The New Year holidays have come to an end. Tomorrow is Epiphany. And although the weather outside my window is not Epiphany weather at all - there are puddles on the asphalt from the night rain, which means that

the temperature outside is above zero - for me Epiphany remains one of the most mysterious and enigmatic holidays. On this day, the Universe lifts the curtain and we can find out our future, solve seemingly insoluble problems, and get answers to questions that concern us.

If anyone doesn’t know, Epiphany as a holiday was established in honor of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. The ritual of baptism itself implies repentance, deliverance from sins. And although Jesus had nothing to repent of, he, showing humility, accepted Baptism from John and thereby sanctified the watery nature. Since then, on the day of Epiphany, all the world’s waters, the waters of the entire Earth - starting from a small stream and ending with the oceans - on this day become holy. This also applies to tap water. You don't have to go to church to get holy water. On the morning of January 19, it is enough to open the tap in your apartment, fill a clean jar with water and close the lid tightly. This is enough for you to have holy water in your house for a whole year. No one has yet been able to explain this phenomenon, but scientists have established the fact that there are no harmful microorganisms in Epiphany water.

As you understand, the blessing of water by someone is not required - neither by a priest, nor even by the Pope, but churches continue to carry out this ritual. But this is not so important. The important thing is that Epiphany water actually has miraculous properties and can heal both body and soul. Therefore, it is necessary that Epiphany water be in the house all year round. In case of illness, you need to drink it; you can cleanse the room or things by sprinkling them with holy water. If you sanctify your home with Epiphany water, there will always be peace and order in it.

BAPTISM: HOW TO CORRECTLY CLEANSE A HOUSE WITH HOLY WATER

It is necessary to sprinkle the home with a pinch of your right hand, in a cross pattern, going around the room clockwise. That is, starting from the entrance, go deep into the house on the left side and go around all the rooms. You should finish sprinkling where you started, at the front door. When sprinkling, the door or window must be open or slightly open. Sprinkle the house with holy water with the words “By sprinkling this holy water, so that every unclean and demonic action may be transformed.”

The fact is that all our thoughts and emotions have their own energy. Thought is material, no matter what skeptics say. All our quarrels at home, squabbles, minor conflicts leave their energetic trace in the house. This negative energy accumulates in the corners of the apartment and does not intend to simply disappear. There is a version that this negative energy, like a spark, tries to ignite a flame. That is, it will influence the people living in this room with the aim of provoking them to new scandals and anger. And so on constantly until it becomes so strong that the life of people in such a house becomes a nightmare. Therefore, after every more or less serious quarrel, it is necessary to clean your home, which is enough to do once a week. I would like there to be no quarrels and troubles at all, but that doesn’t happen. Therefore, if you still have a conflict with your loved one, try not to give in to emotions. The more negative emotions, the greater the release of negative energy. You not only disrupt the structure of your home, which leads to even stronger scandals, fatigue, apathy, and reluctance to do anything around the house, but you also disrupt your energy structure, which is fraught with illness and the rapid fading of youth. The apartment needs cleaning.

To cleanse your home of negativity, elementary but effective methods are used. Firstly, ventilate your home at least once a week. The air contains charged particles that are good at destroying clots of negative energy and thereby cleansing your home. Moreover, without going into the teachings of Feng Shui, I will say that stagnant air in the house interferes with your material and financial well-being. Try to do wet cleaning once a week. Add a tablespoon of salt to a bucket of water. It is believed that God has the properties of stability and constancy, and the devil of destruction and chaos. According to magical analogies, salt is a substance with positive energy, since, being a preservative, it prevents destruction. This means he resists the devil. I will not prove whether it is positive or not, but over all the years of my work, and there have been several dozen home cleansings, including poltergeist cleansing, salt has shown its effectiveness. Naturally, it must be used wisely and should not be used for wiping furniture that does not like salt. If it is possible to make silver water, then you can use it for cleaning. Be sure to keep a geranium bush at home. There is no hassle with it, and the protection is excellent. Light natural wax candles more often. Unlike paraffin and stearin candles, wax contains a large charge of pure positive energy, which will be absorbed by your body and cleanse your apartment. When walking around an apartment with a candle, which many people do, always move in the direction of the sun. You should end your walk where you started. Hold near the corners and, baptizing them with a candle, say “Let all unclean and demonic power, black thoughts, dark energy burn out.” Traditionally, the round is done three times. When walking around, be sure to open the window. Negative force needs a way out of the room. If you don’t open the window or another way to the street, then it will simply be a matter of moving the negative through the rooms, stopping in the same place.

There is no need to collect a lot of Epiphany water, since as you use it, you can add plain water. According to legend, even one drop of Epiphany water can sanctify the ocean.

BAPTISM - TRADITIONS

I will say a few words about baptismal traditions. January 17th - the merry Christmastide is over, and on the 18th in the evening Epiphany Christmas Eve will begin - on this day you need to observe strict fasting. Let me make a reservation right away - this is not my opinion, these are traditions. And to comply with it or not is everyone’s business. I personally believe that what comes out of a person's mouth is more important than what goes in. But I’m not going to argue with anyone and prove anything to anyone about this. I didn’t come up with these words, Jesus Christ said so. If you don't believe, re-read the New Testament.

After a prayer service in church, upon returning home, it is customary to mark all the windows and doors of the house with a cross drawn with chalk or candle soot. It is believed that in this way you can protect your home from the penetration of evil spirits, which are especially active this evening.

