Baptism January 19 tradition. Folk baptismal signs

On January 19 (January 6, old style), believers celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, or Epiphany. Epiphany, like Easter, is considered the most ancient holiday in Christian culture. This day is associated with the gospel event - the baptism by John the Forerunner of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. About the history, meaning and traditions of the holiday.

The meaning of the name

The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is closely connected with the event of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, described by the evangelists - the baptism performed in the Jordan River by the prophet John the Baptist, who is also John the Baptist. The second name of the holiday is Epiphany. This name recalls the miracle that happened during the baptism of Christ: the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove, and a voice from heaven called Jesus a son. This day was also often called the "Day of Enlightenment", "Feast of Lights" or "Holy Lights" - as a sign that the Sacrament of Baptism cleanses a person from sin and enlightens with the Light of Christ.

history of the holiday

According to the Gospel, after wandering in the desert, the prophet John the Baptist came to the Jordan River, in which the Jews traditionally performed religious ablutions. Here he began to speak to the people about repentance and baptism for the remission of sins and to baptize people in the waters. When Jesus was 30 years old, he also came to the waters of the Jordan River and asked John to be baptized. After the baptism, the heavens "opened" and the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, everyone heard the words of God the Father: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matthew 3:17). They pointed John the Baptist and the people present to the Divine dignity of the baptized Jesus Christ. It is believed that in this event the Holy Trinity was revealed to people: God the Father - by a voice from heaven, God the Son - by baptism from John in the Jordan, God the Holy Spirit - by a dove descending on Jesus Christ.

How to celebrate

On this day, divine services and Epiphany bathing in ice holes (Jordans) are held throughout Russia. To do this, special ice holes are made on reservoirs, and fonts are installed on the squares of cities and towns. It is believed among the people that swimming in an ice-hole gives a cleansing power for the soul and body. Meanwhile, bathing in Jordan remains an exclusively voluntary matter for believers. For Christians, the main thing on this day is to attend a service in the church, confess, take communion and take baptismal water. On the eve of January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, the Orthodox observe a strict fast, eating a traditional lean cereal dish - juicy. You can have a meal only after taking out the candle after the liturgy in the morning and the first communion Epiphany water.

Consecration of water

The main tradition of the holiday is the blessing of water, which takes place in temples and on reservoirs. Water is consecrated twice. The day before, January 18, on Epiphany Christmas Eve, and directly on the day of Theophany, January 19, at the Divine Liturgy. Baptized water is called "agiasma" and is considered a shrine that heals the soul and body. Epiphany water can be consumed throughout the year. Holy water can be sprinkled on living quarters, things, taken during illness, applied to sore spots, and also given to drink to those who cannot be admitted to Holy Communion. According to church ministers, even tap water is blessed on this day. The water consecrated in the temple cannot be used for domestic needs, washing or washing. It is recommended to store holy water in the house, preferably near the icons.

When to swim for Epiphany - January 18 or 19- this question is asked very often on the days of Epiphany and Theophany of the Lord.

The most important thing you need to know about the Baptism of the Lord is not when to bathe (it is absolutely not necessary to plunge into the hole on this day), but the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ himself was baptized on this day. Therefore, on January 18 in the evening and January 19 in the morning, it is important to be in the church at the service, confess, take communion and take holy water, the great agiasma.

They bathe, according to tradition, after the evening service on January 18 and on the night of January 18-19. Access to the fonts is open, as a rule, on January 19 throughout the day.

Common questions about bathing at Epiphany

Do I need to swim in the hole for Epiphany?

Is it necessary to bathe at Epiphany? And if there is no frost, will the bathing be Epiphany?

In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the traditions that have developed around it. In the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the main thing is the Epiphany, this is 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. The main thing for a Christian on this day is the presence at the church service, confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, communion of baptismal water.

The established traditions of bathing in cold ice holes are not directly related to the Feast of the Epiphany itself, are not mandatory and, most importantly, do not cleanse a person from sins, which, unfortunately, is much talked about in the media.

Such traditions should not be treated as magical rites - the feast of the Epiphany is celebrated by the Orthodox in hot Africa, America, and Australia. After all, the palm branches of the feast of the Lord's entry into Jerusalem were replaced by willows in Russia, and the consecration of vines on the Transfiguration of the Lord was a blessing for the harvest of apples. Also on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, all waters will be consecrated, regardless of their temperature.

Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev

Probably, we should start not with bathing in Epiphany frosts, but with the most fertile feast of the Epiphany. The baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ sanctifies all water, in all its forms, because for two thousand years the water of the Jordan River, which touched the blessed body of Christ, rose millions of times to heaven, floated in the clouds and returned again as raindrops to the earth. What is it - in trees, in lakes, rivers, grasses? Pieces of her are everywhere. And now the feast of the Epiphany is approaching, when the Lord gives us an abundance of blessed water. Anxiety awakens in every person: what about me? After all, this is my chance to be cleansed! Wouldn't miss it! And now people without hesitation, even with some kind of despair, rush to the hole and, having plunged, then for a whole year they talk about their “feat”. Did they partake of the grace of our Lord, or amuse their pride?

An Orthodox person goes quietly from one church holiday to another, observing fasts, confessing and taking communion. And he is preparing for the Epiphany slowly, deciding with his family who, after confession and communion, according to the old Russian tradition, will be worthy to plunge into the Jordan, and who, due to childhood or indisposition, will wash his face with holy water, or pour himself on a holy spring, or simply accept holy water with prayer like spiritual medicine. We, thank God, have plenty to choose from, and we do not need to risk thoughtlessly if a person is weakened by an illness. The Jordan is not the Sheep's Pool (see John 5:1-4) and must be approached with caution. An experienced priest will not bless everyone for swimming. He will take care of choosing a place, strengthening the ice, gangways, a warm place for undressing and dressing, and the presence of one of the Orthodox medical workers. Here, mass baptism will be appropriate and grace-filled.

Another thing is the mass of desperate people who decided, without a blessing and just elementary thought, to swim "for the company" in ice water. Here we are talking not about the strength of the spirit, but about the strength of the body. The strongest spasm of the skin vessels in response to the action of cold water leads to the fact that a mass of blood rushes into the internal organs - the heart, lungs, brain, stomach, liver, and for people with poor health this can end badly.

The danger especially increases for those who were preparing for the "cleansing" in the hole with smoking and alcohol. The flow of blood to the lungs will only increase the chronic inflammation of the bronchi, which always accompanies smoking, can cause swelling of the bronchial wall and pneumonia. Prolonged intake of alcohol or acute intoxication and in warm water constantly lead to misfortunes, to say nothing of swimming in the hole. The arterial vessels of an alcoholic or a domestic drunkard, even if he is relatively young, are not able to respond correctly to massive cold exposure, in these cases one can expect paradoxical reactions up to cardiac and respiratory arrest. With such bad habits and in such a state, it is better not to approach the hole.

Archpriest Sergiy Vogulkin, rector of the church in the name of the icon Mother of God"All-Tsaritsa" of the city of Yekaterinburg, doctor medical sciences, Professor:

- Please explain why Orthodox person to bathe in Epiphany in ice-cold water, when the frost is over thirty degrees outside?

Priest Svyatoslav Shevchenko:- must be distinguished folk customs and church liturgical practice. The Church does not call on believers to climb into icy water - everyone decides for himself individually. But today the custom of plunging into a frosty hole has become something newfangled for non-church people. It is clear that in large Orthodox holidays there is a religious outburst in the Russian people - and there is nothing wrong with that. But it is not very good that people limit themselves to this superficial ablution. Moreover, some seriously believe that, having bathed in the Epiphany Jordan, they will wash away all the sins that have accumulated over the year. These are pagan superstitions and have nothing to do with church teaching. Sins are forgiven by the priest in the sacrament of Repentance. In addition, in the search for thrills, we miss main point feast of the Baptism of the Lord.

Where did the tradition of diving into the hole for Epiphany come from? Is it necessary for every Orthodox to do this? Do priests bathe in ice water? What is the place of this tradition in the Christian hierarchy of values?

Archpriest Vladimir Vigilyansky, Rector of the Church of the Martyr Tatiana at Moscow State University:

Faith is not tested by bathing

- at Epiphany - a relatively new tradition. Neither in the historical literature about Ancient Russia, nor in the memoirs of pre-revolutionary Russia, I have not read that somewhere on Epiphany they cut through the ice and bathed. But there is nothing wrong with this tradition itself, you just need to understand that the Church does not force anyone to bathe in cold water.

The consecration of water is a reminder that the Lord is everywhere and everywhere, sanctifies the whole nature of the earth, and the earth was created for man, for life. Without understanding that God is with us everywhere, without spiritual understanding of the feast of the Epiphany, Epiphany bathing turns into a sport, a love of extreme sports. It is important to feel the presence of the Trinity, which permeates the entire natural being, and to join precisely this presence. And the rest, including swimming in consecrated spring is a relatively new tradition.

