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What is forbidden to do at baptism. How many godfathers and mothers should a person have? Is it possible to guess at Epiphany?

Today you can undergo the sacrament of Baptism at any time, with the exception of a few days a year. All you have to do is come to the temple, discuss the details with the priest and set a date. It wasn't like that with our ancestors.

Throughout long period People were baptized only on Christmas Eve, which according to the new calendar falls on January 18. The procedure itself was significantly different. Church ministers blessed the water in an ice hole cut out in the shape of a cross, and those immersed in it became baptized and put on pectoral crosses.

The tradition of plunging into an ice hole at Epiphany three times dates back to those times. But even if someone who has already been baptized plunges into the water, he draws even closer to the Lord and cleanses his body and soul.

Previously, holy water was collected directly from an ice hole, and then stored for exactly a year in a special bottle. In addition, each housewife had a jug, which was filled with snow on the day of Epiphany. After melting, the water was stored like the apple of an eye. Our ancestors believed that it was this liquid that had healing properties, helps to overcome illnesses and any evil.

Today Epiphany water stocking up is not a problem. It can be collected even after the holidays, in any temple. And it is not at all necessary to go to a service, fast, confess, or receive communion before this. Perhaps it is precisely because of this that the attitude towards the shrine has become mediocre, and if there is no faith, then it will practically “work”.

Before Epiphany, believers observe strict fast. After the blessing of water and ablution, they put on new clothes (if it is not possible to purchase new ones, they should at least be clean and made of white fabric), and then they “break their fast.” The main dish, as at Christmas, is kutia. It is prepared from rice, wheat or other cereals, with raisins, honey, poppy seeds and dried fruits added. In addition, there may be baked goods, boiled or stewed fish, vegetables, fruits, dumplings, uzvar, etc. on the table.

Very similar to the Christmas table, right? There is only one very important difference. At Christmas there should be 12 dishes on the table, but on the Epiphany table they put an odd number of treats and there is no exact number.

What to do at Epiphany

To feel the mystery of the holiday, even those who do not fast should at least limit themselves to food on Christmas Eve. Alcohol and cigarettes are strictly prohibited. On the evening of January 18, you need to go to an evening service in a temple or to the consecration of a reservoir located nearby. After this, you can have dinner, gathering your closest people at the table. But loud noise, music and noisy fun are unacceptable.

In the morning, be sure to wash your face with holy water, wipe your body with it, and take three sips on an empty stomach. If possible, you should visit morning service, take communion after it, and come home to have breakfast.

The hostess must enter the house first. She sprinkles holy water on the house, and front door and in the corners of the rooms he draws crosses in chalk. After such a procedure, not a single person with reckless thoughts will come close to the home.

The rest of the day is meant to rest and enjoy. By “rejoice” is meant spiritual grace. Take a walk with your children, visit your parents and other relatives. If you can’t go visit, at least call them.

What not to do at Epiphany

Set aside household chores. Of course, you can’t leave your pets without food, and you also need to cook or serve ready-made food. But washing, cleaning and handicrafts are strictly prohibited.

Men should not take on repairs. Many people use their days off to catch up on things around the house. But this is a big mistake.

It is strictly forbidden to quarrel, use foul language, or drink a lot of alcohol. Even bad thoughts are considered a sin. There is no need to succumb to provocations. Take other people's aggression as a challenge.

You cannot be greedy on this great holiday. Give alms to the poor, lend money, if you have it, of course. Provide others with any other assistance you can. All good things will come back to you a hundredfold. You can’t think about it only by doing good deeds.

Is it possible to guess at Epiphany?

Fortune telling on the night of Epiphany - great sin. This is considered collusion with evil spirits. But just as our ancestors dabbled in this, so today many, no, no, will try their fate.

If you decide to do fortune telling, be sure to take a swim in the Epiphany ice hole afterwards. Otherwise, there will be no happiness from God’s protection all year long.

