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The Baptism of the Lord: how to collect sacred water, traditions and customs of the holiday. Gospel of the Baptism of the Lord. Conspiracy for prosperity and financial well-being
The second name, Epiphany, is given to the holiday in memory of the miracle that happened during baptism. The Holy Spirit descended on Christ from heaven in the form of a dove, and a voice from heaven called him the Son. Evangelist Luke writes about this: Heaven 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!(Matthew 3:14-17). So was revealed in images visible and accessible to humans, the Holy Trinity: the voice is God the Father, the dove is God the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is God the Son. And it was testified that Jesus is not only the Son of Man, but also the Son of God. God appeared to people.
The Baptism of the Lord is the twelfth feast. The Twelfth are called holidays that are dogmatically closely connected with the events of the earthly life of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Mother of God and are divided into the Lord's (dedicated to the Lord Jesus Christ) and the Theotokos (dedicated to Mother of God). Epiphany - Lord's holiday.
When is the Baptism of the Lord celebrated?
The Russian Orthodox Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord on January 19 according to the new style (January 6 according to the old style).
The Feast of the Epiphany has 4 days of forefeast and 8 days of afterfeast.
Prefeast - one or more days before great holiday, whose divine services already include prayers dedicated to the upcoming celebrated event. Accordingly, the afterfeast is the same days after the holiday.
The celebration of the holiday takes place on January 27 according to the new style. The celebration of the holiday is the last day of some important Orthodox holidays, celebrated with a special service, more solemn than on ordinary days of the afterfeast.
Events of the Baptism of the Lord
After fasting and wandering in the desert, the prophet John the Baptist came to the Jordan River, where the Jews traditionally performed religious ablutions. Here he began to speak to the people about repentance and baptism for the remission of sins and baptize people in the waters. It was not the Sacrament of Baptism as we know it now, but it was a type of it.
The people believed the prophecies of John the Baptist, many were baptized in the Jordan. And then, one day, Jesus Christ himself came to the banks of the river. At that time He was thirty years old. The Savior asked John to baptize Him. The Prophet was surprised to the core and said: “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” But Christ assured him that "We must fulfill all righteousness." At the time of baptism the heavens 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!
The Baptism of the Lord was the first appearance of Christ to the people of Israel. It was after the Epiphany that the first disciples followed the Teacher - the apostles Andrew, Simon (Peter), Philip, Nathanael.
In two Gospels - from Matthew and Luke - we read that after Baptism, the Savior withdrew into the wilderness, where he fasted for forty days in order to prepare for a mission among people. He was tempted by the devil and did not eat anything during these days, and after the end of them he became hungry (Luke 4:2). The devil approached Christ three times and tempted Him, but the Savior remained strong and rejected the evil one (as the devil is called).
Features of the service of the Baptism of the Lord
Clergy on holiday Baptism of the Lord dressed in white robes. The main feature of the Epiphany service is the blessing of water. The water is blessed twice. On the eve, January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve - the Great Blessing of Water, which is also called the Great Agiasma. And the second time - on the day of the Epiphany, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy.
The first tradition most likely goes back to the ancient Christian practice of baptizing catechumens after the morning service of Theophany. And the second is connected with the custom of Palestinian Christians to march on the day of Theophany to the Jordan to the traditional place of the baptism of Jesus Christ.
Prayers of the Baptism of the Lord
Troparion of the Baptism of the Lord
voice 1
In the Jordan, baptized by You, Lord, Trinity worship appeared: For the voice of the parents testified to You, calling Your beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove, known to your word affirmation. Appear, Christ God, and enlighten the world, glory to Thee.
Translation:
When You, Lord, were baptized in the Jordan, the worship of the Most Holy Trinity appeared, for the voice of the Father testified of You, calling You the beloved Son, and the Spirit, who appeared in the form of a dove, confirmed the truth of this word. Christ God, who appeared and enlightened the world, glory to Thee!
