For answers to the most common questions about Epiphany water, we turned to priests Dimitry Baritsky and Andrey Efanov.
Epiphany and Epiphany water
People often ask: What kind of baptismal water is it?
Epiphany water is water blessed on Epiphany Eve and on the Feast itself at the Great Blessing of Water. Often water that was blessed on January 19 is called Epiphany water, and water blessed the day before is called Epiphany water. In fact, the water on these two days is consecrated with the same rite, has the same properties and is called the Great Agiasma differently. "Agiasma" is translated from Greek as shrine.
Epiphany and Epiphany are the names of the same holiday. The Church remembers how Christ received Baptism from John the Baptist, and at that moment the Holy Trinity was revealed: the Son of God stood in the waters of the Jordan, the Voice of God the Father sounded from Heaven, and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove.
As a great shrine, believers bring home water from the temple, blessed during the celebration of these Gospel events, and keep it all year, until the next feast of Epiphany.
Which water is stronger - Epiphany or Epiphany?
Epiphany and Epiphany water are different names the same water, blessed by the rite of the Great Blessing of Water on Epiphany Eve or on the day of Epiphany itself. The Feast of the Epiphany is also called Epiphany - hence the two names of the water. There is no difference.
Why is water blessed twice? On this topic for a long time there were disputes. Only in 1667 did the Russian Church decide to bless water twice - both on Epiphany Eve (the day before the holiday) and on the Epiphany holiday itself. Two water blessings go back to two different church traditions. The first of them is associated with the early Christian custom of baptizing converts on the eve of Epiphany, on the Eve of the holiday. But later there were so many people who wanted to become Christians that a few days a year were not enough for this. Baptisms began to be performed on other dates. The custom of blessing water on Epiphany Eve has been preserved.
The tradition of consecrating water a second time initially concerned only the Jerusalem Church. There was a custom there to go out to the Jordan on the day of the holiday to bless water in memory of the baptism of the Savior himself. From there, the custom of the second consecration of water gradually spread throughout the Christian world.
Water on Epiphany night
What happens to water on Epiphany night?
It is generally accepted that on Epiphany night all water becomes holy. This is stated in one of the stichera of the holiday: “Today the waters are sanctified.” That is, the entire water element on Earth is sanctified. But this is a one-time manifestation of God’s grace, while water collected after the Great Blessing of Water does not lose its properties over time.
There is evidence of how, during the years of persecution of the Church on Epiphany night, believers collected water wherever they could, and, despite the fact that the priest did not say prayers over it, this water was stored for years and did not spoil. This can only be explained as a miracle: seeing the deep faith of people and their impossibility of being in the temple, the Lord gave them His grace.
There is a popular tradition on Epiphany night to plunge into the Jordan - a specially designated place on the reservoir. Sometimes you can hear the opinion that in this way you can “wash away all your sins.” But the Church reminds us that it is not water that helps to cleanse ourselves of sins, but the Lord through the sacrament of repentance - Confession. And He does this, seeing a person’s sincere desire to change. It is impossible to “renew” by taking a dip, drinking or pouring holy water on yourself.
Epiphany water can be collected both on January 18, on Epiphany Eve, and on January 19, on the Holiday itself. Water consecrated on Vespers (eve) and on the day of Epiphany itself has the same grace.
Agiasma begins to be distributed to believers after the Liturgy and the Great Blessing of Water. Liturgies are served in the morning of January 18, in the morning of January 19 (or at night from the 18th to the 19th). Epiphany water is also distributed after the All-Night Vigil on the 18th evening.
In large temples in major cities Water can be collected throughout the day (and even around the clock) on January 18 and 19. But during services (Liturgies and All-Night Vigil on the evening of January 18), water is usually not poured. It is best to clarify in advance how the process of distributing water will be organized in the temple you are going to.
When does water become baptismal?
We begin to celebrate Epiphany on the 18th. Then the first consecration of water takes place. That is, water that is blessed in the morning is already considered baptismal. Then the water is also blessed on the 19th, directly on the feast of Epiphany itself. And she is also baptized. In general, this is the same water.
As legend says, on this day the entire water element is sanctified.
There is some symbolic moment in this, connected with the fact that the Spirit of God descended onto the water. It is clear that He does not descend on any individual container of water, but He descends on the entire element at once.
Epiphany water is called the Great Agiasma, that is, the great shrine, since this is the most important and final consecration of water.
Prayer for the consecration of baptismal water
Prayers for the consecration of Epiphany water are said during the Great Blessing of Water. This rite is performed only twice a year - on the eve and on the feast of Epiphany itself; during the rest of the year, the water is blessed with a small rite.
The Great Blessing of Water is more solemn than the usual one (at a prayer service for water, for example). First, troparia are sung, then Old Testament prophecies, a fragment from the Epistle of the Apostle Paul and the Gospel are read. All this reminds us of the Gospel event that the Church celebrates these days - the Baptism of the Lord.
