Baptismal font. Baptism - folk signs. City district Dolgoprudny

The first bathing in the hole at Epiphany emerged as a tradition after the adoption of Christianity in Kievan Rus in 988. January 19 is a church holiday - the Baptism of the Lord, during the Divine Liturgy, a great consecration of water, which has healing power, is performed. It is generally accepted that all water elements on this day acquire miraculous features that strengthen bodily and spiritual strength.

What does bathing in the hole at Epiphany mean?

The hole in which they bathe is called Jordan, they come to it after the solemn Divine service, without the prayer of the priest it is not customary to plunge into the water. The priest blesses those who wish to perform the rite of bathing at Baptism - he reads a prayer in front of the wormwood and immerses the cross into it three times, only after the completion of the prayers can the ritual be performed. It is wrong to prescribe the property of purifying and washing away sins by tradition; in order to get rid of sins, one must repent and.

Where did bathing in the hole for Epiphany come from?

The feast to which the tradition adjoins is the most ancient - the Baptism of the Lord was introduced as a separate event in the church service around the year 377. Ancient Christians on this day came to the Jordan, the place where Jesus Christ was baptized. The rite of baptismal bathing is a folk tradition that a person performs at his own request; there are no church prescriptions on this issue. The water consecrated on this day has special properties, which has been proven by scientific research.

What gives bathing in the hole at Epiphany?

If we consider the question of what bathing at Baptism gives, it should be understood what a person expects to receive from such actions. Plunging into the water in Epiphany frosts is not so easy, even with a strong desire. The main thing - there must be faith that water has the ability to heal ailments, and the procedure will not cause harm, the desire to pray - to entrust your needs into the hands of God.

Bathing in frost helps to increase immunity - sudden changes in temperature activate the release of hormones into the blood that have a protective effect on negative changes in the body's work, blood pressure decreases, and a surge of energy comes. Marking yourself with a cross three times before diving into the hole is a prerequisite.

Epiphany bathing - pros and cons

The tradition of bathing at Epiphany is a test of a person's willpower. Doctors state the fact that the percentage of cases after such "procedures" is insignificant. According to the stories of those who have bathed, in the first few minutes a person is gripped by euphoria, the body becomes unusually light, grace is felt in the soul, a surge of special inexpressible sensations comes.

It is forbidden to risk poor health for unforgettable dives in the water. The Church does not oblige or prescribe such a ceremony for believers; it is not part of the holiday. Having skipped bathing, a person does not lose grace. On the day of the Baptism of the Lord, one must come to prayer at the church, one can confess and take communion, sprinkle oneself and one's house with sacred water brought from the temple.

When do they bathe in the hole at Epiphany?

January 18 - Epiphany Christmas Eve, it is generally accepted that after the consecration of water in churches on this day, it becomes healing in all water sources, and retains such properties for the next few days. Bathing itself at Epiphany does not begin without the blessings of the priest, the consecration of places for dipping takes place after the festive services on the morning of January 19.

How to prepare for bathing at Epiphany?

A few tips on how to prepare for the Epiphany bathing in the hole. For an unhardened person, such a dive is stressful, and the consequences of exposure to cold water can be minimized by preliminary hardening of the body. A few days before, it is advisable to take, go outside or balcony for a few minutes in summer version clothes - shorts and a T-shirt, do wiping with a damp towel soaked in cold water, practice dousing with water at a low temperature.

Epiphany bathing - rules

Bathing rules for Baptism can be divided into parts. First and most important point- performing such an act, a person should pray: for the salvation of the soul, for loved ones, to ask God's help for healing from ailments. Taking a dip in the water for fun or under the influence of alcohol to test thrill- it is wrong, it is unacceptable to expect healing of the body and soul in the aftermath.

There are a lot of pluses for medical reasons, why bathing for baptism is useful - working capacity increases, allergic reactions, depression, insomnia, pain in the joints and spinal region disappear in the body. Significantly reduced attacks of bronchial asthma, normalizes blood circulation. The body temperature, when immersed, approaches the indicator with a mark of forty degrees, in a few minutes numerous armies of viruses and bacteria die in the body - the work of the immune system increases.

Is it possible to get sick when bathing at Epiphany? Yes, because stressful immersion in water can cause a number of unpleasant consequences in a weakened body. In diabetics, the level of sugar in the blood rises sharply, in the cores there are attacks of arrhythmia and hypertension, in cancer patients there is an undesirable suppression of immunity. Swimming is prohibited for people with flu and acute respiratory infections.

Is it dangerous to swim in the hole for Epiphany?

Discussions about the dangers of swimming in the hole at Epiphany are a serious issue. The organization of the venue is the main selection criterion for those who want to plunge. It is undesirable to come alone to unprepared, sparsely populated ice holes, this is a direct threat to human health and life, in the event of an unforeseen reaction of the body to cold water, there should be people ready to submit qualified assistance. Tips on how to properly swim in the hole for Epiphany:

• undressing should be done in several stages - take off outerwear, let the body adapt, then undress to a swimsuit;
• walk in the snow - give a signal to the body, through the receptors of the feet, turn on a protective reaction to the cold;
• after being in the water, change clothes, you can’t put on dry things on top of wet ones;
• drinking alcoholic beverages to warm up after the procedure is not recommended.