Kontakion of the Baptism of the Lord voice 4th
Thou hast appeared today to the universe, and Thy light, O Lord, is signified upon us, in the mind of those who sing Thee: Thou hast come, and Thou hast appeared the unapproachable Light.
Translation:
You have now appeared to the whole world; and Your light, O Lord, has imprinted itself upon us, consciously singing to You: “You have come and appeared, Light impregnable!”
Magnification of the Baptism of the Lord
We magnify Thee, Life-Giver Christ, for the sake of us now baptized in the flesh from John in the waters of the Jordan.
Translation:
We glorify You, Christ, the Giver of life, because You are now baptized for us in the flesh from John in the waters of the Jordan.
Holy Epiphany water
Water on the Epiphany is consecrated twice. On the eve of January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, 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, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy. The first tradition most likely goes back to the ancient Christian practice of baptizing catechumens after the morning service of Theophany. And the second is connected with the custom of Christians of the Jerusalem Church to march on the day of Theophany to the Jordan to the traditional place of the baptism of Jesus Christ.
By tradition, Epiphany water is kept for a year - until the next Epiphany holiday. They drink it on an empty stomach, reverently and with prayer.
When to recruit baptismal water?
Water on the Epiphany is consecrated twice. On the eve of January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, 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, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy. When to sanctify water, it does not matter at all.
Swimming in the hole (Jordan) for Epiphany
In Russia simple people called the Epiphany "Water Baptism" or "Jordan". Jordan - an ice hole in the shape of a cross or a circle, cut in any reservoir and consecrated on the day of the Baptism of the Lord. After the consecration, the daring guys and men took a dip and even swam in the icy water; It was believed that in this way one could wash away one's sins. But this is only popular superstition. The Church teaches us that sins are washed away only by repentance through the sacrament of Confession. And swimming is just a tradition. And here, firstly, it is important to understand that this tradition is completely optional for execution. Secondly, one should remember the reverent attitude towards the shrine - baptismal water. That is, if we still decide to bathe, then we must do it reasonably (taking into account the state of health) and reverently - with prayer. And, of course, not replacing the presence of a festive divine service in the temple with bathing.
Epiphany Christmas Eve
The Feast of the Epiphany is preceded by Epiphany Christmas Eve, or the Invocation of the Epiphany. On the eve of the holiday, Orthodox Christians observe a strict fast. The traditional dish of this day is sochivo, which is made from cereals (such as wheat or rice), honey and raisins.
Sochivo
To prepare juicy you will need:
- wheat (grain) - 200 g
- peeled nuts - 30 g
- poppy - 150 g
- raisins - 50 g
- fruits or berries (apple, blackberry, raspberry, etc.) or jam - to taste
- vanilla sugar - to taste
- honey and sugar - to taste
- cream - 1/2 cup.
Wash the wheat well hot water, covering the grain, and cook in a saucepan over low heat until soft (or in a clay pot, in the oven), periodically adding hot water. Rinse the poppy seeds, steam with hot water for 2-3 hours, drain the water, grind the poppy seeds, add sugar, honey, vanilla sugar or any jam, crushed nuts, raisins, fruits or berries to taste, add 1/2 cup of cream or milk or boiled water, and combine all this with boiled wheat, put in a ceramic bowl and serve chilled.
According to the materials of the magazine "Foma" and the site http://foma.ru/
Baptism is popularly called Epiphany and is celebrated annually on January 19, in 2018 this date falls on Friday. In Russia given event is not classified as a non-working day, although it is an official holiday.
The ancient and revered by all Christians feast of the Baptism of the Lord is becoming one of the most anticipated events in the entire church year. Everyone knows about this holiday who has ever heard of Orthodox faith, which is why it is not surprising that even in modern world people continue to adhere to the strict canons of celebrating this wonderful day.
