Baptism is one of the main holidays for Christians. It is celebrated by the Orthodox Church on January 19. Another name for Baptism is Epiphany. According to the Gospel, at the moment of the baptism of Jesus Christ in the waters of the Jordan, God was manifested in his three hypostases - Father, Son and Holy Spirit. It is believed that on this day God comes into the world to show him the Unapproachable Light. The celebration of this day has its own rules and customs.
Instructions
Step 1
The holiday begins on January 18, in the evening, when all Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany Christmas Eve. Prepare lean meals for dinner. Use rice, honey and raisins to make kutya or oozy. The whole family should gather at the table.
Step 2
Then go to the temple for the festive Epiphany service. The main service usually begins around midnight and ends in the morning. After the completion of the service, the consecration of water will be performed, which you can collect for free from a special container in the temple. Epiphany water is believed to have healing powers and can heal wounds.
Step 3
When you come home after the festive service, sprinkle all the corners of your home with Epiphany water. According to the old belief, this ceremony will bring peace and order to your home. Previously, in villages, not only houses were sprinkled with water, but also outbuildings, pens where pets lived, and some water was poured into wells.
Step 4
There is another interesting tradition. People release pigeons, it symbolizes peace and the end of the winter holidays. If you have a desire, then buy a couple of pigeons and set them free.
Step 5
On January 19 for Epiphany, go to the nearest body of water, where the Jordan was made. This is a hole for the consecration of water, which is cut in the shape of a cross in the ice of a river or lake especially for this holiday. The priest performs the blessing of water. People wash their faces with it and bathe in the ice-hole. According to numerous reviews of people who plunge into Jordan every year, after this procedure they do not get sick, but, on the contrary, feel a surge of energy.
Step 6
It is believed that after the day of Epiphany, the water in Jordan remains consecrated for another week and ablutions can be carried out. Decide for yourself whether you are ready to plunge into the winter ice hole, but you need to go and at least watch this action. The main thing is to be imbued with the spirit of this bright holiday.