Then with the words “Let us pray to the Lord in peace…” general prayer requests begin. Believers pray that the water will be sanctified “by the power and action and influx of the Holy Spirit,” and that holy water will help cleanse the soul and body from sins and ailments...
Finally, the priest, reading a prayer, censes the water, calling on the Lord to consecrate it. Then the priest immerses the cross in water three times. At this time the troparion of the holiday is sung:
“In the Jordan I am baptized to You, O Lord, Trinitarian adoration appeared: for the voice of your parents testified to You, naming Your beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove announced your words of affirmation. Appear, O Christ our God, and enlighten the world, glory to Thee.”
How to drink Epiphany water correctly
It is considered correct to drink Epiphany water with faith, prayer, and on an empty stomach. Only two days a year - on Epiphany Eve and on the Holiday itself - believers drink water throughout the day. The rest of the time, it is customary to drink Epiphany water in the morning.
This is due to the fact that Agiasma is a shrine, and the attitude towards it is appropriate. Agiasma is blessed to drink as a consolation to people, according to grave sins or for some other reason deprived of the opportunity to begin Communion.
The Divine Service Rules stipulate that those who excommunicate themselves from holy water only because they have already “tasted the food” are wrong. Thus, if there is a need to drink Epiphany water (in case of illness, some kind of mental or spiritual illness), one cannot refuse just because the person has already eaten. But Epiphany water should always be received with reverence, as a gift.
As for the frequency of drinking Epiphany water, Saint Luke Voino-Yasenetsky said: “Drink holy water as often as possible.”
Prayer for receiving Epiphany water
The prayer for receiving Epiphany water is read the same as for receiving prosphora and any holy water:
“Lord my God, may Your holy gift and Your holy water be for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities, according to Your infinite mercy through Your prayers Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen".
In this prayer, believers turn to the Lord and ask him for help. But you should not rely only on the miraculous power of water and exclusively Divine action. While reading the prayer and receiving baptismal water, one must remember that a person himself must strive to leave sins and conquer his passions and infirmities.
Epiphany water has special properties, does not spoil for a year or more and can help in getting rid of physical and spiritual ailments. Saint Theophan the Recluse states: “...grace does not act automatically, like a talisman, and is useless for the wicked and imaginary Christians.” Therefore, the Great Agiasma must be drunk not as a “church medicine,” but with faith, prayer, reverence, and the desire to change oneself and go to Christ.
Is it possible to dilute Epiphany water?
You can dilute Epiphany water, and this will not cause it to lose its properties.
Therefore, it is not at all necessary to collect huge bottles and canisters on the Epiphany holiday. You can bring a small container home from church and mix it with regular water at home, or dilute Epiphany water throughout the year. This must be done with prayer. Even a few drops of Epiphany water will sanctify ordinary water.
But this does not mean at all that having collected Epiphany water once, you can dilute it for years. The main thing in the feast of Epiphany is initiation into church life. Epiphany water may not lose its properties even after two or five years. But by refusing the opportunity to come to Church on the feast of Epiphany itself, to pray with other believers, to reverently take Agiasma as a great gift, a person deprives himself of much more than just a bottle of holy water.
Is it possible to sprinkle an apartment? Epiphany water?
You can sprinkle your apartment with Epiphany water. There is even a tradition, after the blessing of water, with the singing of the troparion of the holiday, to sprinkle your home with Epiphany water.
That is, you can not only drink Agiasma, but you can sprinkle it on your home and even various objects that are important to a person. But we must understand that sprinkling an apartment with holy water is not the same as the rite of blessing a home performed by a priest.
What to do with last year's Epiphany water?
Not everyone knows what to do with last year's Epiphany water - continue to store it, try to finish it as soon as possible, throw it away?..
Last year's Epiphany water can continue to be consumed as it should be - on an empty stomach with prayer. There are cases when Epiphany water is stored for decades and remains fresh.
If you are concerned about its safety, then you can pour the old Epiphany water into a so-called untrodden place (i.e., clean, closed from walking on it). We must remember that Agiasma is a shrine, and it cannot simply be thrown into the sink or anywhere on the ground. You can pour last year's Epiphany water into a pond with running water or into pots with home flowers.
Is it possible to heat a bathhouse with Epiphany water?
It is possible and necessary! There is no such thing as too much holiness. On the contrary, you need to quickly take it and use it, because tomorrow there will be nowhere to get it.
Is it possible to swim in Epiphany water?
Of course it is possible, but it is very important with what motivation and what attitude we do it. It is clear that if we take this water and begin to somehow desecrate it, precisely by our behavior, then this will not be good, if it is used for cooking, or for a bath, or bathing, then this is wonderful. In this case, water should become a kind of symbol of internal cleansing. That is, it cleanses the body, but symbolizes the cleansing of the soul.
It is very important what attitude we put into our actions, be it bathing in Epiphany water or something else.