I serve in the center of Moscow, far from the water, so swimming is not practiced in our parish. But, for example, I know that in the Trinity Church in Ostankino, which is located near the Ostankino Ponds, they bless the water and wash themselves with it. Who bathes not the first year, let him continue to bathe. And if a person wants to join this tradition for the first time, I would advise him to think about whether his health allows him, whether he tolerates the cold well. Faith is not tested by bathing.

Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky, Rector of the Assumption Church in Krasnogorsk, Dean of the Churches of the Krasnogorsk District:

Spiritual meaning - in the blessing of water, not in bathing

- Today the Church does not forbid swimming in reservoirs, but before the revolution it was negative. Father Sergius Bulgakov in the "Handbook of a Clergyman" writes the following:

“... In some places there is a custom on this day to swim in the rivers (especially those who dressed up at Christmas time, guessed, etc., superstitiously attributing cleansing power from these sins to this bathing). Such a custom cannot be justified by a desire to imitate the example of the Savior's immersion in the water, as well as the example of the Palestinian worshipers who bathe in the Jordan River at all times. In the east, it is safe for pilgrims, because there is no such cold and frosts as we have.

Belief in the healing and cleansing power of water consecrated by the Church on the very day of the Savior's baptism cannot speak in favor of such a custom, because swimming in winter means demanding a miracle from God or completely neglecting one's life and health.

(S. V. Bulgakov, “Handbook for the Holy Church Ministers”, Publishing Department of the Moscow Patriarchate, 1993, reprint of the 1913 edition, p. 24, footnote 2)

In my opinion, if you do not tie bathing to pagan beliefs, there is nothing wrong with it. Whoever allows health can plunge, but you don’t need to look for some kind of spiritual meaning in this. spiritual meaning Epiphany water has it, but you can drink a drop of it and sprinkle yourself, and it’s absurd to think that the one who bathed will definitely receive more grace than the one who drank a sip. This does not depend on receiving grace.

Not far from one of the temples of our deanery, in Opalikha, there is a clean pond, I know that the clergy of the temple bless the water there. Why not? The Typicon allows it. Of course, at the end of the Liturgy or, when Christmas Eve falls on Saturday or Sunday, at the end great vespers. The consecration of water by the Great Order at other times is permissible in exceptional cases.

For example, it happens that one priest is the rector of three rural churches at once. He is not allowed to serve two liturgies a day. And so the priest serves and blesses the water in one church, and goes to two others, sometimes tens of kilometers away, to bless the water especially for the locals. Then, of course, suppose Great rank. Or in the Nursing Home, if it is impossible to perform the liturgy for Baptism there, you can also perform the Great Blessing of Water.

If, for example, a pious rich man wants to bless the water in his pond, there is nothing wrong with that, but in this case, you need to bless it with the Small rank.

Well, when, as in Opalikha, after the prayer behind the ambo, a procession takes place, the water in the pond is blessed, and then everyone returns to the church and finishes the liturgy, the church order is not violated. And whether the priests and parishioners will then plunge into the hole, is a private matter for everyone. You just have to be smart about it.

One of our parishioners is an experienced walrus, she even goes to walrus competitions. Naturally, she bathes with pleasure at Epiphany. But after all, people become walruses, tempering gradually. If a person is not frost-resistant, often catches a cold, it would be unreasonable on his part to climb into the hole without preparation. If he thus wants to be convinced of the power of God, then let him consider whether he is not tempting the Lord by this.

There was a case when an elderly hieromonk - I knew him - decided to pour ten buckets of Epiphany water on himself. During such a dousing, he died - his heart could not stand it. Like any bath in cold water, Epiphany bathing requires preliminary preparation. Then it can be beneficial to health, but without preparation it can be harmful.

I'm talking about bodily health, perhaps mental health - cold water invigorates - but not spiritual. There is spiritual meaning in the very sacrament of consecration of water, and not in bathing. It is not so important whether a person bathes in the Epiphany hole, it is much more important whether he comes to the festive liturgy, or the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Naturally, as Orthodox priest, I wish everyone not just to come this day for baptismal water, but to pray at the service and, if possible, take communion. But all of us, Orthodox Christians, must relate to coming people with love and understanding, with condescension to human weakness. If someone comes only for water, it is wrong to tell him that he is such and such and will not receive grace. It's not for us to judge this.