According to tradition, as on Christmas evening, the whole family is supposed to sit down at the table, on which only Lenten dishes and kutia made from rice, honey and raisins are served. This is called kutya - sochivo.

But the main tradition, although, in my opinion, useless (the priests need to do something), is the blessing of water. The priest lowers the cross into the water, or into an ice hole, or into a container of water. By bathing in a consecrated ice hole, people are cured of illnesses and cleansed of sins.

How to swim in an ice hole for Epiphany

On the eve of the Feast of Epiphany, rivers are specially cut down and ice holes are equipped for mass bathing of believers. What the population of these cities is informed about in the media.

There are no strict rules on how to swim (plunge) in the ice hole at Epiphany.

As a rule, bathing involves immersing your head in water three times. At the same time, the believer is baptized and says “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit!”
Since ancient times, it has been believed that bathing at Epiphany promotes healing from various ailments.

Water is living matter. It has the ability to change its structure under the influence of a source of information. Therefore, with whatever thoughts you approach it, that’s what you will receive. To plunge into cold water, no special preparation is required. The human body is designed to experience frequent exposure to cold. All you need is the attitude.

What happens to the human body when it comes into contact with cold water? For example, when swimming in an ice hole in winter?

1. Immersing your head in ice water, the water instantly awakens the central nervous part of the brain, and the brain heals the body.

2. Short-term exposure to low and ultra-low temperatures is perceived by the body as positive stress: it relieves inflammation, pain, swelling, spasm.

3. Our body is enveloped in air, the thermal conductivity of which is 28 times less than the thermal conductivity of water. This is the trick of cold water hardening. And during a short run in the snow (for example, to an ice hole and back), only 10% of the body surface is cooled.

4. Cold water releases the deep forces of the body; the body temperature after contact with it reaches 40º, at which viruses, microbes and diseased cells die.
Systematic winter swimming helps to improve the health of the body, but diving into an ice hole once a year is extremely stressful for the body.

Safety rules for swimming in an ice hole at Epiphany

Are you planning to swim in an ice hole for the first time at Epiphany? In order for everything to go without harm to the body, you need to know a few simple rules. Even priests advise those who are not feeling very well not to take risks: swimming in cold water can be dangerous for those suffering from heart disease, hypertension, diseases of the respiratory organs, skin...

For young children, going to the ice hole is also contraindicated: they do not yet have an established thermoregulation system.

If your health is fine, some preparation for ablution in Jordan is still needed. First, a few hours before swimming, you need to eat a hearty meal: the body will need calories to cope with the temperature surge. But drinking alcohol before diving into an ice hole is strictly prohibited: the effects of alcohol in a stressful situation for the body can be dangerous.

Choose clothes and shoes carefully: everything should be easy to take off and put on. It is worth taking with you non-slip slippers to wear when approaching Jordan, and a mat to stand on after ablution.

Before entering Jordan, you need to warm up: do a light warm-up. Enter the hole without being in too much of a hurry. Going up to your knees, rinse your face, and only then dive in. You shouldn't be in the water for more than 10 seconds.

Coming out of the ice hole, the first thing you need to do is put on a hat, dry yourself with a towel, get dressed and get into the warmth as soon as possible. It’s good to sip hot tea with honey from a thermos, but drinking alcohol within a few hours after bathing is again not recommended.

Swimming in ice water causes the adrenal glands to produce a large dose of anti-inflammatory hormones. They will protect the body for a couple more days, but in the next week take care of your health: the “surge” of the body’s natural defenses will be replaced by a decline, at this time you should especially take care of yourself.

Fortune telling

And although fortune-telling is not included in church traditions, this is what many young girls look forward to. And for good reason. After all, it is on this day that you can find out when you will get married, and what name your future husband will have, and where to expect him. If you are not interested in questions of this kind, at Epiphany you can find out what life will be like in general. There are many types of fortune telling: with candles, with water, and with a mirror. You can make a dream on this day so that you will see the answer.

I have already talked about my dreams and types of fortune telling. By the way, fortune telling for Christmas and Epiphany are the same. So watch, read, guess. Let fortune telling for Epiphany predict only happiness, good luck, health and prosperity for you!

On the night of January 18-19, Orthodox Christians all over the world celebrate one of their most revered holidays - the Baptism of the Lord, also called Epiphany.

Rules for treatment with Epiphany water

WHEN TO TAKE WATER?

So, if you are tormented by illnesses, stock up on healing Epiphany water. This water, collected on the night of January 18-19, from 0:10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m. or a little later, as well as for several days after the holiday, has been considered miraculous from time immemorial. At this time, “the sky opens” and the prayer addressed to God will be heard.

If you want to collect blessed Epiphany water after bathing, you don’t have to bring canisters. A small bottle is enough. According to Christian canons, any water can be made holy if you add a little baptismal water to it - from a temple or from Jordan. Festive services will be held in all Orthodox churches on the night from 18 to 19. But it is not necessary to come on this particular day. Water becomes holy after a special water blessing prayer. Access to containers with Epiphany water is open in churches for several days.

Our grandparents used it for treatment, cleansing, expelling evil spirits and bad thoughts, splashing it on a person’s face or in the corners of the house.

Want to check it out? It is not hard. Just try to do everything exactly according to the rules, carefully preserved in people's memory.