And in order to join in this great joy of the holiday, it is not at all necessary to force yourself and your family to dive into ice holes. The main thing is to maintain faith and a good attitude in your heart. After all, why is it so necessary for us to observe everything down to the smallest detail, to be surrounded by everything material (bottles of water, for example) - because there is no faith.
In order to meet with God, we must be ready for this meeting, we must be open to Him. Having abandoned all prejudices, finally tear your gaze away from the usual and look around you. But this is work that not everyone will do. What then do we want?
Let's first just strive for sincere joy and share it with loved ones. And we will try not to reproach others for doing something wrong, but, if possible, we will carefully guide them. We all have our own paths, we are in different circumstances, but what is wonderful is that each of us is unique, and the ways of the Lord, as we know, are inscrutable.
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Every year on Epiphany night from January 18 to 19, the greatest miracle happens all over the earth - the Spirit of God descends on the waters, and they become healing.
The beginning of the world is water, and the beginning of the Gospel is Jordan. A sensual light shone from the water, for the Spirit of God rushed above the water and commanded the light to shine out of the darkness. From the Jordan the light of the Holy Gospel shone, for, as the holy evangelist writes, “from that time,” that is, from the time of Baptism, Jesus began to preach and say: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17).
Saint Cyril of Jerusalem
The consecration of water is the invocation of the grace of the Holy Spirit upon it. A believer drinks holy water not just to quench thirst, but for the sake of assimilating its beneficial properties, to cure illnesses or spiritual despondency, and to cleanse the home of all kinds of filth.
Water is sanctified with the aim of returning the water element to its primitive purity and holiness, lost after the fall of man, and descending upon it with the power of prayer the blessing and grace of the Holy Spirit. Through this sacred act, according to the teachings of the Church, water acquires a number of beneficial properties: it cleanses people from spiritual and bodily defilement, sanctifies objects and strengthens them in spiritual labors.
What do they pray for during the great blessing of water? That this water should be sanctified by the power and action and influx of the Holy Spirit. That it should be a gift of sanctification, deliverance from sins, healing of soul and body. That she should receive the blessing of the Jordan. To drive away all sorts of slander from visible and invisible enemies. So that this water leads to eternal life. So that we too, through tasting this water and the manifestation of the Holy Spirit, may be worthy of sanctification.
The baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan sanctified the nature of water. And the baptismal water consecrated in the Church on this day contains a pledge of grace.
- It is a mistaken belief to believe that Baptism and Epiphany are not the same thing, and that the water that is blessed on January 18 and January 19 is different. Both on the feast of Epiphany itself and on Christmas Eve (the day before), the water is blessed with the same rite, in memory of the descent of our Lord Jesus Christ into the waters of the Jordan River.
- It is strictly forbidden to quarrel, swear, or indulge in ungodly actions or thoughts while collecting holy water or taking it. As a result, holy water loses its holiness and often simply spills. Blessed water is a church shrine, which has been touched by the grace of God and which requires a reverent attitude.
- Holy water, like any shrine, must be kept with reverence, in the Red Corner. Do not store water in the refrigerator, next to food. If holy water “blooms” due to a lack of reverence towards it, it can be used to sprinkle the home or should be poured into an untrodden place.
- A special property of holy water is that, added even in small quantities to ordinary water, it imparts beneficial properties to it, therefore, in case of shortage, Epiphany water can be poured into containers and added to ordinary water - “a drop of holy water sanctifies the sea.”
- What should those who could not come to the temple for holy water on January 18 and 19 do? Firstly, you can come for it later - there is always holy water in the church. If she is not in one temple, you just need to go to another. Secondly, it is not necessary to store a whole tank of it - you can ask your friends for a small amount of Epiphany water.
How to drink holy water?
They drink Epiphany water on an empty stomach, along with a piece of prosphora. From this and morning prayers every day of a Christian must begin. Even if a person is prescribed to take medications on an empty stomach, they take holy water first, and then the medications.
You can also wash the patient with it and sprinkle his bed. Holy water is also sprinkled on the home.
Since Epiphany water is a shrine, women should not touch it during menstrual periods, as well as other shrines during this period. But this is only if she is otherwise healthy. If a woman has any health problems, then consuming holy water on these days can be blessed.
Drink Epiphany water a little at a time: 1-2-3 sips. You can add it to ordinary, unconsecrated water, and then it will all be sanctified. Holy water helps to cure mental and physical illnesses, especially when taken with faith.
For example, Seraphim of Sarov advised patients who came to him to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour.
At the same time, a prayer is read.
Prayer for accepting prosphora and holy water
Lord my God, may Your holy gift and Your holy water be for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities, according to Your boundless mercy through the prayers of the Most Pure One Your Mother and all Your saints. Amen.
Is it necessary to swim at Epiphany?
In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the folk traditions that have developed around it. The main thing in the feast of the Epiphany is the Epiphany, the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, the voice of God the Father from Heaven “This is my beloved Son” and the Holy Spirit descending on Christ in the form of a dove. The main thing for a Christian on this day is presence at the church service, Confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and receiving baptismal water.