In the biography I read how he advised one spiritual daughter, whose husband was an unbeliever, that she should give him prosphora. “Father, he eats it with soup,” she soon complained. "So what? Let it come with soup,” Father Alexy replied. And in the end, that person turned to God.

From this, of course, it does not follow that it is necessary to distribute prosphora to all unbelieving relatives, but the above example shows that God's grace often works in a way that is incomprehensible to us. So it is with water. A person came only for water, but perhaps through these external actions, without realizing it, he reaches out to God and in time will come to Him. In the meantime, let us rejoice that he remembers the feast of the Epiphany and generally came to the temple.

Archpriest Theodore Borodin, Rector of the Church of the Holy Unmercenaries Cosmas and Damian on Maroseyka:

Bathing is just the beginning

The tradition of bathing at Epiphany is a late one. And you need to treat it depending on what a person bathes for. Let me draw an analogy with Easter. Everyone knows that in Great Saturday tens or even hundreds of thousands of people go to the temple to bless Easter cakes.

If they really do not know that this is only a tiny part of the joy that Easter is for a believer, they come to the temple with reverence and sincerely pray, for them it is still a meeting with the Lord.

If, however, they hear from year to year that this is not the most important thing, and the priest, consecrating Easter cakes, each time invites them to come to the night service, to share with everyone the joy of the Risen Lord, explains what the meaning of worship is, and their communion with the Church still comes down to the consecration of Easter cakes, this, of course, is sad.

Likewise with swimming. If a person who is completely unfamiliar with church life plunges into the water with reverence, turning to the Lord in the way he knows how, sincerely desiring to receive grace, the Lord, of course, will give grace, and this person will have an encounter with God.

I think when a person sincerely seeks God, sooner or later he will understand that bathing is only the beginning, and it is much more important to be at the vigil and the liturgy. If Epiphany bathing serves as a stepping stone to starting to celebrate this holiday in a truly, Christian way, at least in a few years, such bathing can only be welcomed.

Alas, many refer to it simply as one of the extreme sports. Often bathing non-church people are accompanied by obscene jokes and immoderate drinking. Like the wall-to-wall fights that were once popular, such amusements do not bring a person one step closer to the Lord.

But many of those who do not allow themselves any indecency do not come to the service - they usually bathe at night and believe that they have already joined the holiday, sleep well, satisfied with themselves - they have proved that they are strong in body and their faith is strong. They proved to themselves, but this is self-deception.

Of course, it is not necessary to swim at night, you can after the service. Our temple is located in the center, there is nowhere to swim nearby, but some parishioners travel to other areas or to the Moscow region. Sometimes they consult with me, I never mind if I see that a person is really doing this for the Lord. But one priest I know, a very good one, plunged into an ice hole for several years in a row and every time after that he fell ill. This means that his bathing was not pleasing to the Lord, and the Lord admonished him through illness - now he does not bathe.

I never went swimming either. It is far enough for me to travel to the nearest consecrated reservoirs, if I spend half the night on the road and swimming, I will not be able to confess the parishioners and serve the liturgy as I should. But sometimes mother and children and I poured ourselves with Epiphany water on the street, in the snow. I live outside the city, but after returning from the vigil, the whole family was doused. But it's possible outside the city, in Moscow you won't get sick like that.

Archpriest Alexy Uminsky, rector of the Church of the Life-Giving Trinity in Khokhly, confessor of the St. Vladimir Orthodox Gymnasium:

And what about Baptism?

I am somehow not particularly puzzled by the issue of night Epiphany diving. If a person wants, let him dive; if he doesn't want to, let him not dive. But what does diving in the hole have to do with the feast of the Epiphany?

For me, these dips are just entertainment, extreme. Our people love something so extraordinary. Recent times it has become fashionable, popular to dive into the hole at Epiphany, then drink vodka, and then tell everyone about your such Russian piety.

Such a Russian tradition, like fisticuffs on Maslenitsa. It has exactly the same relation to the celebration of Epiphany as fistfights have to the celebration of Forgiveness Sunday.

There is a belief that during Baptism, as we know from the Gospel, the holy spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove, and at the same moment a voice was heard from heaven: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

And since then, on January 19, Orthodox Christians celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, or Epiphany. On this day, the Church remembers the gospel event - how the prophet John the Baptist baptized the Lord Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. Once, according to the gospel story, Jesus Christ came to John the Baptist, who was at the Jordan River in Befabar, to be baptized.