• I pray at the dawn of the coming day:
  make me healthy some water!
• The stones have accumulated over the years for no use,
  turn them into fine sand.
• Gallbladder and bladder
  to be cleansed by you.
• Glands, lungs, liver, stomach,
  clean the ducts, pores, vessels.
• Oxygen was supplied to the brain
  Rinse all capillaries with water!
• Make my life healthy
  I pray for healing water in the morning.

AFTER THE FIRST STAR

On Christmas Eve, January 18, you cannot eat anything until the first stars appear in the sky. Drink only clean water, try to spend the whole day quietly and calmly, without getting irritated, without entering into conflicts, keep the house clean and tidy. In the evening, after the first star, you can have dinner. Prepare glass containers with lids, such as 3-liter jars or bottles. Sterilize them thoroughly.

After 0 hours 10 minutes, fill this container with water from a well, spring or other clean source. You can just do it from the tap. It is advisable to pass it through a cleaning filter, but this is not a prerequisite. Take at least 3 liters and close the jars with lids.

It is better to store Epiphany water in a cool, dark place. And if in the future for some reason you want to pour this water, then under no circumstances pour it into the toilet or sink.

Dilute with plain water and then pour or water the plants (by the way, it has been noted that undiluted Epiphany water has different effects on plants: some bloom, others, on the contrary, die. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and act carefully).

HOW TO TAKE A BATH?

• This night, pour yourself with Epiphany water three times or take a bath. Between 0:10 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., fill the bathtub with cold tap water. Cross the water and yourself three times, read the prayer and hit the chest with the fist of your right hand three times to cause a body vibration that is in harmony with the vibrations of the water.
• Then, without screaming or making noise, sit in the bath and plunge your head three times, hitting your chest each time.
• Silently leave the bath (if someone else in your household wants to swim in Epiphany water, fill the bath with new water).
• Do not dry yourself immediately; let the water absorb into the skin. At this time, perform self-massage or vigorously tap your fingers all over your body from head to toe. Then put on warm clothes, underwear, socks, everything new and always washed and ironed. Drink herbal tea with honey.

IS YOUR WATER “BOILING”?

Does cold water scare you? Are you afraid of a cold? Then dilute the cold Epiphany water with hot water to the temperature you can withstand. Children and the elderly can take a warm bath during the day rather than at night.

While bathing, pay attention to how the water behaves in the bath. If, when immersed in it, the water “boils” or bubbles appear, it means that the cleansing process is very active, the evil eye is removed, and negative energy comes out.

How to swim properly at Epiphany so as not to get sick

Both old and young swim at Epiphany. But without special preparation, swimming can be dangerous for children and the elderly. It is better to prepare in advance by gradually hardening yourself by pouring cold water at home in the bathroom. Precautionary measures must be observed by everyone who decides to swim at Epiphany. Doctors warn people with hypertension, rheumatism, atherosclerosis or tuberculosis from swimming at Epiphany. Swimming at Epiphany is also unacceptable for other acute chronic diseases. Doctors warn that swimming in ice water can lead to negative consequences. After all, winter swimming in an ice hole puts all the mechanisms of human thermoregulation into maximum tension and this can cause shock.

Well, if you are healthy, then follow these recommendations: how to swim properly at Epiphany:

• You can swim on Epiphany only in an ice hole where there is a special entrance to the water;
• never go swimming at Epiphany alone, there should be a person nearby who can help if necessary;
• Alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited before swimming; do not swim on an empty stomach or immediately after eating;
• Bring a blanket with you, as well as clothes that are comfortable for changing.

Epiphany is a holiday with history and rich traditions. But the main thing, of course, is not the ritual, but the great meaning that it carries. The Orthodox holiday of Epiphany is of great importance for believers, because this is the day when a person’s spiritual renewal occurs.

HOW LONG SHOULD I STORE WATER?

Epiphany water stored in glass containers can be used for a year or even longer. This is a very strong energy water, so drinking it constantly is not recommended. But to take it as a medicine, if you are unwell, add it to the bath (from one teaspoon to one glass per bath), rinse your mouth, wash your face, spray your face, eyes, whole body - it is very useful.

I remind you: there is no need to dry yourself. To cleanse the home, baptism water is sprinkled in the corners of the rooms, and then a small part of the water is poured into a glass vessel, without closing the lid, and left in the room.

Baptism - folk traditions

Previously, there were special folk traditions for celebrating the Epiphany or Epiphany. For example, at Epiphany it was customary to release doves - as a sign of Divine grace descending on Jesus Christ. Other folk traditions for Epiphany are known from legends.

In Rus', on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, as soon as the first church bell called for matins, pious believers lit a fire on the shore so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could also warm himself by the fire.

They began to prepare the Jordan a week before Epiphany: they cut a hole in the river, sawed out a large cross and placed it over the hole. The throne was also cut out of ice. The “royal doors” were decorated with Christmas tree branches.
On the morning of the holiday, after the service, everyone went to the river. After the blessing of the water in the river, all those gathered collected it in their dishes. It was believed that the sooner you scoop it up, the more holy it will be. There were brave souls who swam in the Jordan, remembering that it was impossible to catch a cold in the blessed water.