Epiphany 2018: The history of the holiday
This church holiday has been celebrated exactly since more than 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ was baptized by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River. It is believed that after the baptism itself, the holy spirit descended from heaven in the form of a white dove. All heard the voice of God, which said: “You are My Beloved Son; My favor is in you!" Starting from that day, Jesus began his earthly mission, which ended, as everyone knows, with the resurrection, which became the progenitor of the Easter holiday. After baptism, Jesus Christ went into the desert, where he remained for 40 days and nights, preparing himself for the fulfillment of his sacred duty.
Epiphany 2018: Traditions of the holiday. Do's and Don'ts
Over time, the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord has acquired a huge number of traditions that are sacredly revered by people to this day. Perhaps the most significant of them is the rite of bathing in the hole, the features of which should be known to everyone who wants to perform this action. Before bathing, a hole is cut through the ice, which is commonly called the Jordan in honor of the river in which Jesus was baptized. The priest dips the crucifix into the water and reads a prayer, which sanctifies this place for further rites. You should plunge three times with your head, after which it is customary to read a prayer and get out of the water. It would seem, why expose your body to such stress on days when the Russian winter is especially fierce? However, bathing in the hole at Epiphany is an ancient and wise tradition. It is believed that on this day, water in natural springs acquires special properties: after bathing in such water, not only diseases, ailments, evil eyes are washed away, but also sins, of which a lot could have accumulated by this moment ...
- People with diseases of the heart, nervous and vascular system as well as pregnant women and children. This is especially true for the latter, since childhood the process of thermoregulation has not yet been formed, which is why the children's body is at risk of getting serious complications.
- You can not swim while intoxicated - because it is life-threatening!
- You can have a hearty meal before diving, but at the same time - do not overeat, and after that - drink hot tea.
If you follow all the rules, then this procedure at the Baptism of the Lord will certainly have a beneficial effect on your well-being: both physical and spiritual.
Epiphany 2018: Tradition to collect Epiphany water
Of course, not everyone will be able to plunge into the hole on January 19, 2018, but at the same time, each of us will be able to collect holy baptismal water for ourselves, and we will tell you further how, where and when it is best to collect baptismal water.
It should be noted that the consecration of water in churches takes place both on January 18 on Epiphany Eve (after the Divine Liturgy), and on the feast of the Epiphany itself. On these two days, you can collect baptismal holy water, while there is no difference when it is collected in the temple - on January 18 or 19. If you decide to draw water from the tap, then, accordingly, the best period for this will be the period from 00:10 to 01:30, which falls on the night of January 18-19, while water you can also dial later, throughout the 19th (until 24:00).
It is forbidden to quarrel and do bad deeds when holy water is in the hands.
Baptism 2018: Signs
This holiday has many signs, both in relation to life and nature:
It is bad luck to dilute holy water;
Starting from Christmas Eve, it is not advised to lend money. Otherwise, the culprit may be short of money for a year;
You can not perceive the holiday, only as entertainment to plunge into the hole;
A good sign for Baptism is the completion of some business;
Any agreement on this day necessarily ends in success;
Nature at Baptism also says a lot:
Heavy snowfall and dark clouds at Epiphany portend a rich harvest in autumn;
Barking dogs at night is good news;
A cross painted on the doors can protect the house from evil spirits;
On holidays, nothing can be taken out of the house, otherwise there will be material losses.
The Baptism of the Lord is one of the largest Orthodox holidays. This day in our country is celebrated annually on January 19.
In Russia, this important event is celebrated quite widely, services are held in all churches, and people, believers and non-believers, visit churches to pray and collect blessed water.
From the history of the event
According to the Gospel, when Jesus Christ was 30 years old, he found John the Baptist, who was in those days in the city of Bethabara near the Jordan River. Then many people were baptized by John in the Jordan River, as they believed in his prophecies, including the imminent appearance of the Messiah.
The rite of baptism in the Jordan River for John and his followers symbolized renewal, the replacement of the old law with the new one that the Messiah would bring with him.