Most often, young girls make fortunes about the “betrothed-mummer.” To do this, you need to comb your hair before going to bed and put the comb with your hair under your pillow. Whoever dreams at night will be the groom.

It was also possible to find out the name of your significant other in a harmless way. I should have gone out the gate in the evening and asked the first person I met for them. There was just no point in starting conversations. It was believed that an evil spirit could walk along the street.

The bravest ones approached the already locked temple after the service at night. Whatever sound came from there—wedding bells or funeral bells—that was to be expected throughout the year.

Folk signs for Epiphany

But there is nothing bad in folk superstitions. On the contrary, they are considered the most faithful throughout the year. Here are the most common ones.

Epiphany is one of the main holidays of Christians, ending the Christmas festivities (Yuletide). It was on January 19 that John the Baptist called to cleanse the souls of people from sins and diseases in the waters of the Jordan. At the same time, the baptism of Jesus took place, in whose honor this holiday was established.

On January 18, Epiphany Eve begins, which is a strict fast before a major holiday, the name of which is Epiphany. We mark this day by illuminating water in churches, which Orthodox Christians keep at home all year round, giving it when they are sick, sprinkling their clothes and their home, and also perform the ritual of bathing in an ice hole. Holy water is believed to heal the body and soul.

Traditions and signs for Epiphany

Their special signs and traditions exist for every religious holiday. At Baptism they are also different. From them you can determine what the coming year has in store.

Interesting! It is believed that the signs of this holiday are the most fateful and true, which is why people pay so much attention to them, especially the older generation.

Epiphany signs:

· Clear and cold weather promises a poor harvest due to the dry summer.

· If the weather is snowy and cloudy, then the year promises to be fruitful.

· Blizzard and snow on Epiphany promises a year rich in harvest.

· Dogs bark – hunters will be lucky this year, as there will be a lot of game.

· If a bird knocks on the window, then you need to pray for deceased relatives, as they ask for help from the living and for deeds pleasing to God.

These are old Russian signs, but there are more modern signs Feast of Epiphany:

· Meeting on the street with a person carrying a bouquet of flowers - fortunately.

· Meeting a man in red means falling in love.

· Meeting a person in black clothes means you shouldn’t indulge in romance this year, as you will only come across deceitful people.

· A broken plate means a wedding (yours or a loved one’s), and dropping it but not breaking it means new prospects.

· Getting burned on this day means moving. If the burn occurred on top part body - to move of one's own free will, and if to the lower one - to move under compulsion.

· Meeting new people during the Epiphany holidays promises to be a lifelong experience good friends. The Lord blesses the relationships created on such a day.

· If you are lucky enough to get caught in a snowstorm on Epiphany, it means there will be money and prosperity all year.

· An interesting sign for girls. If a girl had to wash all the dishes after a festive feast, then she will get married this year. The groom is already on the doorstep.

Epiphany traditions:

· For a long time, on Epiphany, housewives baked breakfast cookies in the form of crosses for each member of the household. If the cross turned out fluffy and crispy, then a successful year awaited the person; if the baked goods were a little burnt, then the year would be unfavorable. The uneven cracked cross meant serious problems from the family member for whom it was intended. The burnt baked goods were not given to anyone, but were simply given to the birds.

· On the day of Epiphany, priests bless the water in rivers by lowering a cross into it. By plunging into holy water three times, Orthodox Christians are cleansed of illnesses and sins. But it is advisable to take a dip not in a swimsuit, but in a shirt, and then, without washing, dry and store it. During an illness, you need to wear it and the illness will go away.

· On January 19, Epiphany, the Great Blessing of Water takes place. People line up in churches to drink holy water, and then keep it in their homes all year, considering it a cure for all ailments.

· The great celebration is traditionally accompanied by the release of doves as a sign of the end of the Christmas holidays.