The established traditions of swimming in cold ice holes are not directly related to the church holiday of the Epiphany itself, are not mandatory and, most importantly, do not cleanse a person from sins, which, unfortunately, is talked about a lot in the media, and even more so do not make a person “ baptized."
What do atheists say?
Saint John Chrysostom first mentioned the healing properties of Epiphany water in the 4th century. And for more than 17 centuries, opponents of Christianity have been trying to prove that the phenomenon of Epiphany water does not exist. But it exists!
Priests bless water in silver bowls and place silver crosses in them, and silver ions, as is known, have a detrimental effect on microorganisms - so Epiphany water does not spoil for a long time.
All the silver was in Soviet era stolen from churches, and now all church objects in most churches are, at best, made of brass. And brass, as you know, does not disinfect anything. And even before the revolution, not all churches had silver church utensils. In addition, this argument looks especially ridiculous when it comes to “Jordans” - the consecration of water in the Epiphany ice hole. No amount of silver is enough to “disinfect” a river, lake, or even more so the sea.
Water for the blessing of water is collected from an ice hole or consecrated in it in winter time when the number of microorganisms in water bodies is minimal. “Epiphany frosts” also contribute to this. Therefore, such water is stored for a long time.
This explanation of atheists also does not stand up to criticism. In most churches, especially urban ones, they have not been going to the “Jordan” for a long time, but are blessing ordinary tap water. Moreover, one can talk about “Epiphany frosts” in Siberia. In the central regions of Russia, and even more so in the southern republics, there are no frosts at this time. As for Orthodox countries, for example, the Middle East and Africa, it is almost always summer there.
Orthodox newspaper, No. 3
Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Mikhail Kurik
Every year on January 19, people line up near churches to get Epiphany water, and the bravest ones rush to swim in the ice hole. After all, it has long been believed that this water is healing. Both clergy and ordinary people are sure of this. And more recently, scientists too!
Physicists and chemists in different countries conducted experiments and found out: the structure of holy Epiphany water is many times more harmonious than on an ordinary day, and its energy and beneficial properties simply unique.
Ukrainian experiments on volunteers
At the Institute of Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Doctor of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, Professor Mikhail Kurik has been conducting his research on Epiphany water for about 9 years. In the scientist’s laboratory there are dozens of bottles of water, dated from the end of December-January of different years. Epiphany water remains clear, odorless and almost without sediment for many years.
– As a scientist, I was primarily interested in the fact itself - what Epiphany water represents from the point of view of physics. Patriarch Filaret blessed our research, specially allocated a hieromonk, a graduate student of the Theological Academy, to help, and we plunged into work,” Mikhail Vasilyevich tells BLIK.
One of the experiments was carried out over five years on several volunteers, with the participation of an employee of the Institute of Human Ecology, Viktor Zhukov. The experimental subjects drank 150 ml of water in small sips, and after 30 minutes the condition of their body was measured using the electropuncture diagnostic method. For the experiment, water samples were taken from the same church well. One water sample was taken in December - early January; the other - on the morning of January 19th.
“In experiments with water collected from a church well at the end of December - beginning of January, no effect on the subject’s body was found,” says Mikhail Vasilyevich. – The electrical conductivity values did not differ in any way before and after the subject drank water. Here's the action drinking water, collected on January 19 from the same church well, always made itself felt by an abrupt effect - a sharp increase in bioenergetic activity in all subjects. We came to the conclusion that Epiphany water improves and equalizes the circulation of energy, enhances human energy, which has a beneficial effect on human health, and unblocks “stuck” energy.
Perfect crystals
What happens to water on the physical level? You probably know that frozen water has a crystalline structure. So, scientists took different types of water, froze it and looked at it under a microscope. Crystals tap water looked like ugly monsters, water from an ordinary river or lake - almost the same. But the crystals of the water over which prayers were read, and especially the Epiphany holy water, are ideally symmetrical crystals. And it conveys its harmony to people who drink it or plunge into Epiphany ice hole.
By the way, the famous Japanese scientist Masaru Emoto came to the conclusion that any water “hears,” perceives and absorbs information: if you play music, say kind words, read prayers, then its structure becomes more harmonious and cleaner.
Ukrainian scientist Mikhail Kurik also studied water not only from church sources, but also from lakes, ordinary bottled water, tap water.
– All our experiments have shown that any water collected on the morning of January 19 is subject to the “Epiphany” phenomenon - that is, it has increased energy.
And specialists from the drinking water supply laboratory of the Moscow Institute named after. Sysin began monitoring the water on January 15th. The water collected from the tap was settled, and then the amount of radical ions in it was measured. During the study, the number of radical ions in water began to rise from January 17th. At the same time, the water became softer, its pH value increased, which made the liquid less acidic. The water reached its peak activity on January 18th, in the evening. Because of large quantity radical ions, its electrical conductivity was really like that of water saturated with electrons. At the same time, the hydrogen index of water jumped over neutral by 1.5 points. The researchers also studied the degree of structure of Epiphany water. They froze several samples - from a tap, from a church spring, from a river. So, even tap water, which is usually far from ideal, when frozen, presented a harmonious spectacle under a microscope. The curve of electromagnetic activity of water began to decrease in the morning of January 19 and by 20 it had taken its usual form.