On the day when Christ himself appeared to the prophet to undergo the rite of Baptism, John the Baptist did not believe that the Messiah himself had visited him. And Jesus humbly answered that he had to fulfill the truth and received Baptism from the prophet.
They say that on the Day of the Baptism of the Lord, unprecedented events took place, or rather, the sky opened, and a voice was heard from heaven.
It was after this event that Christ was followed by his first disciples Andrew, Simon, Philip, Nathanael, who later became apostles. And the baptized Jesus went to the desert for 40 days, where he fervently prayed and fasted, being tempted by the Devil. After that, he returned to the world to fulfill his destiny.
It is not known for certain when Jesus lived, was born and baptized. Theologians believe that he lived in the 1st century BC, was born from 12 to 4 BC, and was baptized 30 years after his birth. At 33, Jesus was crucified on the cross.
Christ was baptized in the backwaters of Yardenit, where the sacred Jordan River merges with Lake Tiberias. Many true believers now want to be baptized there.
The first mention of Epiphany as a holiday
But at first, two holidays, Christmas and Epiphany, were not separated, they were celebrated on the same day on January 6, and the event was called Epiphany.
Only at the end of the 4th century AD did the Baptism of the Lord become an independent date. But a certain unity between these two events has still been preserved, the day before Christmas and Epiphany it is necessary to observe fasting, and the evening on the eve of both church holidays is called Christmas Eve.
Good to know: Christmas and Epiphany are connected by the period from January 7 to 17, which is called Christmas time.
Traditions and customs of Baptism
On the eve of Epiphany, you need to fast all day, and in the evening, with the appearance of the first star, you can only eat meatless dishes. You should sit down to eat only after prayer.
On the eve of Christmas Eve, Christians thoroughly cleaned the house. They washed all the corners, and where, according to popular beliefs, there could be evil spirits, they painted crosses in the windows, corners. It is believed that on the evening before Epiphany, evil spirits are especially dangerous.
One of the main traditions on the Epiphany evening is washing in the hole. It is believed that in this way a person washes away all his sins with holy water, is charged with health and strength for the coming year. On this holy day, girls and women dipped viburnum or coral in the consecrated water and washed themselves with that water so that their faces looked healthy and their cheeks were rosy.
It is believed that from 00.00 at night until 24.00 on January 19, holy water comes from all sources, which has powerful healing properties. According to beliefs, holy water can cure many diseases, fight spoilage, the evil eye, etc. Services are held in the churches on the morning of January 19, the water is additionally blessed. Holy water keeps its healing properties exactly a year.
Believers traditionally go to church on this day, and not only in the morning for the blessing of water, but throughout the day. On this day, you need to pray and devote yourself to spiritual enlightenment. In the temple, people wash themselves, drink holy water.
On the table on this great feast, according to custom, it is necessary to put a dozen dishes. It can be cereals, jelly, meat, pancakes, etc. After eating, all family members, young and old, thank the Lord for the bread and set off to release the pigeons.
There are some prohibitions on this great divine holiday. So, on January 19 you can not practice physical labor, you should clean up in advance, in extreme cases, this can be done before lunch. But washing is strictly prohibited not only on January 19, but also within 2 days after.
On the day of Epiphany, you can not drink alcohol, it is permissible to use only a glass of Cahors. You should definitely not guess at Epiphany, be rude, greedy and rude on this day.
sermon for baptism
Traditionally, on January 19 in Russia, His Holiness the Patriarch celebrates a long solemn liturgy in the church and addresses the faithful with words of prayer and sermon. The service is televised.
The Epiphany of the Lord is one of the most revered religious holidays among Russians. Visiting churches, temples, jumping into the hole, collecting holy water have become folk traditions on this day.
The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is called the Epiphany in a different way, since it first appeared to the world Holy Trinity It was on this very day that God the Father proclaimed the Son from heaven, the Son received Baptism in the Jordan River, and the Holy Spirit descended on the Son in the form of a dove.