List of fonts in the Moscow region equipped for Epiphany bathing

On January 19, Christians around the world celebrate a great holiday - the Baptism of the Lord. Catholics also have this celebration, only it is timed to coincide with other days. Before the adoption of the reform (Second Vatican Council), Baptism was celebrated on January 13, after it - on the very first Sunday after the sacrament of Theophany.

In all these traditions, the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is associated with the New Testament, namely with the moment in which the rite of the baptism of Jesus Christ is described. This happened when Jesus reached adulthood. The ceremony took place on the sacred Jordan River, where all Christians were baptized at that time. The faithful Christian and famous baptist John baptized the son of the Lord.

The uniqueness of this sacrament is expressed in the accompanying special phenomena. During the baptism of Jesus, a snow-white dove descended from heaven on him. In such an image, the spirit of God appeared before people, at the same time testifying that Jesus is His Son.

Is it necessary to dive into the hole for baptism

The holy fathers of the church are unanimous on this issue: there is no need for Baptism, that is, it is not necessary to be immersed in water. Every Christian in childhood or already adulthood receives the sacrament of baptism, plunging into a church font. One single immersion is quite enough to testify one's belonging to the Lord.

If a person plunges into the hole at the Baptism of the Lord, he in no way washes away his sins and, of course, is not baptized again. Previously, in Rus' they did not do this at all, and the church does not require this. It is much more important that during this holiday all water is consecrated, including in rivers. This deeply symbolic gesture reminds people of the great essence of God: the Lord is everywhere, in the heavenly heights and in the depths of the seas, filling the entire Universe with himself.

For each person individually on this day, it is much more important to go to church services, and most importantly, to think about the significance of the great holiday for all Christians and for yourself personally. Like any Christian holiday, Epiphany appeals more to the spirit than to the body, so bathing in ice water itself does not matter for spiritual cleansing.

On the other hand, the Orthodox Church has nothing against this relatively young tradition. It tempers, strengthens the immune forces of the body, which means it is beneficial, not harmful. But you should not sacrifice your health, wanting to "achieve spiritual purification" by swimming in the hole. If a person is sick, has a temperature or some other not quite healthy condition, it is not worth plunging into ice water at all. This will only bring a new ailment, but will in no way contribute to internal purification.

Harm from baptismal bathing

Despite the generally loyal attitude of the church to this newfangled trend, the tradition of dipping into the hole at Epiphany has its negative sides. At first, many people actively participate in all kinds of pagan games (fortune telling on Christmas Eve or dressing up as animals and going from house to house with songs and dances), and after that, with one bath in the hole, they want not only to remove all sins from themselves, but also to receive some special blessing. This is a great delusion and sin from the point of view of Orthodoxy.

Archpriest Konstantin Ostrovsky (Krasnogorsk) condemns this fashionable fad. He explains that all the water consecrated for Baptism brings grace. You can even drink a drop of it to join the whole celebrating Christian world. Deeply naive is he who thinks that, having plunged into an icy river water receives more blessing. By this, he even to some extent falls into the sin of pride.

Moreover, the very reduction of the deep meaning of the Baptism of the Lord to mere dipping into a hole cut in the ice is something pagan. This is especially detrimental if a person goes home after bathing, sits down at the festive table and drinks vodka. This is real paganism, reducing the high significance of the holiday only to narrowly external paraphernalia. Baptism is supposed to open one's soul to the Lord and be filled with reverence for His greatness, and not to demonstrate one's own piety to others.

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

Until now, the main traditions of the Epiphany holiday are associated with water. And the clergy on the feast of Epiphany, according to tradition, dresses in white robes.

How to celebrate the Epiphany

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

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

How to bathe on Epiphany

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

• Bathing rules for baptism

Epiphany water - wonderful healing properties

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

• Believers take it with them - Epiphany holy water has the ability not to deteriorate for a long time.
• Epiphany water is drunk throughout the year on an empty stomach, it is carefully kept as a shrine and diseases, both bodily and mental, are treated.
• Holy baptismal water can be sprinkled on a dwelling in order to drive out evil spirits and bring the grace of God into the house.

Where to get baptismal holy water

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

When to collect baptismal water

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

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

What you need to know before collecting water for Baptism:

• it is better to collect baptismal water not thoughtlessly, but after participating in a church service (in church) or prayer (at home);
• you need to pour water for Baptism into dishes without any marking - it is better in a special jug or flask bought in a church shop (in no case in a beer bottle)

It is believed that baptismal water has healing properties. It can be drunk with an illness on an empty stomach and washed to be healthy. You need to drink baptismal holy water with prayer, asking the Almighty for spiritual and physical health. And it is not at all necessary to take it in reserve, there should be a lot not of water, but of faith.

Baptism - folk traditions

Previously, there were special folk traditions celebration of the Baptism of the Lord or Epiphany. For example, it was customary to release doves at Epiphany - as a sign of Divine grace that descended on Jesus Christ. Other folk traditions for Baptism are known according to legend.