Then everyone went home. And while the women were setting the table, the eldest man in the family sprinkled the entire household with Epiphany water. Before eating, everyone drank consecrated water. After eating, the girls hurried to the river to wash themselves in “Jordanian water”, “so that their faces were pink.”

After Epiphany, it was forbidden to wash clothes in the river. According to legend, when a priest immerses a cross in water, all the evil spirits jump out of fear, and then sit on the shore and wait for someone to appear with dirty laundry. As soon as the laundry is lowered into the river, along it, like a ladder, all the evil spirits go into the water. Therefore, it was believed that the later women began to wash, the more wickedness would freeze out from the Epiphany frosts.

Fortune telling for Epiphany

There were other traditions - it was believed that miracles happened at Epiphany midnight: the wind subsided for a moment, complete silence reigned and the heavens opened. At this time, you can express your cherished wish, which will definitely come true.

There is another tradition at Epiphany, which, however, is not approved by the church. January 19 marks the end of Christmastide, the period of fortune telling in Rus'. On Epiphany night, the girls sought to understand what awaited them in the future, whether they would get married, whether the year would be successful.

Baptism - folk signs

Since ancient times, many folk signs have been associated with Epiphany. Many of them were related to the economic activities of peasants or predicted the weather, writes womanhappiness.ru/. For example, folk signs for Epiphany read:

• If the weather is clear and cold at Epiphany, the summer will be dry; cloudy and fresh - to a bountiful harvest.
• A full month for Epiphany means a big spring flood.
• Starry night on Epiphany - the summer will be dry, there will be a harvest for peas and berries.
• There will be a thaw at Epiphany - for the harvest, and a clear day at Epiphany - for a crop failure.
• The wind will blow from the south on Epiphany - it will be a stormy summer.
• If it snows during the liturgy, especially while going to the water, then next year is expected to be fruitful, and there will be many swarms of bees.

When is Epiphany The dogs were barking a lot, waiting for a successful hunting season: If dogs bark a lot on Epiphany, there will be plenty of all kinds of animals and game. Chickens are not fed at Epiphany so that the gardens are not dug in the summer and the seedlings are not spoiled.

The Russian folk calendar associates the holiday of Epiphany with frost. Epiphany frosts: “Cracking frost, not crackling, but Vodokreshchi has passed.

On the night of January 18-19, Orthodox Christians around the world celebrate one of their most revered holidays - the Epiphany, also called Epiphany, reports Iskra Svet.

WHEN TO TAKE WATER?

So, if you are tormented by illnesses, stock up on healing Epiphany water. This water, collected on the night of January 18-19, from 0:10 am to 1:30 am or a little later, has been considered miraculous since time immemorial. At this time, “the sky opens” and the prayer addressed to God will be heard.

Our grandparents used it for treatment, cleansing, expelling evil spirits and bad thoughts, splashing it on a person’s face or in the corners of the house.
Want to check it out? It is not hard. Just try to do everything exactly according to the rules, carefully preserved in people's memory.

AFTER THE FIRST STAR

On Christmas Eve, January 18, you cannot eat anything until the first stars appear in the sky. Drink only clean water, try to spend the whole day quietly and calmly, without getting irritated, without entering into conflicts, keep the house clean and tidy. In the evening, after the first star, you can have dinner. Prepare glass containers with lids, such as 3-liter jars or bottles. Sterilize them thoroughly.

After 0 hours 10 minutes, fill this container with water from a well, spring or other clean source. You can just do it from the tap. It is advisable to pass it through a cleaning filter, but this is not a prerequisite. Take at least 3 liters and close the jars with lids. It is better to store Epiphany water in a cool, dark place. And if in the future for some reason you want to pour this water, then under no circumstances pour it into the toilet or sink.

Dilute with plain water and then pour or water the plants (by the way, it has been noted that undiluted Epiphany water has different effects on plants: some bloom, others, on the contrary, die. Therefore, it is better not to take risks and act carefully).

HOW TO TAKE A BATH?

This night, pour yourself with baptismal water three times or take a bath. Between 0:10 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., fill the bathtub with cold tap water. Cross the water and yourself three times, read the prayer and hit the chest with the fist of your right hand three times to cause a body vibration that is in harmony with the vibrations of the water. Then, without screaming or making noise, sit in the bath and plunge your head three times, hitting your chest each time.

Silently leave the bath (if someone else in your household wants to swim in Epiphany water, fill the bath with new water).

Do not dry yourself immediately; let the water absorb into the skin. At this time, perform self-massage or vigorously tap your fingers all over your body from head to toe. Then put on warm clothes, underwear, socks, everything new and always washed and ironed. Drink herbal tea with honey.

IS YOUR WATER “BOILING”?

Does cold water scare you? Are you afraid of a cold? There, dilute the cold baptismal water with hot water to the temperature you can withstand. Children and the elderly can take a warm bath during the day rather than at night, but water still needs to be drawn from 0:10 a.m. to 1:30 a.m.

While bathing, pay attention to how the water behaves in the bath. If, when immersed in it, the water “boils” or bubbles appear, it means that the cleansing process is very active, the evil eye is removed, and negative energy comes out.

HOW LONG SHOULD I STORE WATER?

Epiphany water, stored in glass containers, can be used for a year or even more. This is a very strong energy water, so drinking it constantly is not recommended. But to take it as a medicine, if you are unwell, add it to the bath (from one teaspoon to one glass per bath), rinse your mouth, wash your face, spray your face, eyes, whole body - it is very useful.