In our time, the custom has been preserved and has become revered, and even to some extent an additional step towards healthy lifestyle life. On this day, a folk procession called the “Religious procession to the Jordan” is traditionally carried out in order to bless the water, and then arrange Epiphany bathing in the hole. Water washes the body, relieves fatigue, cleanses the soul, heals. And nothing that the frost penetrates to the bones - the Russian person does not care about anything.

The word "I baptize" or "I baptize" with Greek translates as "I immerse in water."

Water is the source and beginning of life. All living beings originated from it, and life is reborn along with it. And on the feast of the Epiphany, people certainly go on a hike to the temple on the morning of January 19 for holy water. The clergy carry out the rite of consecration of water similar to the very moment when Jesus consecrated the water with his presence. It is thanks to this that it became possible to take a piece of divine power to your home, where you can wash or drink it to strengthen your body and spirit. According to tradition, people drink water, reading prayers for the salvation of the soul and for health. Epiphany water is healing - it cleanses us of illnesses and bad thoughts.

They began to celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, even when the apostles were alive - we find a mention of this day in the Decrees and Rules of the Apostles. But at first, Epiphany and Christmas were a single holiday, and it was called Epiphany.

Since the end of the 4th century (in different places in different ways), the Baptism of the Lord has become a separate holiday. But even now we can observe echoes of the unity of Christmas and Baptism - in worship. For example, both holidays have an eve - Christmas Eve, with strict fasting and special traditions.

In the first centuries of Christianity, new converts were baptized on Epiphany (they were called catechumens), so this day was often called the “Day of Enlightenment”, “Feast of Lights”, or “Holy Lights” - as a sign that the Sacrament of Baptism cleanses a person from sin and enlightens with the Light of Christ . Even then there was a tradition to consecrate the waters in reservoirs on this day.

There is no fasting on the Feast of Epiphany. But on Epiphany Christmas Eve, that is, on the eve of the holiday, the Orthodox observe a strict fast. The traditional dish of this day is sochivo, which is made from cereals (such as wheat or rice), honey and raisins.

Folk traditions of the Baptism of the Lord

Each church holiday is reflected in folk traditions. And the richer ancient history people, the more complex and interesting weaves of folk and church are obtained. Many customs are far from true Christianity and close to paganism, but they are nevertheless interesting from a historical point of view - to get to know the people better, to be able to separate the essence of this or that Christ's holiday from the colorful stream of folk fantasy.

In Russia, Baptism was the end of Christmas time, the girls stopped fortune telling - a purely pagan occupation. Ordinary people were preparing for the holiday, which, it was believed, would cleanse them of sins, including the sins of Christmas divination.

At Baptism they made a great blessing of water. And two times. The first is on Epiphany Christmas Eve. Water was consecrated in the font, which stood in the center of the temple. The second time the water was consecrated already on the feast of Epiphany itself - in any local reservoir: a river, a lake, a well. A "Jordan" was cut through the ice - a hole in the form of a cross or a circle. A lectern and a wooden cross with an ice dove, a symbol of the Holy Spirit, were placed nearby.

On the day of Epiphany, after the liturgy, people went to the hole procession. The priest served a prayer service, lowered the cross into the hole three times, asking for God's blessing on the water. After that, all the villagers collected holy water from the hole and merrily poured it over each other. Some daredevils even bathed in ice water to, according to popular belief to be cleansed from sins. It should be noted that this belief has nothing to do with the teachings of the Church. Swimming in an ice hole (Jordan) is not a church sacrament or rite, it is folk tradition celebration of the Baptism of the Lord.

On January 19, all Orthodox Christians celebrate one of the biggest holidays - the Baptism of the Lord. The Feast of Epiphany has always been considered a particularly important celebration among the people. All Orthodox spent the eve of Epiphany in strict fasting. Even children and old people tried not to eat “until the first star”, and during the evening service, small churches often could not accommodate everyone who wanted to atone for their sins. The crush was especially great during the rite of consecration of water, since most people were firmly convinced that the sooner you collect the consecrated water, the more healing it will be.

After the water was consecrated in the church, each owner, with all the household members, drank a few sips from the brought jug, and then sprinkled all his property with holy water in order to protect his house for a whole year, not only from troubles, but also from evil eye. In the villages, they also poured a few drops of holy water into each well so that evil spirits would not get in there and spoil the water. It was strictly forbidden to draw water from such a well until the morning of January 19th. After all these rituals, holy water was placed next to the icons, since everyone not only believed in healing power this water, but in the same way they were convinced that it could not go bad.

