace of deliverance, the blessing of the Jordan, so that it can be a source of incorruption, the resolution of ailments, the cleansing of souls and bodies, the sanctification of houses, and "to every good good." In the middle of the prayer, the priest exclaims three times: “Yourself, Lover of mankind to the King, come now also by the influx of Thy Holy Spirit and sanctify this water,” and at the same time blesses the water with his hand each time, but does not immerse his fingers in the water, as happens in the sacrament of Baptism. At the end of the prayer, the rector immediately blesses the water with a cross. Honest Cross, holding it with both hands and immersing it straight three times (bringing it down into the water and raising it up), and at each immersion of the Cross, the troparion is sung with the clergy (three times): “In the Jordan, baptized by Thee, Lord ...”
After that, with repeated singing of the troparion by the singers, the rector with the Cross in his left hand sprinkles crosswise in all directions, and also sprinkles the temple with holy water.
Glorification of the holiday
On Eve, after the dismissal of Vespers or Liturgy, a lamp (and not a lectern with an icon) is supplied in the middle of the church, before which the clergy and singers sing the troparion and (on “Glory, and now”) the kontakion of the holiday. The candle here means the light of Christ's teachings, Divine enlightenment, bestowed in Theophany.
After that, the worshipers venerate the Cross, and the priest sprinkles each with holy water.
Orthodox Christians celebrate on January 19 the feast of the Epiphany and Epiphany. On this day, one of the most revered events of the Christian faith is remembered - the baptism of Jesus on the Jordan River, from which the Messianic path of the Savior began. The holiday begins on January 18 on Epiphany Christmas Eve. On January 19, following tradition, believers and those who simply want to join the holiday plunge into the Epiphany hole.
Another name for the holiday - Theophany - reflects the appearance of the Holy Trinity to the world during the baptism of the Savior.
AT popular name Water baptism reflects the rite of water blessing and water baptism, which is performed during the celebration.
History of the Feast of Epiphany
The time for saving preaching came for Jesus after the age of 30 - earlier than this age it was impossible to become a teacher of faith among the Jews. By this time, many had already been baptized in the Jordan River by St. John as a sign of repentance from sins. But the main life purpose of John was to become the forerunner of the Savior, who showed people the way to a righteous life.
The historical site of the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. Today the river has dried up in this place
The Baptist, filled with foreboding, warned the people about the coming of the desired Messiah, who was already among the people. When Jesus came to John to be baptized, the forerunner, who had never seen him before, immediately recognized him as the Savior: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world,” exclaimed John.
Jesus asked to be baptized, to which John first objected that Christ has no sins and therefore it is not necessary to baptize him. The Savior interrupted him with words that it was fitting to fulfill righteousness.
Jesus Christ was baptized by John and prayed for Heavenly Father to bless his ministry. Following this, a miraculous appearance of the Holy Trinity took place - the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, and God the Father from heaven said about Jesus that he was his beloved son. Therefore, the feast of the baptism of the Lord is called Theophany.
Happy family after the baptism of their son in the Jordan River
Traditions and rituals of the holiday
The Feast of Epiphany ends Christmas time, which is celebrated after Christmas from 6 to 19 January. Christmas time is considered a period of "without the cross", since Jesus, who was born, was not yet baptized.
For the feast of the Epiphany, they always prepared ahead of time: the dwellings were carefully cleaned and put in order - according to legend, imps easily start up in an untidy house. To scare away all kinds of evil spirits, crosses were drawn with chalk over the windows and doors of houses.
How to spend the eve of Epiphany Christmas Eve. Preparation for the holiday includes a one-day fast during the eve of the holiday - Epiphany Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve begins on January 18, and lasts until the partaking of holy water. The consecration of water is held in the temple on the evening of January 18, as well as on the day of the holiday itself on January 19.
The name of the holiday - Christmas Eve - comes from "sochivo" - a traditional porridge with honey, which is eaten as a festive dish.
What do they eat on Epiphany Christmas Eve. Not only adults fasted during this period, but children were also advised to abstain from food. The first dish, which, if after a one-day fast, was sochivo (). Wash it down with dried fruit compote.
Among the traditional ceremonial Epiphany dishes are pancakes, dumplings, cookies in the shape of crosses, which are called “Crosses”. Also for the holiday they prepare such a drink as sbiten - from water, honey and black pepper.
Procession to the baptismal font
The Church begins to celebrate the Epiphany with chants and prayers a few days before the holiday in an atmosphere of deep gratitude to Jesus for salvation from human sinfulness.
When the water is holy. On the eve of the feast of the Epiphany, January 18, they begin to bless the water. After the service, accompanied by a priest, believers go to water sources to perform the ceremony of immersing the cross in water and consecrating the water. A vessel with consecrated water is decorated in every possible way - with candles, flowers and ribbons. By the water, excerpts from the Holy Scriptures are recited, and in the morning the Church announces the Baptism of the Savior and the Epiphany of the Holy Trinity. The water, over which a prayer is read, is charged with wonderful positive energy and is able to transfer its properties to people.
Holy water that heals the flesh and protects from evil spirits, parishioners subsequently use it at home - they drink it all year on an empty stomach, sprinkle it with dwellings and household items. They store holy water next to the home iconostasis. consecrated water can be added to the usual, so that it acquires healing properties. Priests sprinkle icons and church utensils with holy water.
According to tradition, on the night of January 19, as well as on the day of the holiday, believers and just daredevils plunge into the baptismal font - Jordan, believing in the sanctity and healing properties of baptismal water. The Jordan is cut through the ice in the form of a cross in advance.
Those wishing to plunge into the baptismal font need to remember that Jesus was baptized with a warm river, and not in an ice-bound reservoir. Bathing in Epiphany water is not an indispensable component of the holiday, especially for people with poor health.
The meaning of the feast of the Epiphany
The essence of the feast of Baptism is that if John, as a sign of repentance, baptized with water, then the Messiah baptized with the Holy Spirit and fire, which destroyed everything that was filthy, thereby demonstrating by his own example the need for baptism.
Christening
Since then, baptism has spread and has become a traditional rite performed on a small child. During the sacrament, the priest says, immersing the child in water three times: "In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." The baptized becomes a member of the church and receives a pectoral cross.