Water is “charged” by space
To understand why water becomes bioactive at Epiphany, scientist Mikhail Kurik decided to go further. He began collecting water samples from December 22, the day of the winter solstice, in order to more accurately trace why and how the water changes its structure on January 18–19.
And he came to the conclusion that the properties of water are influenced by the energy fields of the Earth, the Moon, the Sun, the fields of the planets of the solar system, and various cosmic radiations.
“Everything is explained by the laws of nature,” says Mikhail Vasilyevich. – Every year on January 19th the Earth together with solar system in Space it passes through rays of special irradiation, as a result of which all life on Earth comes to life, including the increase in the bioenergy of all the waters of the Earth. It is on January 18–19 that water receives additional energy due to changes in the gravitational field in galactic space. For what? It's simple! After all, spring is approaching, and all living things need energy to be born again.
But according to the results of research by Russian physicist Anton Belsky, intense bursts of neutron flux were recorded in space for a number of years before January 19, exceeding background levels by 100-200 times. The maximums occurred on both the 18th and 17th, but sometimes exactly on the 19th.
The energy channel structures water
Astrologers also adhere to the “cosmic” theory of the origin of Epiphany water.
– On this day, the water becomes clean and carries a charge of holiness and rejuvenation. And this is not just like that,” says Pavel Mikhlin, candidate of technical sciences, astrologer.
It is believed that the Sun, Earth, and the center of the galaxy are located in such a way that on January 18–19, a line of communication opens between our planet and the center of the galaxy, and everything begins to interact. The Earth falls under an energy channel that structures everything, in particular water on Earth. In addition, it is usually frosty at Epiphany, and frozen water absorbs and “preserves” positive energy during services and prayers. And during consecration, people themselves charge the water with their positive energy, because they really believe that the water should become healing and consecrated.
By the way
Many people ask: if a person is 70% water, can our bodies be cleansed of all bad things on Epiphany night and immediately cured of all diseases? But no, this is impossible, the churchmen say.
– After all, there is nothing automatic in religion. A person consists not only of water and protein - a body, he also has a soul, says Abbot Evstratiy. “You can’t just cleanse your soul that way.” You can lie in holy water all day long, but you will not become a saint. To cleanse the soul, you need to live and pray righteously. And holy water is just a blessing for this.
How to use holy water
Often we ourselves do not know how to use holy water, although we literally collect it in the church in liters. But this is not necessary. Hegumen Evstratiy, press secretary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, told BLIK about these subtleties and some secrets.
They drink holy water during illness and every day on an empty stomach a little - 60-100 grams.
They store it in a glass vessel near the icons so that light does not enter.
You can enhance the effect of water by reading a prayer over it, for example - “In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”
Holy water cannot be used for household purposes - washing dishes, making tea, cooking something, or even taking a bath from it. After all, it can’t go down the drain.
It is not necessary to take consecrated “temple” water; you can bring your own water for consecration – even tap water.
It is advisable to take clean and high-quality water for consecration, because physical dirt will not go anywhere.
Blessed water can be diluted with regular water; such water acquires the qualities of holy water. You should not bring carbonated or mineral water; it is better to take regular water.
You can sprinkle your home with Epiphany water.
The water stood for three years
Usually Epiphany water is stored for a year until the next Epiphany. But few people know that such water can last longer - three or even ten years.
“My Epiphany water stood for three years and did not spoil or bloom,” says Father Barsanuphius, treasurer of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra. “I collected it from our holy spring of Anthony.” After I drank it, I felt a surge of strength all day and felt blessed. I know that scientists came and even collected water for experiments from the source of St. Anthony. After all, studies have shown that the optical density of Epiphany water is higher than water from the same sources on ordinary days. Moreover, it is close to the optical density of water from the Jordan River.
But Abbot Evstratiy, press secretary of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the Kyiv Patriarchate, told BLIK that he knows of a case when Epiphany water stood for 10 years and did not spoil!
Epiphany magic will preserve beauty and fulfill wishes
The main thing is to remember the dream
Everyone knows about Epiphany fortune-telling. But even ordinary dreams on the night of Epiphany are “letters from the future.” Before you fall asleep, you need to ask a question about your destiny that interests you most. In the old days, unmarried girls put a comb or king of diamonds and asked for the betrothed to dream. Spend the evening before as calmly as possible, go to bed early, and on the morning of the 19th wake up without the alarm ringing. In this case, there is a greater chance of seeing a prophetic dream and not forgetting it right away. They say that your sleep will be brighter and remembered better if you eat something salty at night, but do not drink water. Place a pen and notepad next to your bed, and when you wake up, immediately write down your dream or tell it to someone right away - this way you’ll have a better chance of remembering it.