All four Gospels testify to this: "... Jesus came in those days from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized in the Jordan by John, and when he came out of the water, John immediately saw the heavens open and the Spirit, like a dove descending on Him. And a voice came from heaven : "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Sputnik Georgia asked about the history of the feast of the Epiphany and what traditions, customs and signs are associated with it in Orthodoxy.
Epiphany
Christians have been celebrating the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ from the prophet John the Baptist in the Jordan River since ancient times.
One of the very first Christian holidays began to be celebrated during the life of the apostles - it is mentioned in the apostolic decrees and rules. The Baptism of the Lord and Christmas until the 4th century were a single holiday, which was called the Epiphany.
On Epiphany, in the first centuries of Christianity, new converts were baptized - they were called catechumens. As a sign that the Sacrament of Baptism cleanses a person from sin and enlightens with the Light of Christ, this day was often called "the day of Enlightenment", "the feast of Lights", or "holy Lights". The custom to sanctify water in reservoirs was already then.
© photo: Sputnik / Yuri Kaver
The separate celebration of the Nativity of Christ and the Baptism of the Lord was first introduced around 377 in the Church of Constantinople. Later, the custom of celebrating the Nativity of Christ on December 25 spread from Constantinople throughout the Orthodox East.
On Epiphany Christmas Eve, fasting is strict, and, in principle, it is not supposed to eat until the blessing of water. This is the first fast day, in fact, after Christmas, since before that Christmas time is celebrated in the church when there is no fasting.
In some Eastern churches, the ancient combination of holidays remains. For example, Armenians continue to celebrate Christmas and Epiphany on the same day - January 6th.
The meaning of the feast of the Epiphany is explained in liturgical texts as follows: the Lord accepted baptism for the salvation of people, not for his own purification, which He did not need. The modern Sacrament of Baptism gives the grace of God because the water of baptism is sanctified by the Lord.
Traditions
Agiasma or Epiphany water is one of the main shrines in Orthodox churches Every year the Great Blessing of Water is performed on Epiphany and on the eve of the holiday - on Epiphany Christmas Eve.
The tradition of blessing water on the eve of the holiday is believed to go back to the ancient Christian practice of Baptism after the morning service of the Epiphany of the catechumens.
The blessing of water on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is associated with the custom of the Christians of the Jerusalem Church to march to the Jordan, to the traditional place of the baptism of Jesus Christ, on the day of Theophany.
© photo: Sputnik / Alexander Kryazhev
The special healing properties of holy water, which replenishes the spiritual and bodily strength of a person who accepts it with faith, were noticed even in the ancient Church.
And today, after a special prayer service, during which the healing grace of the Holy Spirit is called to the water, according to tradition, believers in the temple drink baptismal water, wash their faces with it, fill their bottles with agiasma and take them home.
The supplies of holy water, which should be kept at home by every Christian, are replenished by believers once a year. A special property of agiasma is that, in a small amount, even added to ordinary water, it transfers beneficial properties to it, so baptismal water can be diluted with plain water in case of its shortage.
Customs and rituals
The traditions and rituals of this holiday are rooted in ancient times. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord ended with Christmas time, which was a period of "without a cross" according to popular belief because Jesus Christ, who was recently born, had not yet been baptized.
On this day, "terrible evenings" also ended, during which otherworldly forces roamed freely in the world of people. On Epiphany Christmas Eve, it was believed that this evil spirits became especially dangerous. Accordingly, many rites and traditions in the old days were carried out in order to cleanse ourselves of evil spirits and lock the boundaries between the living and the dead.
People prepared for the feast of the Epiphany very carefully - they put things in perfect order in the house, swept and washed the floors, as they believed that the devils could hide in the rubbish.
They fumigated with incense smoke, sprinkled with holy water and drew crosses with chalk in all places where evil spirits could lurk - corners, windows, doors, a cellar, a stove, outbuildings and gates.