I remind you: there is no need to dry yourself. To cleanse the home, baptism water is sprinkled in the corners of the rooms, and then a small part of the water is poured into a glass vessel, without closing the lid, and left in the room.

Already at the end of this working week, January 19, Orthodox believers celebrate the Feast of Epiphany. Historically, on this day, the main symbol of life on Earth - water - has a special power that can protect people from illness and trouble. How and when to collect Epiphany water - let's look into our material.

According to biblical scriptures, the Baptism of Jesus took place on the Jordan River. It was on this day that Christians believed in the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When Jesus entered the water, God's voice sounded from heaven, calling him his Son. At that same moment, the Holy Spirit descended to Jesus in the form of a dove.

Christians, remembering the memorable event, formed their traditions for Epiphany - on this day they bless water in churches and open reservoirs and plunge into ice holes to cleanse themselves of sins and receive the blessing of heaven for health, luck and prosperity in the next year.

Water has special properties at Epiphany - they say that on the night of January 18-19, it becomes healing and sacred even in an ordinary household tap. The water is collected and then stored for the entire next year, thus protecting one’s home from troubles and misfortunes, using it as a cure for ailments and the like.

When to collect water for Epiphany

Many believe that Epiphany water becomes magical only after it is consecrated in the temple. At the same time, deeply religious people will immediately refute this fact - absolutely all water becomes healing and miraculous, regardless of where and how it “flows”.

The water begins to have special properties after sunset on January 18 - Epiphany Eve, which is considered a mystical evening. The water retains its properties until lunch on January 19 - that is. until the end of all church rituals related to the illumination of open reservoirs and ice holes for swimming citizens.

If you are wondering when is the best time to collect water for storage, the answer is simple. If you go to a temple, then the water that was in it during the solemn service will be considered “your” baptismal water.

If for objective reasons you don’t go to the boor, but plan to take part in mass swimming in the ice hole, collect water there, because the clergy always sprinkle the water and bless it before the ritual bathing.

If you decide to collect water simply from the tap, but do not know what time the sacred water will flow from there, then we inform you that people say that the strongest time for collection falls between midnight and 1.30 on the night of 18 to 19 January. It is at this time that good begins to fight evil, which gets especially close to people on Epiphany Eve.

How and where to collect Epiphany water, how to store it

Epiphany water is considered sacred, and therefore must be treated with special respect. Do not even think about putting water into dirty dishes - such a ritual will be considered simply blasphemy. Glass or plastic containers - it doesn’t matter at all. At the same time, believers say that it is better to prefer glass, because plastic is not a natural material and is even harmful to human health.

As for how to properly collect water, there are also several unshakable rules. On Epiphany Christmas Eve, you must keep a strict fast - refrain from overeating and fast foods, at least out of respect for the holiday. While collecting water, read a prayer or turn to God in your own words - ask for forgiveness for sins and blessings from heaven.

You need to store Epiphany water in a place protected from light, but it is better to place it under the icon or in the corner where the images hang. It is unacceptable to pour holy water down the drain - if for any reason you decide to remove it from the house, go out into the yard and water the trees, share with friends or neighbors, but do not pour it, as they say, “down the sink.”

You should not store water for more than a year. If you collect it in reserve, but do not use it until the next Epiphany, it is better to pour it out. You should not imprison the shrine for a long time, as this can bring bad weather to your home. The grace of holy water does not decrease, no matter how long it is stored, but people who do not turn to the shrine are robbing themselves. It is best not to store water, but to share it with loved ones, neighbors and friends.

They say that holy water does not deteriorate over time, but if you still notice something wrong, immediately pour it into a river or other natural source. Holy water is not thrown onto the ground. It is poured into an “untrampled” place, that is, into a place where people do not walk (they do not trample underfoot) and dogs do not run. You can pour water into a river, into a flower pot, or into a clean place under a tree.

How to use Epiphany water

You should drink holy water in the morning on an empty stomach or in the evening before going to bed, take a spoonful (but not from a common container). Can be consumed together with a piece of prosphora.

If the medicine is prescribed to be taken on an empty stomach, then holy water is taken first, followed by the medicine. And then breakfast and other things to do.

In case of a very serious illness or if a person is in a state of intense spiritual struggle or despondency, it can be drunk in unlimited quantities, regardless of food intake.

After drinking, you need to pray for healing.

For pain or just a sore spot, you can apply a compress moistened with holy water.

You can only sprinkle it on your home (while reading a prayer), a car, or some other thing, also clothes, and even pets.

Women on critical days are not blessed to take Epiphany water. But this is if the woman is otherwise healthy, C-ib reports. And if she is sick, then even this circumstance does not matter.

In contact with

The baptism of Christ was performed by John the Baptist at his request. During his baptism on the Jordan River, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from Heaven declared: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” According to Christian teachings, it was on this day that God appeared in three persons: God the Father in voice, the Son of God in flesh, and the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. That is why the feast of Epiphany is often called Epiphany. The holiday of Epiphany is very important. It is believed that it was baptism that revealed the Savior to the world, who took upon himself all the sins of mankind. John Chrysostom wrote about this. And it was from the moment of baptism that Jesus began to preach the word of God and enlighten people.

Until now, the main traditions of the Epiphany holiday are associated with water. And the clergy traditionally wear white vestments on the feast of Epiphany.