On the feast of Epiphany, not only water consecrated in the church, but also ordinary river water was considered special. The people believe that on the eve of Epiphany, in general, all water has a special power. AT Orthodox world it is believed that on the night of January 18-19, Jesus Christ himself bathes in the river - therefore, in all rivers and lakes the water “sways”, and in order to notice this wonderful phenomenon, you only need to come to the river at midnight and wait at the hole until “a wave will pass”, a sign that Christ sank into the water.

The water collected from the hole on the eve of Epiphany was considered healing and was used by healers to treat diseases throughout the next year.
On the day of Epiphany, as soon as the bells ring, believers would light bundles of straw in front of their houses so that Jesus Christ, who was baptized in the Jordan, could warm himself by the fire. Orthodox men arranged a hole for baptism on the river, which was called the Jordan. They diligently carved a cross, a ladder, a dove, a bathing bowl in the ice. Near the bowl, during church service, with a strong blow they pierced the bottom of this bowl, and the water quickly filled the prepared recess. A mass of people gathered for this celebration, from young to old - everyone hurried to the hole, so that thick ice sometimes even cracked under the weight of people. Orthodox people were attracted not only by the beauty of the spectacle, but also by the desire to drink the blessed water and wash their faces with it. Many, especially the brave ones, bathe in the hole at Epiphany, knowing that a person cannot get sick in the blessed water.

Since in the period from Christmas to Shrovetide it was customary to send matchmakers, the maiden's bridegroom was usually arranged for Epiphany. They took place most often on the square, where mothers and daughters rode, and future sons-in-law looked at the brides. All the girls, dressed in their best outfits, lined up in a long row near the Jordan. At the same time, each tried to flaunt and emphasize their merits. Guys walked between the future brides and chose their betrothed. At the same time, the mother of the groom not only carefully examined, but even felt the dresses of the girls and took them by the hands to find out if the hands of the future bride were not too cold. If the hands are cold, then such a bride, even if she possessed all other qualities, was considered chilly and therefore not suitable for the harsh peasant life.

Epiphany divination.

On the holiday, there are many signs of beliefs related to the fate of man. So, for example, if someone was baptized on that day, it was believed that such a person would live a long and happy life. good sign it was also to appoint the day of the future wedding between the young at Epiphany - family life such a family will be peaceful and well.

Divination for Baptism, in general, is the same as for the old New Year, and at Christmas time. The only exception is the so-called fortune-telling with kutya, which consists in the fact that fortune-tellers, having taken kutya in a cup and hiding it under an apron or scarf, ran out into the street and threw kutya in the face of the first man who came across, asking his name. Another type of special Epiphany fortune-telling is even more original: on Christmas Eve, after sunset, naked girls went out into the street, “weeded” snow, threw it over their shoulders and then listened - in which direction something was heard, in that direction the future husband lives .

Those girls who did not yet have a groom went out the gate and looked who they would meet first. If a young guy comes across to meet them - be good, old man - Bad sign. On the evening before the Feast of Epiphany, believers bring snow into the house, firmly believing that it is very healing and heals many ailments. The snow is melted on the stove, and then everyone, from young to old, in their family is washed in melted water. The elders are washed first, and then the younger ones. The remaining water can be used to wash windows and doors, "so that trouble does not knock."

On the night of Epiphany, they think about their longevity. To do this, place a bowl of baptismal water on a table covered with a new white tablecloth. In your left hand, hold a lit aspen torch, and right hand cross yourself, then say:

"Luchina-mother, I ask you to give a sign - die or prosper?"

Having said these words, you need to quickly lower the torch into the water. If it goes out immediately, then your life will be short; if the torch flares up brightly and the fire goes up, your life will be long and you will not recognize serious illnesses.

Signs for Baptism.

Also among the people there are many signs for Baptism, knowing which you can prevent a lot of trouble for yourself and your family. So, for example, it is believed that you can’t cry on this day, otherwise you will shed tears all year long.

On the evening before Epiphany, the hostess of the house should draw crosses over the doors and windows in order to protect her house from evil spirits and other evil forces.
On Epiphany Christmas Eve, it is worth stocking up on Epiphany water, for which they go to the river or to springs at midnight. This water has amazing healing powers.
Before the feast of Epiphany, you can’t take anything out of the house and lend money so that you don’t feel need all year.
On Epiphany Christmas Eve, the eldest woman in the family counts the tablecloths. Whoever does this will always have many guests in the house.
The bird that knocked on the window at Baptism announces to you that the souls of the dead ask for prayers and all kinds of charitable deeds for their forgiveness.
On January 19, if one of the family leaves home, the ashes are not removed from the blower until he returns, otherwise trouble will happen to the person on the way.
The one who will be engaged to Baptism will have a happy family life.
Whoever is the first to take water from a well or an ice hole at Baptism will never get sick all year.
If a person who takes baptized water from the church falls or spills water, then he will not live long in this world.
If there is a snowstorm at Epiphany, the year will be rich and fruitful.
Who was born in Svyatki - he certainly needs to swim in the Jordan for Epiphany, gain strength and strength from Epiphany water.