The most cherished
It is believed that the night from the 18th to the 19th is the ideal time to make your deepest wishes. It is believed that at this time the sky hears best what people ask for, and requests are fulfilled. There is only one main condition: you need to make wishes with a pure soul. And only good ones! Before asking for anything for yourself or your loved ones, it is better to first at least mentally ask for forgiveness from those whom you have hurt over the year, whom you have harmed, even if reluctantly. And also - thank God for all the good things in life. And only after that, with an open heart, make wishes. How? Even just by going out onto the balcony and looking at the sky! You can write 12 wish notes and put them under your pillow. And when you wake up in the morning, pull out three of them. They will definitely come true.
Wrinkle-free all year
Here is some advice for ladies who want to maintain their youth for a long time. Early in the morning of December 19, pour Epiphany water into a bowl and look at your reflection. You need to examine yourself very carefully, noticing wrinkles and flaws, and then wash your face with your hands three times. Water the flowers with the remaining water. The effect will increase if the water comes from a river, where the woman herself goes to get it early in the morning. But, if you believe that during Epiphany all water gains strength, ordinary water left overnight under the sky may also be suitable. They say that after such a magical procedure, your face will be fresh and attractive all year round.
Read a book about Epiphany water:
Shrine in the house. About holy water, prosphora, artos and antidor.
Why is holy water used to consecrate temples, houses and vital objects? How does Epiphany water differ from the water blessed at the water prayer service, and from the water in holy springs, springs and wells? How are prosphora consecrated and what is the difference between antidor and artos?
And finally, what is the significance of these shrines in the life of an Orthodox believer and how should they be treated?
You will find the answer to all these questions in this book.
See also section books Nature's Pantry- there are interesting publications about water and its properties.
Holy water at Epiphany has miraculous powers that help people improve their health. This applies to both physical and mental illnesses. It is used for sprinkling homes, vehicles, animals. Epiphany water helps when small child often cranky at night. You need to wash the child and he will become calmer. It will also help in cases where a person at work has tense relationships with the team. You need to discreetly sprinkle your workplace. After this, all troubles will bypass the person.
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How and when is water blessed?
The Christmas-New Year cycle of religious holidays, which begin on Christmas Day, ends on January 19 on the day of Epiphany. The holiday is associated with the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, during which the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove. At this time, a ritual called the “Great Blessing of Water” is carried out in every church. According to the teachings Orthodox Church, thanks to this rite, water in reservoirs throughout the earth is sanctified.
Holy Epiphany water can be taken from every church once a year on January 19th. It is distributed in the temple after the service.
Among some believers, it is customary to collect life-giving moisture twice. It must be taken into account that the water that is given to parishioners on January 18 is no different from the water that is blessed on January 19. The fact that the water is illuminated twice occurs for historical reasons: the first time on the eve of Epiphany in the temple, and the second time after the consecration of springs, lakes, and rivers.
It is generally accepted that water is sacred from 12 o’clock at night, but this is not entirely true. It becomes special from approximately 6 pm on January 18th and retains its properties until lunchtime on January 19th. After this, life-giving moisture in reservoirs is considered normal.
Water is collected in the temple on the day of the Epiphany. According to church regulations, the holiday continues for another week. BYou can take the sacred baptismal life-giving moisture in the temple on January 20 and a few more days after that.
You need to collect it from the tap in the time period from 00:10 to 01:30 on the night of January 18th to 19th. This time is the best.
What kind of container should you use?
To collect Epiphany water, you should use containers that are intended only for this purpose and are used from year to year.
Glass containers and tanks are suitable for this. It is often collected in large plastic bottles.
An important condition is the utmost cleanliness of the dishes. It is imperative to remove all stickers from the container. Using vodka or beer bottles is blasphemy.
Miraculous properties
There is an opinion according to which the life-giving moisture of Epiphany has miraculous properties due to the presence in it of silver ions from the cross and a bowl made of the same metal, but this is not so. The fact is that the percentage of precious metals in modern church utensils is very low.
Holy water for Epiphany receives its unique properties after reading church prayers thanks to the presence of the grace of the Holy Spirit in her.
It is used in the morning on an empty stomach. If a person is sick, then you can drink it after meals. If necessary, it is combined with medications.
You should drink no more than half a glass a day. If a person is seriously ill, then he is allowed to consume it in unlimited quantities.
Epiphany life-giving moisture helps both with physical ailments and in difficult mental states, grief, and depression. It relieves increased anxiety and irritability.
Water from Epiphany helps to get rid of toxins. To do this you need to pour 1 tbsp. l. water in a glass of ordinary boiled water and drink in the morning before meals. It helps to increase the tone of the body, relieve headaches, and get rid of conjunctivitis.
After consumption, you must definitely pray for healing.
If painful sensations are present, you should apply a compress moistened with it.
How to use the Great Shrine?