· Epiphany frosts have always been strong since ancient times. On Christmas Eve, it was customary to serve oneself kutya before dinner, and the owner of the family, looking out the window, invited Frost to taste the treats. At
At this point he always said: “If the frost does not come to my house, let it not come to the harvest.”

· Interesting fact! Nowadays this tradition is no longer observed, but in the past it was customary to place a bowl of water on the table. The ripples on the surface of the water meant that the Sacrament of baptism had been completed.

· Fortune telling has long been a tradition. You can guess from January 6, before Christmas until January 18. On January 19, fortune telling is prohibited.

· Cleansing the home with holy water.

After quarrels, negative energy accumulates in the corners of every house, which can, if the home is not periodically cleaned, again and again provoke household members into conflicts.

To cleanse the house, it is necessary to constantly ventilate, releasing negative energy, and do wet cleaning by adding salt to the water. It is believed that salt helps to “dissolve” negativity. This needs to be done at least once a week, but cleansing the house on Epiphany has special meaning. On this day, the following ritual is performed: with the help of holy water, with the right pinch, each corner is sprinkled in a cross-shaped motion, going clockwise and starting from the front door with the words: “By sprinkling this sacred water, every unclean and demonic action will be put to flight.” The ceremony ends at the door.

These traditions and signs Orthodox people revered since times Ancient Rus'. Much is permitted on the Feast of the Epiphany, but there are also prohibitions.

What is allowed to be done at Epiphany

1. You can and should perform all religious rituals at Epiphany, such as attending a church service, drawing holy water, plunging into an ice hole 3 times and setting the festive table.

Important! Most often, the ice hole is made in the form of a crucifix and one should enter the ice hole strictly from the west and exit on the east side.

2. Fast before the holiday.

3. The owner of the house should draw crosses with chalk above the windows and doors to protect her home from harm.

4. Sprinkle your home with holy water against evil spirits.

6. On this holiday you can baptize children and get married. Such events on this day promise great happiness.

What is forbidden to do on Epiphany on January 19

1. You can’t quarrel, think about bad things or wish harm on someone.

2. You can’t just quarrel on this holiday, but especially not while holding holy water in your hands. It is believed that from negative energy it loses its strength.

3. You can’t type too much Epiphany water.

Even though she has double strength in Baptism, but you need to treat it as a spiritual medicine.

4. Don’t be greedy when recruiting sacred water. It is believed that greed brings disaster to a person.

5. You cannot dilute holy water with water. Because of this, it loses its magical properties.

6. Fortune telling on the feast of Epiphany is strictly prohibited. It is necessary to hide all the objects with the help of which fortune telling was carried out during the Christmastide period. Fortune telling after the holiday is also prohibited.

7. You can't get drunk. You are allowed to drink a glass of wine, but you should not get drunk.

8. Starting from Christmas Eve and until the end of January 19, you cannot take anything out of the house and lend money, otherwise you can bring poverty on your family for the whole year.

9. Physical labor is prohibited on Epiphany.

You can have fun, visit, relax. Physical labor is allowed only on Christmas Eve and only until lunch.

10. You cannot cry on Epiphany, otherwise tears will flow all year long.

Fortune telling on the holiday of Epiphany is prohibited, but various rituals are allowed. All of them are carried out using sacred water. It is believed that rituals performed on Epiphany have special power.

The main rituals performed at the Epiphany of the Lord:

1. Ritual for physical health and peace of mind.

It is best to perform the ritual on the night of January 18-19. Need to take a full bath hot water, add a little holy water, then dip your cross in it and lie down in the bath so that the water covers the body completely. You need to lie there for 15 minutes and get out without drying yourself.

2. Ritual for the fulfillment of desires.

On the evening of Epiphany Eve, you need to pour holy water into the bowl, then put a silver-colored coin into it and place the bowl under the moonlight. You need to make a wish and whisper it 3 times over the bowl. In the morning, you need to pour out the water, hide the coin in a secluded place and not tell anyone about it. The ritual takes on double power if Baptism coincides with the full moon.