Conspiracies for Baptism.

On January 19, a special conspiracy is read from for good luck and prosperity. When you take holy water in church, leaving the temple, say:

"I'm home with holy water, And you, money and luck, follow me. All troubles and losses, Go the other way. Key, lock, tongue. Amen. Amen. Amen."

If you have a baby in your family who is not yet a year old, then today you can talk to him for an easy life. To do this, stick a piece of the candle with which you blessed the water today to the diaper, while reading the following plot:

“Lord, the child lives for the first year, send him many easy roads in his life. Give the savior angel, the guardian angel of the best, bless the Servant of God (name) with your holy hand for a good hour, for a good time. Key, lock, tongue. Amen. Amen. Amen."

Hide the charmed diaper so that it does not catch anyone's eyes.

The Baptism of the Lord (Theophany) is one of the main Christian holidays. The Church on this day remembers the gospel event on the Jordan River - the baptism by John the Forerunner of Jesus Christ. Every year from 18 to 19 January in Russia is celebrated Holy Baptism whose signs and traditions exist to this day.

Folk omens for baptism

Baptism - great holiday, which is celebrated on a grand scale throughout the country. People consecrate reservoirs and, believing that such "healing" water will relieve all ailments. Epiphany is preceded by Holy Week, when it is customary to tell fortunes, the future and listen to nature, as well as caroling. A series of "non-Christian actions" ends with a day of strict fasting and Epiphany evening. Rituals, traditions and signs on Christmas Eve and Epiphany have existed for many years, but many have not lost their relevance.

How to collect baptismal water - signs

The main signs for the Baptism of the Lord are associated with consecrated water, which is customarily stored with care (the liquid does not deteriorate for a long time) and drunk on an empty stomach throughout the year. With its help, you can heal wounds, sprinkle a dwelling and exorcise spirits. Access to containers with holy water in temples is open for several days, and it can be collected at any time. For those who decide to take water directly from the tap, you can do this from January 18 to 19. Time - from 00.10 to 01.30. It is advisable to pray before this and choose a container bought in a church shop for filling. With regards to water, some prohibitions are also introduced:

• do not take more than you need;
• do not swear when you bring holy water into the house;
• do not dilute ordinary water with consecrated water.

Sleep at Epiphany - a sign

For a long time, various signs and traditions have been associated with Baptism. According to an old belief, at midnight the heavens open and miracles happen, the wish made at this moment will surely come true. All dreams on January 19 are considered prophetic and hide special messages of fate. Sometimes they are specially “ordered”: before going to bed they think over what they wanted to see, set themselves up for a certain problem, the solution of which is supposed to be seen. Without "settings", dreams for Baptism usually reveal the secrets of the family, and the sleeper receives clear instructions for the future.

Signs for baptism for love

Although the church forbade it, it was customary to guess on the holy night. The girls looked for their betrothed and tried to look into the future, received predictions from a wide variety of objects and paid close attention to the signs associated with Baptism. They dealt with love affairs.

1. If any of the girls gathered for fortune-telling suddenly cries, she will part.
2. According to legend, the one who is married for the holiday will be happy in.
3. While diving into the hole, the girls tried to jump after the men - this promised good luck in love.
4. If the wife of her husband at Baptism sprinkles snow three times, they will live in peace for a year.
5. In order not to quarrel with your loved ones, you need to go out together at the crossroads at midnight and kiss three times.

Baptismal signs for an unmarried girl

Russians folk omens on Epiphany night they proved that this date is favorable for accomplishments. Often on the Epiphany, girls' bridegrooms were arranged. Mothers came to the square with their daughters dressed in the best outfits, and the grooms were looking at the brides. It was customary to carefully choose a girl, for this the mothers of the grooms were invited. They examined and felt each girl, paying special attention to her hands - they must be warm. There were signs and customs for Baptism that can be practiced today.