People sat down at the festive table with a prayer, when the first star lit up in the sky. On Epiphany Christmas Eve, dinner, which consisted of lenten dishes, had its own name - "hungry kutya".
The whole family gathers at the festive table, as before Christmas - in the old days it was believed that if all generations of the same kind come together, then a large family will live the whole next year in the same composition, and most importantly, in good health.
Kutya and uzvar, as well as fish, dumplings, pancakes, vegetables and sweet pastries were always served on the festive table. According to tradition, after dinner, so that the year was fruitful for bread, all the spoons were put in one bowl, which was covered with bread.
In order to find out their future, people on the night of Epiphany listened to cattle, as they believed that on Epiphany Christmas Eve, pets acquire the ability to speak human language.
Epiphany Christmas Eve was also the last day on which Christmas fortune-telling was held - on this night, young people spent their last gatherings with fortune-telling, games and songs.
According to tradition, the girls wondered about the betrothed, about the future - on this night, the same rituals are suitable for fortune-telling as on Christmas Eve before Christmas and the Old New Year.
Other traditions and customs
On the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, in the morning we went to church, where, after mass, the water is blessed with the Great rite. The blessing of water both on the eve and on the day of the holiday is carried out in the same order, so the water blessed on these days is no different.
Then the whole family had a meal - according to tradition, 12 different dishes were served on the festive table - cereals generously flavored with butter, jelly, baked pork, sausage, pancakes and so on. By the way, in some places in Russia, "square" pancakes were prepared so that "there would be money in the house."
After the meal, the whole family together thanked the Almighty for the bread present on the table, and set off to "let go" of the Christmas holidays - they let the white dove out of the cage.
Sputnik
During all the holidays until the Epiphany of the Lord, women tried not to go for water, as this was considered a purely male work, and did not rinse clothes in the river, because they believed that devils were sitting there and they could cling to them.
At the Baptism of the Lord, women must put viburnum or corals into a vessel with holy water and wash themselves, so that their cheeks are rosy.
At Epiphany, the girls also tried to find out their fate - from the very morning on a holiday, they went out onto the road and waited for a passerby. If a healthy economic man was the first to pass, this meant that they would soon meet their soul mate. But what if the child old man- they will not meet their beloved in the near future.
Signs
In the old days, people, according to baptismal signs, including those related to the weather, tried to find out what the coming year would bring them and what kind of harvest awaited them.
A snowstorm at the Baptism of the Lord - to be a harvest. If the snow bends the branches on the trees, there will be a good harvest, the bees will swarm well. Little snow on the branches of trees indicated that there would be few mushrooms and berries in summer.
The snowstorm also indicated that it would be cold on Maslenitsa, and strong south winds predicted a stormy summer.
The old people predicted the fertility of lambs if the stars on Epiphany evening shine and burn.
starry sky in Epiphany night- a sure sign that spring will be early, and summer and autumn will be very warm and rainy.
Spring can begin with strong floods and flooding of rivers if the Epiphany of the Lord coincided with the full moon.
A calm year without any unpleasant upheavals is predicted by calm weather and a clear sky on the feast of the Epiphany. This sign indicates that you can safely start something new - build a house, open your own business or start a family. Accordingly, all balanced decisions will bring only positive results.
Large snow cover or snowfall is a good sign, which indicated that no terrible epidemics and diseases were foreseen until the next Baptism of the Lord.
And rain or very strong wind at the Baptism of the Lord, indicated that the coming year would be very turbulent both politically and economically.
On the night of Epiphany, a silver bowl was placed on the table, filling it with water. Exactly at midnight, the water should sway, and what desire you have time to shout over the bowl at that moment will come true.
The girls collected Epiphany snow and ice in the open field, with which they wiped their faces so that it was white and ruddy.