How to celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord

The celebration of Epiphany (January 19) begins the day before - January 18. This day is called Epiphany Christmas Eve, as well as Hungry Kutya. By analogy with Christmas Eve, on the day before the feast of the Epiphany it is necessary keep a strict fast. Also on the eve of the feast of Epiphany, Orthodox prepared Lenten kutya. The festive dinner on Epiphany Eve was called “hungry kutya”. The obligatory dishes of this meal were kutia, pancakes, and oatmeal jelly.

Kutya, kolivo, kanun - a ritual funeral dish of the Slavs, porridge cooked from whole grains of wheat (barley, rice - Saracen millet or other cereals), poured with honey, honey syrup or sugar, with the addition of poppy seeds, raisins, nuts, milk or jam.

How to swim properly at Epiphany

For believers, bathing at Epiphany means communion with the special grace of the Lord, which he sends to all the water on this day. It is also believed that water at Epiphany brings health, both physical and spiritual. At the same time, the church warns against attaching any magical meaning to this tradition.

• Rules for bathing at Epiphany

Epiphany water - wonderful healing properties

In all springs consecrated at Epiphany, the water becomes holy and healing. It is believed, and this has many confirmations, that Epiphany holy water has miraculous and healing properties:

• Believers take it with them - Epiphany holy water has the ability not to spoil for a long time.
• Epiphany water is drunk on an empty stomach throughout the year, it is carefully preserved as a shrine and illnesses, both physical and mental, are treated.
• You can sprinkle your home with holy baptismal water to drive out evil spirits and bring the grace of God into the house.

Where to get Epiphany holy water

If you want to collect blessed Epiphany water after bathing, you don’t have to bring canisters. A small bottle is enough. According to Christian canons, any water can be made holy if you add a little baptismal water to it - from a temple or from Jordan. Festive services will be held in all Orthodox churches on the night from 18 to 19. But it is not necessary to come on this particular day. As explained in the Moscow Patriarchate, water becomes holy after a special water blessing prayer. Access to containers with Epiphany water will be open in churches for several days. In addition, on Epiphany, queues are expected to form for holy water, and it will be difficult to get to the temples. According to safety rules, on major religious holidays, parking near temples within 50 meters is prohibited.

When to collect Epiphany water

The rite of the Great Blessing of Water (Great Agiasma) is performed on Epiphany Eve (January 18) after the Divine Liturgy and on January 19 - on the day of the Epiphany itself. During both days, you can collect Epiphany water in any church. Both times the water is blessed with the same rite, so there is no difference in when to collect the water - on Christmas Eve or on the Feast of Epiphany itself.

If you decide to draw Epiphany water from the tap and want to know when is the best time to do it. It is better to collect water for Epiphany in the time interval from 00:10 to 01:30 on the night of January 18th to 19th. However, you can collect Epiphany water later - until 24:00 on January 19.

What you need to know before collecting water for Epiphany:

• It is better to collect Epiphany water not thoughtlessly, but after participating in a church service (in church) or prayer (at home);
• you need to pour water for Epiphany into a container without any markings - preferably into a special jug or flask purchased at a church store (in no case into a beer bottle)

Epiphany water is believed to have healing properties. You can drink it when you are sick on an empty stomach and wash your face to stay healthy. You need to drink Epiphany holy water with prayer, asking the Almighty for spiritual and physical health. And it is not at all necessary to take it in reserve; there should be a lot of faith, not water.

Baptism - folk traditions

Previously, there were special folk traditions for celebrating the Epiphany or Epiphany. For example, it was customary to release doves at Epiphany - as a sign of Divine grace descending on Jesus Christ. Other folk traditions for Epiphany are known from legends.

In Rus', on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, as soon as the first church bell called for matins, pious believers lit a fire on the shore so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could also warm himself by the fire.

They began to prepare the Jordan a week before Epiphany: they cut a hole in the river, sawed out a large cross and placed it over the hole. The throne was also cut out of ice. The “royal doors” were decorated with Christmas tree branches.

On the morning of the holiday, after the service, everyone went to the river. After the blessing of the water in the river, all those gathered collected it in their dishes. It was believed that the sooner you scoop it up, the more holy it will be. There were brave souls who swam in the Jordan, remembering that it was impossible to catch a cold in the blessed water.

Then everyone went home. And while the women were setting the table, the eldest man in the family sprinkled the entire household with Epiphany water. Before eating, everyone drank consecrated water. After eating, the girls hurried to the river to wash in “Jordanian water”, “so that their faces were pink.”

After Epiphany, it was forbidden to wash clothes in the river. According to legend, when a priest immerses a cross in water, all the evil spirits jump out of fear, and then sit on the shore and wait for someone to appear with dirty laundry. As soon as the laundry is lowered into the river, along it, like a ladder, all the evil spirits go into the water. Therefore, it was believed that the later women began to wash, the more wickedness would freeze out from the Epiphany frosts.

Fortune telling for Epiphany

There were other traditions - it was believed that miracles happened at Epiphany midnight: the wind subsided for a moment, complete silence reigned and the heavens opened. At this time, you can express your cherished wish, which will definitely come true.

There is another tradition at Epiphany, which, however, is not approved by the church. On January 19, Christmastide ends - the period of fortune telling in Rus'. On Epiphany night, the girls sought to understand what awaited them in the future, whether they would get married, whether the year would be successful.