3. Ritual to attract wealth.

On the night of January 18-19, you need to take holy water from the church, bring it home and go around all the rooms clockwise (without sprinkling) with the words: “Holy water came to the house and brought prosperity. Losses will pass this house, and prosperity will come every day. Good luck will accompany me in everything, I will never know failure in anything!”

The water should be left overnight in the most important place in the house, according to the housewife, and washed with it in the morning.

4. Ritual for marriage.

On the night before Epiphany, a girl who wants to get married must go to the crossroads and say the following words to all 4 directions:

“Male soul, my betrothed, come with me and to my home. In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen".

5. Purification ritual.

You need to consecrate the water in the temple and buy 3 candles there. You are not allowed to talk to anyone on the way home. At home, you need to place the water you brought in the center of the table on a new white tablecloth (this is important!). One candle should stand behind the vessel with water, the other two on the sides. Then you need to light all the candles one by one with one match and look through the water at the fire of the candles, clasping the vessel with your hands, feeling how the flame warms and cleanses. Then the words are spoken:

“As the thoughts of Christ are pure, so be my soul pure. Just as holy water is pure, so be my body pure. I wash myself, remove damage, cleanse my spirit and body. Amen."

Then you need to wet your hands in water, and pour the rest on your head, feeling a surge of divine energy and cleansing of all bad things. For next week You cannot give anything to anyone from your home or take anything from others yourself.

All signs and rituals for the great feast of the Epiphany will be effective if you sincerely believe in them and believe in changing fate for the better.

Ancient, respected by all Christians Orthodox holiday, which is celebrated on January 19, is called the Epiphany of the Lord. Popularly it is also called Epiphany. Despite the fact that the world has now become more modern, people continue to believe in miracles that happen on this holy day and adhere to the strict canons of Baptism.

Holy holiday has strong energy, that's why it's so important to follow strict rules and do not violate them.

Important! On January 18 after sunset, Christmas Eve begins in the evening. This means that you can not only start fortune-telling, but also not forget about observing all Epiphany canons.

What to do on the feast of Epiphany

When you wake up in the morning, without getting out of bed, be sure to read a prayer. In it, ask the Lord for health for yourself and your loved ones, so that illnesses are avoided, and peace, trust and mutual understanding always reign in the family circle.

Advice! Remember the dreams that were instilled on the night of the holiday. They are usually considered prophetic.

At Epiphany, you can get married, have a wedding ceremony, and also baptize babies. This promises a strong marriage and symbolizes happiness.

On this day it is also necessary to:

· Good deeds. Good deeds done by a person will definitely return to him.

· Observe a strict fast on Christmas Eve.

· Set the festive table. Traditionally, dishes are placed on the table.

1. Kutya. It is traditionally prepared from millet, but it can also be made from rice. It is customary to add honey and raisins to the porridge. Dried apricots and prunes are also added to kutya.

2. Compote, also called uzvar.

3. Treats made from fish.

4. Dumplings.

5. Tasty and aromatic baked goods. It can be decorated with poppy seeds or cinnamon.

Advice! According to tradition, you can only sit down to eat or break your fast in the evening. Or rather, when the first star shines in the sky.

Holy water, which was collected on the holiday, should be kept in the house all year. It is sprinkled on the room or drunk on an empty stomach in case of illness, before important event, test.

The clergy advise collecting water in small bottles so that it is convenient to drink and distribute to people.

On Epiphany it is customary to swim in an ice hole. It is believed that a person will wash away all illnesses and will be healthy throughout the year. But there are small subtleties that are worth considering before diving into the ice hole:

1. You can't swim in ice water people who suffer from heart disease, as well as nervous system, vessels. Pregnant women and children should also avoid diving into the ice hole.

2. Do not swim while intoxicated.

3. Eat a filling meal, but you don’t need to overeat either.

4. After dipping into the ice hole, taste hot tea.

If you follow all the rules, then swimming at Epiphany will have a beneficial effect on your health. A person will become stronger not only physically, but also spiritually.