1. On the evening of January 18, young people, both girls and boys, go out into the street, where they ask the name of the first opposite sex they meet. So they will call their betrothed (betrothed).
2. Girls dreaming of marriage at Epiphany notice. Leaving the house in the morning, they look who is coming towards them: if a man - to the fulfillment of a dream. If a woman, a child or an elderly person - there will be no wedding yet.

Baptism - signs and superstitions for good luck

In Russia, many beliefs and customs were known, which they tried to adhere to in order not to tempt fate and lure good luck. There were no exceptions and signs in Baptism:

1. Leaving festive shoes outside the threshold promised illness.
2. To protect the house from Satan, crosses were drawn over the windows and doors of the hostess.
3. To eliminate discord in the family, at night it was necessary to draw water, leave it open at the threshold, and wipe the shoes of the household with it in the morning. After that, the water was poured into the latrine.
4. Caught under the Epiphany snowfall expected good luck in business.
5. On a holiday, it was not allowed to throw out garbage, so as not to lose it with it.

Signs for Baptism on January 19 for prosperity

A special place in the old days was occupied by baptismal signs associated with an increase financial condition, wealth, good or bad harvest. Pets helped to look into the future:

• barking dogs promised a lot of game in the forests and material well-being;
• on the holiday it was customary to feed chickens so that in the spring they would not spoil the harvest, and it was a success.

Bad signs and traditions at Epiphany did not recommend lending money on the eve of the holiday - this foreshadowed a great need in the future. Noticing future prosperity, it was customary to cook porridge on Christmas Eve as a symbol of wealth and family happiness. If the dish is successful, the year promises to be happy, and if not, the family is in trouble. Different additives in the dish have a special meaning:

• raisins are added to abundance;
• honey - to a sweet life;
• nuts - to solve everyday problems;
• poppy - for the expulsion of evil spirits.

Funeral for Baptism - signs and superstitions

If being born on the Epiphany is considered a rare success - such a person is automatically sanctified by the Lord and successful in business - then departing to another world in great church holidays a thankless job. and beliefs do not recommend the burial of the dead on this day. However, there are no civil and religious prohibitions on this matter, if necessary, priests can perform the ceremony not in the church, but at home.

Epiphany weather signs

Our ancestors loved and knew how to notice the weather: to observe the sun, wind and precipitation. And even in modern world, when everything can be explained by the Hydrometeorological Center, the weather signs for Epiphany on January 19 are not without logic:

• windy and frosty weather promises a poor harvest;
• a strong south wind blew - the summer will turn out to be rainy;
• the weather on January 18 corresponds to the weather for Shrovetide and the beginning of next winter.

Signs on Epiphany night say the following:

• if the sky is clear, stars are visible - peas, berries and nuts will be born in summer;
• a clear month indicates that there will be a flood in the spring;
• bright stars herald early spring and dry summer.

Epiphany snow - signs

According to the baptismal belief, snow is endowed with miraculous power along with water. It was customary to collect it, and for this occasion there was even a special jug in the house. Snow was stored in the cellar, used only when it was necessary to put a person on his feet. Melt water helped relieve cramps and headache. Some ancient signs on the Epiphany of the Lord are associated with snow, which foreshadowed a rich harvest:

• snowfall for the holiday promises an abundance of grain;
• there is little snow on the trees - to an abundance of berries in summer;
• little snow on the branches - there will be a lot of honey;
• snow falls in flakes - the earth will be especially generous.

Heat for Epiphany - signs

January 19 is the first day of Epiphany frosts, the most severe and cold time of the year. It lasts until next month. Only according to beliefs, the frosts are really very severe, and sometimes there are strong warmings. Such a rare occurrence as a thaw on Epiphany prophesies terrible phenomena in society: wars, revolutions. Which signs for Baptism come true and which do not - it is impossible to predict. However, sometimes weather checks prove the veracity of people's judgments.

The sun at Epiphany - signs

Mid-January is the time of cold weather, and good weather is immediately noticed, so weather signs for Epiphany pay attention to the sun. It was believed that after the Epiphany, the cold subsides, and the sun turns its course towards spring. According to legend, if the festive morning of January 19 turned out to be clear and sunny, the summer will be hot. The main thing is that the weather should remain cold in winter, as heat for this holiday portends troubles and illnesses.

One of the main Christian and folk holidays Baptism was and remains, the signs and traditions of which are observed regardless of beliefs. People gladly dive from the hole, bring holy water into the house, tell fortunes about their betrothed and watch natural phenomena with interest. Some beliefs and customs are a thing of the past, but most are known and continue to occupy the minds of people.