Baptism - folk signs

Since ancient times, many folk signs have been associated with Epiphany. Many of them were related to the economic activities of peasants or predicted the weather. For example, folk signs for Epiphany read:

• If the weather is clear and cold at Epiphany, the summer will be dry; cloudy and fresh - to a bountiful harvest.
• A full month for Epiphany means a big spring flood.
• Starry night on Epiphany - the summer will be dry, there will be a harvest for peas and berries.
• There will be a thaw at Epiphany - for the harvest, and a clear day at Epiphany - for the harvest failure.
• The wind will blow from the south on Epiphany - it will be a stormy summer.
• If it snows during the liturgy, especially while going to the water, then next year is expected to be fruitful, and there will be many swarms of bees.

When is Epiphany The dogs were barking a lot, waiting for a successful hunting season: If dogs bark a lot on Epiphany, there will be plenty of all kinds of animals and game. Chickens are not fed at Epiphany so that the gardens are not dug in the summer and the seedlings are not spoiled.

The Russian folk calendar associates the holiday of Epiphany with frost. Epiphany frosts: “Cracking frost, not crackling, but Vodokreshchi has passed.

How to swim properly at Epiphany so as not to get sick

Both old and young swim at Epiphany. But without special preparation, swimming can be dangerous for children and the elderly. It is better to prepare in advance by gradually hardening yourself by pouring cold water at home in the bathroom. Precautionary measures must be observed by everyone who decides to swim at Epiphany. Doctors warn people with hypertension, rheumatism, atherosclerosis or tuberculosis from swimming at Epiphany. Swimming at Epiphany is also unacceptable for other acute chronic diseases. Doctors warn that swimming in ice water can lead to negative consequences. After all, winter swimming in an ice hole puts all the mechanisms of human thermoregulation into maximum tension and this can cause shock.

Well, if you are healthy, then follow these recommendations: how to swim properly at Epiphany:

• You can swim on Epiphany only in an ice hole where there is a special entrance to the water;
• never go swimming at Epiphany alone, there should be a person nearby who can help if necessary;
• Alcohol and cigarettes are prohibited before swimming; do not swim on an empty stomach or immediately after eating;
• Bring a blanket with you, as well as clothes that are comfortable for changing.

Epiphany is a holiday with history and rich traditions. But the main thing, of course, is not the ritual, but the great meaning that it carries. The Orthodox holiday of Epiphany is of great importance for believers, because this is the day when a person’s spiritual renewal occurs.

Where to swim in Moscow on Epiphany

Epiphany bathing will take place from 6 p.m. on January 18 to noon on January 19. There is no provision for mass exits of people onto the ice. The thickness of the coating currently does not exceed 15 - 20 centimeters. All swimming areas are equipped with safe approaches and descents to the water. For a comfortable ceremony, heated locker rooms, toilets and lighting are installed. Swimming participants will be provided with hot drinks and places to warm up.

If you are choosing places to swim for Epiphany by district, read below:

Where to swim on Epiphany - Central District of the Central Administrative District

• font in the Church of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on Chisty Vrazhek;

Where to swim on Epiphany - Northern District of the Northern Administrative District

• Big Garden Pond;
• Coastal passage, 7;
• Water stadium "Dynamo";

Where to swim on Epiphany - North-Eastern District of North-Eastern Administrative District

• Palace Pond (1st Ostankino, near no. 7).

Where to swim on Epiphany - Eastern District of the Eastern Administrative District

• Babaevsky pond, st. Kurganskaya, 5 - 9
• Red Pond, Izmailovsky Forest Park
• Font “Vernissage in Izmailovo”, Izmailovskoye sh., 73Zh
• Maysky Pond (formerly Sobachy), Sokolniki Park, st. Sokolnichesky Val, 1, building 1
• Beloe Lake, st. B. Kosinskaya, 46
• Lake Svyatoe, st. Oranzhereynaya, 18
• Terletsky Ponds, Svobodny Prospekt, 9
• Deer Pond;

Where to swim on Epiphany - South-Eastern District of the South-East Administrative District

• Upper Kuzminsky pond, st. Kuzminskaya, 10, near the dam
• Lower Lublinsky Pond, st. Shkuleva, ow. 2b, near the Ministry of Emergency Situations station
• Shibaevsky pond, st. Zarechye, vl. 14, near the rescue station

Where to swim on Epiphany - Southern District of the Southern Administrative District

• Borisovskie ponds, st. Borisovskie Prudy, 2g
• Upper Tsaritsynsky pond, st. Dolskaya, 1
• Pond Beket, Zagorodnoye sh., no. 2

Where to swim on Epiphany - Southwestern District of the South-Western Administrative District

• Vorontsovsky Pond (Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Vorontsovo, Ak. Pilyugina St., 1)
• Pond of the sanatorium “Uzkoe” (Temple of the “Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in Uzkoe”, Profsoyuznaya str. 123B)
• Troparevsky Pond (Recreation area “Troparevo”, Academician Vinogradov St., 7)
• Pond on Nakhimovsky Prospekt (Nakhimovsky Prospekt, building 8 (near the Church of Euphrosyne
  Moscow)
• Chernevsky Pond (decorative pond No. 1) (Church of the Nativity of Christ in Chernevo, Yuzhnobutovskaya St., 62)
• Pond on the territory of the Temple (Temple of the Icon of the Mother of God “Znamenie”, Shosseynaya St., 28 “a”)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Western District of the Joint-Stock Company