What not to do

On holiday it is prohibited:

· Do chores around the house. No need to wash, iron, clean the apartment, sew up or knit. It is forbidden to work, you just need to rest.

· Guessing. You can tell fortunes for the future only on the eve of Epiphany, that is, on Christmas Eve on January 18. Failure to comply with traditions can negatively affect fate, so it is worth listening to beliefs and advice.

· Constantly complaining about someone.

· Gossip, envy and slander, even in the most unpleasant people, enemies.

· Quarreling, leaving home in anger, holding grudges against loved ones.

There is one more belief. Any scandal that occurs in the house defiles the holy water. Celebrate your baptism in a friendly manner home environment, not forgetting to pray.

There is no need to shed tears at Epiphany, otherwise you will have to cry until the next Baptism. Drive away bad thoughts, and if they visit, drink holy water, it will help clear your mind and fill you spiritually. Water also has healing properties that are beneficial to the body.

Celebrate Baptism with your loved ones and treat them delicious dishes and pray for their well-being.

Epiphany is one of the main Christian holidays. It begins on the evening of January 18, when all Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany Christmas Eve Baptism of the Lord - Christian holiday, rich in traditions, customs and signs. This day marks the end of the Christmas holidays, which take place from January 7th to 19th. The main holiday ritual is swimming in an ice hole. Even despite the frosty weather, crowds of people who want to plunge into holy water gather at the reservoirs at Epiphany. He will tell you about this and other holiday traditions.

Epiphany: the history of a biblical holiday

Epiphany celebrations begin on January 18th. The evening of this day is called Epiphany Christmas Eve.

What should you do at Epiphany?

On this day and the day before, on Holy Christmas Eve, solemn divine services are held in all churches, marked by special beauty. It is advisable for all believers to attend these services, and in order to enter the holiday with a purified soul, priests recommend confession and communion.

Traditionally, churches bless water. It is considered healing, relieving diseases, helping in life's trials. You can collect it in a clean container in the temple and, when you come home, sprinkle it on your home, pets, flowers, and also wash yourself and your children. The house also needs to be prepared for the holiday in advance - cleaned, washed, prepared for a gala dinner. Traditional dish On this day, kutia is considered - porridge made from rice or wheat with the addition of honey, dried fruits, and raisins.

It is advisable to gather the whole family for the Epiphany meal, pray together, remembering Christ and the Mother of God. On an empty stomach, everyone needs to drink a sip of holy water. Such family dinners strengthen family ties and instruct children to live a righteous life.

In those populated areas, where there are bodies of water (rivers or ponds) nearby, they bless the water in natural conditions. A special ice-hole is prepared in advance, which is called the Jordan (named after the river in which Jesus Christ was baptized). After the solemn service in the temple, all believers go to the Jordan and participate in the rite of blessing the water. The senior clergyman plunges the cross into the hole three times, and the water becomes holy. On church language it is called agiasma. Anyone who did not have time to draw water in the temple can draw it from a natural source.

The custom of plunging into an ice hole with holy water is widespread. Many are mistaken that such immersion promotes cleansing from sins. In reality this is not the case, since sins are forgiven only through confession. However, after immersion in the baptismal font, many feel a special uplift of spirit that contributes to further Christian service. But priests do not recommend plunging into an ice hole without preliminary preparation so as not to cause harm to the body. Therefore, it is worth counting your strength.

What should you not do at Epiphany?

Disrespect for the great holiday is shown by those who drink alcohol on this day. This is considered a great sin, especially if a drunk person plunges into the baptismal font. Therefore, any alcohol is prohibited; it should not even be on the festive table.

In no case should you use foul language on this day; you need to carefully monitor your words, and occupy your thoughts with prayers and praises of the Lord and all the saints.