Material prepared on the basis of open sources
A little history and tradition of this celebration, we will talk about this in this material. In the church year, this is one of the most important and expected events. A very ancient holiday, revered by all Orthodox believers, which follows the New Year holidays.
The Lord's Epiphany - Christmas time, the people often call the Epiphany (the appearance of God on earth), every year they celebrate - January 19th. These Christmas time are not considered non-working days in Russia, but this event is honored and celebrated at the official level.
This day is celebrated by Christians all over the world, but it is called differently everywhere. In Catholic countries, on January 19, Christmas time of the kings is celebrated, in Greece - Theophany, and among the fraternal peoples (Russia, Belarus, Ukraine) - this is the Baptism of the Lord.
According to church canons, this holiday was born at the time of Baptism in the waters of the Jordan River, Jesus Christ himself. As the church scripture tells, from above people heard a voice that said that the Son of God had come into the world, he must fulfill the will of his Father.
Together with the voice, a dove appeared in the sky, which became the personification of the Holy Spirit, and he confirmed the words of God. It was this event, the appearance on earth of the Father (God), the Son of God and the Holy Spirit, that Christians called the Epiphany or the Baptism of the Lord.
Catholics interpret this event a little differently. According to their belief, a couple of pagan kings appeared from heaven to Jesus Christ that evening, who made offerings to him. They saw in Jesus God, the supreme King and the Man himself. It is for this reason that Catholics call these Christmas holidays the feast of the kings.
The main traditions of the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord in Russia are:
- Swimming in the hole.
- Collection, storage and use of Holy water.
- Holy divination.
And the tradition follows. Believing Christians on January 19, right in the winter cold, in the cold (it is worth noting that on these calendar days the weather is often frosty), they go to plunge into the hole (font). It is believed that thanks to this, a person is cleansed, washes away everything impure, bad, is cleansed from the outside, and spiritually.
In addition, church ministers believe that simply bathing in a font will not get rid of sins, in order to cleanse and put the spiritual world in order, before plunging into icy water, a person must visit the church, repent, and pray.
According to the instructions of the church, they plunge into the hole as soon as the service ends on Christmas Eve, and this happens on the evening of January 18th.
Nowadays, everyone can plunge into the hole, the clergy are loyal to everyone, even to those who were not in the church at the service. But remember, in fact, to be cleansed of sins by plunging into the font, the person who had previously cleansed himself in the church can - he was in the church at the service, prayed, took communion, asked for God's blessing.
There are a few simple rules for bathing in the font (in the hole) at Epiphany.
- There is no need to enter the ice water for people who are in a state of intoxication.
- It is possible not to plunge into the hole for believers with diseases of the nervous, cardiac or vascular system, as well as for children and pregnant women.
- Before you plunge into the font, you need to have a hearty meal, and after bathing, drink a glass of warm tea.
- It is not necessary, the clergy say, to climb into the hole naked or in open bathing suits (one underwear), it is best if a woman puts on a nightgown before bathing.
- If you decide to carry out the rite of washing with your child, it is best not only to hold his hand when immersing, but to take it in your arms, to plunge with him.
- It is believed that all water is holy at Baptism, and therefore, if your child is not yet 3 years old, but you want to accustom him to the washing procedure, you can dip your child at home by drawing cold water into the bath from the tap.
If, this year, at Epiphany 2018, you follow these simple rules, bathing in a font will definitely cleanse your body and soul, and will have a good effect on your body, your well-being and your future destiny.
You can collect Holy water for Baptism in the church from the moment the evening service ends on Christmas Eve and the whole next day, that is, from the evening of January 18 to the evening of January 19.
Orthodox Christians keep Epiphany water in the house until the next holiday, that is, for a whole year. It remains clean and fresh all this time, and throughout the year, living water is used:
- cleaning the house, yard, buildings on the site;
- as a drink for illnesses, loss of strength, minor ailments;
- for sprinkling barns and livestock;
- to pacify and calm the kids (you just need to wash the continuously crying child with Holy water so that he calms down).