• Meshchersky Pond (Voskresenskaya St., Za)
• Pond in the village of Rublevo / Village of Rublevo, (Botyleva St., near house 41)
• Moscow River (Filevsky Boulevard, opposite No. 21)
• Moscow River (B. Filevskaya St., 40a)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Northwestern District of the Northwestern Administrative District

• Baryshikha River (Landscape Park, Baryshikha St. 4)
• Pond in the village Rozhdestveno (Pond in the village of Rozhdestveno (behind the Church of the Nativity), Mitino district
• Derivation canal (opposite the house at the address: Malaya Naberezhnaya str. 3, building 1)
• Khimki Reservoir (Moscow River) st. Svobody 56, PKiO "Severnoe Tushino"
• Stroginskaya floodplain (Tvardovsky street, 16 building 3)
• Kirov floodplain (Isakovskogo st. 2)
• Lake Bezdonnoye (Tamanskaya st. 91)
• Moscow River (Karamyshevskaya embankment, 13-15)
• Moscow River (Aviatsionnaya Street, 79)
• Derivation canal (Lodochnaya st. 19)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Zelenograd

• Black Lake, on the western side of the reservoir, Lesnye Prudy alley, 6th microdistrict
• Shkolnoye Lake, on the western side of the reservoir, Panfilovsky Prospekt, bldg. 1001

Where to swim on Epiphany - Trinity and Novomoskovsk districts

• MUSP Fishing and Sports (Troitsk Island, Desna River in the Zarechye recreation area).
• Pond in the village Pokrovskoye (Voronovskoye settlement, Church of the Intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pokrovskoye village).
• Pond near the Archangel Michael Church (Krasnopakhorskoe village, Bylovo village).
• Pond in the village of Filimonkovskoye, in the village of Knutovo.
• Pond p. Shchapovskoe, village. Oznobishino, Holy Trinity Church.
• Pond in Voskresenskoye settlement, territory of the Voskresenskoye village, dam 1.
• Pond settlement Marushkinskoye, village. Big Svinorye.
• Pond in the village of Moskovsky, village of the Ulyanovsk forest park, LLC “Gloria”, temple-chapel of the icon of the Mother of God “Unfading Flower”.
• Pond Moskovsky village, Govorovo village, pond No. 2, st. Central.
• Pond of the Mosrentgen village, middle pond of the Troitsky Estate cascade.
• River p. Rogovskoye, village Vasyunino, 100 m from the Church of the Holy Trinity on the river.
• Font of Vnukovskoye village, village. DSK "Michurinets", st. Zheleznodorozhnaya, 1. Kupel near the river. Setun.
• Font of Marushkinskoye village, Marushkino village, Rucheyok park.
• Font Klenovskoye village, Tovarishchevo village, r. Liver.
• Font of Desyonovskoye village, Evseevo-Kuvekino village.
• Font of Pervomaiskoe village, Puchkovo village, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
• Font of Mikhailovo-Yartsevskoe village, Shishkin Les village, p. 43, Temple of the New Martyrs.

16 places in specially protected natural areas of Moscow:

• PIP "Bitsevsky Les", apt. 7, st. Sanatorium Alley, sanatorium “Uzkoe”, Fourth Pond in Uzkoe (with the participation of the Yasenevo District Administration)
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apartment 9, Shibaevsky pond, Kuzminki district, Zarechye street, possession 14
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apartment 33, Nizhny Lyublinsky pond, Tekstilshchiki district, Shkuleva street, possession 2B
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apartment 9, Verkhniy Kuzminsky pond, Kuzminki district, Kuzminskaya st., building 7
• PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near st. Tamanskaya, 91
• PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near st. Tamanskaya, 91 (opposite shore of the lake)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Kirovskaya Poima, Isakovskogo St., 2-4 (Strogino District Administration)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Tvardovskogo St., 16 (Strogino District Administration)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Zhivopisnaya St., 56 (Shchukino District Administration)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Karamyshevskaya embankment 15 (Khoroshevo-Mnevniki district administration)
• PIP “Izmailovo”, Terletsky forest park, 2/6, Alder pond
• PIP “Izmailovo”, forest park “Izmailovo”, Izmailovskaya Apiary village, 1, Krasny Pond (Izmailovo District Administration)
• PIP "Kosinsky", st. Zaozernaya, 18, Beloye Lake (Kosino-Ukhtomsky District Administration)
• PIP "Kosinsky", st. Orangereynaya, ow. 24., building 1, Lake Svyatoe (Kosino-Ukhtomsky District Administration)
• Landscape reserve "Teply Stan", recreation area "Troparevo" St. Academician Vinogradova vl. 12, recreation area "Troparevo"
• PT Zelenograd, Forest Ponds alley, Black Lake recreation area (Savelki District Administration)

Map of the location of the fonts for Epiphany bathing in 2018

The Orthodox world celebrates the Feast of the Epiphany on the night of January 18-19. In Moscow, about 60 swimming pools and ponds will be equipped for swimming. We invite you to familiarize yourself with the addresses of the placement of Epiphany fonts in Moscow in 2018. In order to view the map in detail and find out where you can swim on Epiphany on the night of January 18-19 in Moscow, click on the zoom button in the lower right corner of the map.