The consecrated life-giving moisture should be used only with good intentions.
It can be used for sprinkling objects, apartments and houses, vehicles, animals, plants.
To ensure that a warm and friendly atmosphere always reigns in the house, you should sprinkle every corner of the house. The following words must be uttered: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!” Each family member should take a sip and wash with it.
If Epiphany water runs out, then you can add plain water to it, and then all of it will become holy.
How to drink correctly
On the day of the holiday, you can drink life-giving moisture throughout the day. On other days it is consumed on an empty stomach with prayer. You should drink half a glass at a time.
You can not only drink holy water, but also anoint yourself with it, like holy oil.
How to store Epiphany water?
Epiphany water remains consecrated from Epiphany to Epiphany, provided there is a sufficiently reverent attitude towards it as a Great Shrine.
There are times when life-giving moisture deteriorates. This suggests that its owner has some kind of sin.
Another cause of mold is unpleasant odor is to keep the shrine in the sun. After all, we should not forget that according to physical parameters, Epiphany water still remains water.
An unfavorable environment at home can have a negative impact: constant quarrels, scandals, swearing, bad words, assault, fornication, adultery. In this case, you should go to church for confession and tell about your problem.
Spoiled water should be poured into a river or other natural source, under a tree or flowerpot. It can be poured in an untrampled place where people do not walk and dogs do not run.
What not to do?
There are a number of prohibitions on handling Epiphany water, which are important for every Christian to know about.
Epiphany water should not be given to animals to drink. It can only be used to sprinkle them.
How to sanctify life-giving moisture at home yourself?
If for some reason you cannot visit the temple, then you can bless the water at home on Epiphany night. For this you will need glassware. A three-liter jar works well. It must be filled from the tap and allowed to stand for a while.
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Greetings, our dear readers. Epiphany frosts are approaching, but today we’ll talk about what Epiphany water is and its properties. Why you should swim, collect water and use it, and how to store it correctly.
I would like to note right away that I am baptized, but like most young people in modern world, I almost never go to church. I hope I'll improve. But even though I don’t read prayers, I rarely go to church, I never stop believing in God and miracles.
Many of us honor Christian holidays, this is very good, and a holiday like the Epiphany of the Lord is revered by a lot of people, including me.
By nature, I can be classified as a technician. I don’t really like the humanities and especially don’t really trust “magic.” It’s just that almost everything around can be explained by physical phenomena, quite simple. And now, scientists know very well that Epiphany water is very useful, they know why. But they cannot yet explain why exactly on this day and only then.
But let's talk a little about something else, today I will tell you why Epiphany water and its properties are so beneficial to humans.
The fact that there are queues for Epiphany water and Epiphany water is actually not surprising. After all, it is she who is considered the most powerful and healing. What's most interesting about her healing properties Doctors don’t even deny it. It has a beneficial effect on:
- immune system
- Endocrine system
- Nervous system.
In addition, it helps to improve the health of the brain area and respiratory system, improves the balance between the right and left side of the body. There are even cases where just a couple of drops of healing water brought people out of comas and much more. Therefore, people very often use it for the benefit of their health. As a preventive measure, take it on an empty stomach for all diseases and wash your face with it.
But it is still not recommended to use it in large quantities every day. It is enough to take a couple of sips in the morning on an empty stomach. If you need to take medicine, then take a couple of sips of water, and then the rest of the procedures are carried out.
For those who do not know how to use Epiphany water at home, priests recommend that women wash themselves with it, sprinkle food with it, and use it as medicine during illness. After all, Epiphany water is very useful for the sick.
I also wash little children with Epiphany water from the evil eye, even just when a child is in pain, he gets nervous and freaks out, cries endlessly, you can also wash the child with this water and give him a couple of sips to drink.
A little history.
Water is directly associated with the feast of the Epiphany. Before a public sermon on the Jordan River, Christ received his water Baptism from the Baptist. This ritual took place as follows: believers came to John and confessed their sins. This served as a sign of remission of sins.
Even though Jesus Christ was sinless, he still followed all the customs. As the Gospel says, at the moment when he received water Baptism, the heavens opened and in the form white dove The Holy Spirit came upon him.
This holiday is also called Epiphany, since at the same time as Epiphany the Holy Trinity appeared in the Jordan. After Baptism, Christ began to go out to preach. He did this for three years, until his crucifixion on Calvary.
The custom of blessing water for this holiday came from the custom of the Jerusalem church. There, to this day, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, together with believers, go to the Jordan River and perform the ritual of blessing the water. After which they take it for drinking and washing. From Palestine the custom passed to all Orthodox churches.
For many years now, Orthodox believers have been celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord on the night of January 18-19. It must be said that it is one of the most revered holidays. It is also called Epiphany Christmas Eve.
Interesting facts and research.
One day, laboratory technicians noticed one interesting fact The water collected from the lake on the feast of Epiphany stood in the laboratory for four years. And at the same time, it did not change its properties, and did not even bloom. While ordinary tap water is not suitable for consumption after 2 months.