You cannot quarrel, blame someone or be offended at Epiphany. Even if disagreements arise, it is advisable to postpone the showdown until the next day.

It is advisable to spend the whole day in a good, upbeat mood and under no circumstances cry or be sad. Folk signs They say that those who shed tears at Epiphany will be unhappy all year.

Fortune telling, which some are fond of holy days, including on Epiphany, are not welcomed by the church. The priests believe that all attempts to find out fate are provoked by opponents of God, which means they have no place in this holy time. The Church considers sorcery a great sin.

Epiphany rites and traditions

All Orthodox Christians strive to stock up on holy water on Christmas Eve or Epiphany. It can be taken both in the temple and directly in the ice hole. She has same value, however, most believers seek to stock up on holy water from Jordan.

When the priest reads special prayers, believers consider themselves partakers of this Sacrament, participating together with the entire clergy in the consecration of the agiasma. It is not recommended to collect such water in buckets and canisters; it is enough to take a small, clean jar or bottle with you (just not one containing alcohol). This amount can last for a whole year, since even a drop of holy water added to another liquid makes it consecrated. As church elders write, “a drop in the sea sanctifies.”

This water should be stored in a tightly closed glass container close to the icons. If there is no corner with icons in the house, you need to put the agiasma in a secluded place, taking it out and pouring it into a small vessel for daily drinking, washing, and cleansing the house of negative energy.

An important and beautiful baptismal rite is sprinkling the house with newly blessed water. It can be conducted by both the owner and the hostess. Holy water should be poured into a small bowl, and a new clean brush should be used for sprinkling.

The ritual begins at the front door, which is sprayed with water in a cross pattern, then you need to move clockwise, sprinkling the cross on the walls and especially the corners where negative energy can accumulate. While going around the house, you need to read the prayer “Our Father” or “By sprinkling this sacred water, so that all unclean and demonic actions may be put to flight.” It is necessary to complete the procedure at the front door; be sure to sprinkle holy water on the windows, the beds of parents and children, as well as the table at which the family gathers for meals.

It is believed that this ritual helps to establish positive energy in the home, eliminates quarrels and misunderstandings, and helps improve relationships between relatives. The main thing is to do it with faith in the infinite power of the Lord.

It is a long-standing tradition to be baptized on the day of Epiphany itself. Often adults who have realized this need come to church on this day for baptism, but young mothers especially strive for this. By baptizing their babies on January 19, they believe that the child will be happy and successful under the special care of Jesus Christ and the saints.

Folk signs

Most priests do not welcome the observance of various signs, but they have been formed over centuries and are firmly rooted in the memory of the people.

For example, on Epiphany days they try to make a forecast for the coming year.

So, if on Epiphany day it is sunny and frosty, then the summer will be dry. And vice versa, if January 19 it's snowing, a strong snowstorm has begun, then the harvest will be plentiful.

It is believed that on this day it is sinful to do household chores - cleaning, washing, sewing and knitting. It is customary to restore order in the house on the eve of Christmas Eve, and begin everyday chores after the holidays.

It is believed that on this day one should not give or borrow. Anyone who borrows or takes something will experience need all year long.

A good omen for Epiphany is the completion of some task.

Any agreement on this day is sure to be crowned with success.

Meeting new people during the Epiphany holidays promises to be good friends throughout your life. It is believed that the Lord himself blesses relationships that begin on such a day.

People believe that on the night of Christmas Eve before Epiphany, the heavens open to man and God becomes closer. You can pray with the hope that he will hear the request and the wish will definitely come true.

Prayers for Epiphany

Since it is believed that on Christmas Eve and Epiphany God hears all prayers, on these holy days it is customary to ask for well-being, for the health of oneself and loved ones, for the granting of strong faith, and deliverance from sins. Church prayers can be found in the prayer book, but you can address Christ and the Most Holy Theotokos in your own words. The main thing is that they are pronounced with deep faith and hope that Holy Trinity and all the saints will hear them.