It is forbidden to use holy water collected at Baptism for cleaning the house - washing windows, floors, etc., as well as for washing and divination. Holy water is aimed at the benefit of a person, to help, to cleanse, it must be honored and used exclusively for good purposes and with good intentions.
According to tradition, Orthodox believers in Russia prepare for Baptism in advance - they observe strict fasting, pray, attend church, and do not do any hard homework from January 7 to 19. The holiday itself begins on the evening of January 18th. At this time, a festive service is going on in the church, which ends with the blessing of water and bathing in the hole (in the font).
Prior to the start of the service, parishioners visit the temple, confess, take communion. After that it starts divine liturgy people rejoice in the appearance of God on earth. At the end of the festive service, the clergy bless the water and pass Procession those who want to plunge into the font, collect Holy water and go home to celebrate the holiday with relatives and close people.
Lenten dishes should be on the table that day and, according to tradition, at least 12 varieties. Usually, believing Christians treat guests with kutya, pancakes, jelly on oatmeal and other similar foods.
With the celebration of the Epiphany, in addition to dipping into the hole and bringing Holy water into the house, the people have many more rituals and all kinds of signs.
So, if on the night of January 18-19 you put a silver bowl filled with water on the table, then exactly at midnight you can notice how the water in the dishes will sway on level ground without wind and draft. At this moment, you need to pronounce your most cherished desire as loudly as possible and it will certainly come true.
Many believers on Epiphany day try to baptize their babies, there is a belief that then the children will be happy and healthy. Folk wisdom says that "To be baptized at Baptism is to live happy all your life."
Another important folk omen promising good luck and luck, it is considered the resolution of some big conflicts on a holiday. If you can manage things, this indicates that the Lord so pleases and he extended a helping hand to you for this, you received a blessing from above.
On this day, young women wiped their faces with Epiphany snow. The girls believed that if you do this, then there will always be a blush on the face of the Russian beauty, and the skin of the face will be incredibly beautiful, silky.
Young beauties, who were still unmarried, from January 18 to 19, were guessing for their betrothed, for the future, for their own destiny. It was believed among the people that fortune-telling on this day was the most reliable, and the rituals for performing them were usually the same as for Christmas fortune-telling.
Believers have their own signs about the celebration of the Epiphany.
- It is considered a bad sign to dilute the collected sacred water with other water or something else. This can lead to grief.
- It is forbidden to swear and quarrel, shout, utter bad words, wish someone evil, holding holy water in your hands.
- In no case, starting from the moment of Christmas Eve and until January 20, you should not borrow money, as well as take something out of the house and give it to other people for use. There is a belief that in this case you can become poorer or start to lack money.
- It is forbidden on Christmas Eve to clean the house, wash, sew and iron something, these days should be taken as a great holiday, then your life will have more fun and happiness, more pleasant days, and more strength and health in the body.
- It is favorable to solve some serious matters and conclude contracts on this day. It is believed that any agreement is often crowned with success on this day.
- A good action would be a marriage proposal on the day of Epiphany 2018, such an offer will in any case end with a wedding and a joyful family life.
- It was considered auspicious sign in Russia to draw a cross on the door on a holiday. This makes it possible, believers are sure, to save the house and family hearth from all evil spirits.
There are also natural signs for Baptism:
- If on the night of January 18-19 there are dark clouds and it snows, there will be a good harvest.
- On Epiphany night, a loud barking of dogs is heard - this indicates that you need to wait for good news.
- If there is a full moon in the sky during Christmas Eve, you need to wait for heavy floods in the spring.
Well, in conclusion, I would like to say, believe in God, honor church holidays and canons, try to observe the established traditions of your people, your ancestors, be polite with loved ones, live in peace and harmony and you will definitely be a happy person!
Congratulations to everyone on the holiday - Epiphany 2018! Happiness and All the Blessings!