After such an incident, the question arose: why does Epiphany water not spoil and its properties still have healing properties? Physicists from the Research Institute of Human Ecology began to conduct daily studies of water taken from the tap on Epiphany. As surprising as it may sound, the phenomenon has been confirmed.
In fact, it has a high level of energy. In addition, these days the water becomes softer, its pH level increases by 1.5 points. No one can explain why this happens. Isn't this a miracle?
Emoto Masaru, researcher, Japan:“Let's imagine that here we have a person, and here we have water. This water contains a lot various types information. If you introduce this water into the human body, the human body will absorb this information. And this can change a person’s condition.”
Allois Grubber, Austrian explorer: “How does a person handle water? If he turns to this water with good thoughts, blesses it, says “Thank you” to it, the quality of this water increases, and the water will have a positive effect on a person and his body.”
Do not forget that a person himself consists of more than 80% water. We ourselves are water.
Popular beliefs.
- In the villages on this day, old women and girls collected snow from stacks. The old women did this in order to bleach the canvas. They believed that only he could whiten it. And girls did this in order to whiten their skin.
- It was believed that a girl who washed her face with snow on the morning of Epiphany would become much more attractive.
- It was also believed that snow collected in the evening before Epiphany was healing. Using it, people were healed from many ailments. A bowl of water was taken to the table. This was done in order to see the Baptism of the Lord.
Epiphany Christmas Eve is the evening of preparation before a major Orthodox holiday. It is called the Epiphany of the Lord's Baptism. On this day, the baptism of Jesus Christ by the Baptist in the Jordan River is remembered. On this day, huge queues for holy water stretch in the courtyards of temples and churches.
Where to get Epiphany water?
The best place to collect water is at the temple. But many people get it from the tap. But most likely, it’s probably more a matter of faith. After all, as scientists have proven, on this holiday Epiphany water and its properties really change, regardless of where it is collected.
- If you don’t believe in miracles, then no matter where you get it, it won’t help you.
- It should be stored next to the icons in the house in glass or plastic containers.
- You need to treat it as a shrine, rub yourself with it, drink it and sprinkle it on your home.
Many believe that absolutely all water on the day of Epiphany becomes holy.
The clergy explain that only the water over which a special prayer ceremony is performed is sanctified.
This is how water in natural reservoirs is sanctified, where a cross-shaped hole is cut in the ice - a Jordan. There are also many myths associated with it. The opinion that immersion in consecrated water forgives all sins is erroneous. The priests remind us that in order to receive forgiveness, it is necessary to sincerely repent and confess.
But, personally, I collect water from a spring outside a small village. Once upon a time, priests performed rituals there, but in recent years 5 are not carried out. But on Epiphany there is still Epiphany water and no one disputes its properties.
All the locals go there and sometimes we store it for more than a year. This is how it happens.
Some people, when Epiphany water runs out, try to dilute it with ordinary water, without asking themselves whether Epiphany water can be diluted. There is an opinion that this is prohibited. Because the water begins to lose its potency and will no longer have such healing properties.
But as the priests say, you can dilute it, just not with a large amount of ordinary water. And it’s better to do this not with liquid from the tap, but from wells.
How to properly store and use Epiphany water.
Believers - out of reverence for the shrine - take Epiphany water on an empty stomach, but out of special need for God's help - during illnesses or attacks by evil forces - they drink it without hesitation, at any time.
Believers have a pious custom - in the morning on an empty stomach, drink a little Epiphany water and eat a piece of church prosphora, which is taken from the church at the service on Saturday - Sunday. If it is not possible to go to a service on church holidays, you can pray at home and sprinkle water on your home.
Epiphany water is not given to animals to drink, but from church practice it is known that during a pestilence, animals were sometimes sprinkled and given holy water. The reasons for such daring had to be extremely serious.
It is customary to pour Epiphany water only into a special place that is not trampled underfoot, so, as a rule, they do not bathe in it (for example, children), but rather wash and sprinkle it.
With reverent attitude, holy water remains fresh and pleasant to the taste for a long time. It should be stored in a separate place, preferably next to the icons.
A special property of Epiphany water is that it, added even in small quantities to ordinary water, imparts beneficial properties to it, therefore, in case of a shortage of holy water, it is diluted with plain water.
How to sprinkle an apartment with Epiphany water.
For many centuries, Christians have had a tradition of sprinkling their homes with baptismal water. As a rule, this happens on the day of the holiday. This ritual is carried out to cleanse the home of all bad things. For this procedure, you will need to clean your home and take a container of water.
First, the eastern side of the apartment is sprinkled, then the western, northern and southern. Before the premises are consecrated, the owner is advised to ventilate the apartment well, and to confess and receive communion themselves.
That's all for me, if you have anything to add or correct me, write in the comments and join our group in Odnoklassniki.
Epiphany water and its properties: why and how. updated: November 11, 2019 by: Subbotin Pavel