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

The Jordan began to be prepared a week before Epiphany: they cut through the wormwood on the river, sawed out a large cross and placed it over the hole. The throne was also sawn out of ice. Christmas tree branches decorated the "royal gates".

On the morning of the holiday, after the service, everyone went to the river. After the consecration of the water in the river, all those gathered collected it in their dishes. It was believed that the sooner you scoop it up, the holier it will be. There were brave souls who swam in the Jordan, remembering that one cannot catch a cold in the consecrated water.

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

After Baptism, it was forbidden to wash clothes in the river. According to legend, when the priest plunges the cross into the water, all the evil spirit jumps out of fear, and then sits on the shore and waits for someone with dirty linen to appear. As soon as the linen is lowered into the river, along it, like a ladder, all the evil spirits go into the water. Therefore, it was believed that the later women begin to wash, the more wickedness will freeze from Epiphany frosts.

Divination for Baptism

There were other traditions - it was believed that miracles happen at Epiphany midnight: the wind subsides for a moment, complete silence reigns and the heavens open. At this time, you can express your cherished desire, which will certainly come true.

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

Baptism - folk signs

Since ancient times, many folk signs have been associated with Baptism. Many of them were associated with economic activity peasants or predicted the weather. For example, folk signs for baptism read:

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

When to baptism dogs barked a lot, waiting for a successful hunting season: If dogs bark a lot at Epiphany, there will be plenty of every beast and game. Chickens are not fed on Epiphany, so that gardens are not dug in the summer and seedlings are not spoiled.

The folk Russian calendar connects the Feast of Epiphany with frosts. Epiphany frosts: “Crack frost, don’t crack, but Vodokreschi passed.

How to bathe on Epiphany so as not to get sick

At Epiphany, both old and young bathe. But without special preparation, swimming for children and the elderly can be dangerous. It is better to prepare in advance by gradually hardening by dousing with cold water at home in the bathroom. Precautions must be observed by everyone who decides to bathe at Baptism. Doctors warn against bathing at Epiphany for people with hypertension, rheumatism, atherosclerosis, or tuberculosis. Swimming at Epiphany is also unacceptable for other acute chronic diseases. Doctors warn that swimming in ice-cold water can lead to negative consequences. After all, winter swimming in an ice hole brings all the mechanisms of human thermoregulation to maximum stress and this can cause shock.

Well, if you are healthy, then follow the following recommendations, how to bathe on baptism:

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

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

Where to swim in Moscow for Epiphany

Epiphany bathing will take place from 6 p.m. on January 18 until noon on January 19. Mass exit of people on the ice is not provided. The thickness of the coating currently does not exceed 15 - 20 centimeters. All bathing places are equipped with safe approaches and descents to the water. For a comfortable ceremony, heated locker rooms, toilets and lighting are installed. Bathing participants will be provided with hot drinks and places for heating.

If you choose places for bathing on Epiphany by district, read below:

Where to swim at Epiphany - Central District of the CAO

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

Where to swim on Epiphany - Northern District of SAO

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

Where to swim on Epiphany - North-Eastern District of the North-East

• Palace Pond (1st Ostankinskaya, near house 7).

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

• Babaevsky pond, st. Kurganskaya, d. 5 - 9
• Red pond, Izmailovsky forest park
• Font "Vernissage in Izmailovo", Izmailovskoe sh., 73Zh
• Maisky Pond (former Dog), Sokolniki Park, st. Sokolnichesky Val, 1, building 1
• Lake White, st. B. Kosinskaya, 46
• Lake Holy, st. Oranzhereinaya, 18
• Terletskiye Prudy, Svobodny Ave, 9
• Deer pond;

Where to swim on Epiphany - South-Eastern District SEAD

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

Where to swim at Epiphany - Southern District of South Administrative District

• Borisovskie Prudy, st. Borisovskie Prudy, 2g
• Upper Tsaritsynsky Pond, st. Dolskaya, 1
• Pond Becket, Zagorodnoye sh., 2

Where to swim on Epiphany - South-Western district of SWAO

• Vorontsovsky Pond (Church of the "Life-Giving Trinity in Vorontsovo" St. Ak. Pilyugina, 1)
• Pond of the sanatorium "Uzkoye"
• Troparevsky pond (Recreation area "Troparevo" St. Academician Vinogradova 7)
• Pond on Nakhimovsky Prospekt (Nakhimovsky Prospect, Building 8 (near the Church of Euphrosyne
  Moscow)
• Chernevsky pond (decorative pond No1) (Church of the Nativity of Christ in Chernevo, Yuzhnobutovskaya street, 62)
• Pond on the territory of the Temple

Where to swim at Epiphany - Western District ZAO

• Meshchersky Pond (Voskresenskaya St., Za)
• Pond in the village of Rublevo / Village of Rublevo, (Botylev St., near 41)
• Moskva river ( Filevsky Boulevard, opposite d. 21)
• Moscow River (B. Filevskaya st., 40a)

Where to swim on Epiphany - North-Western district of the North-West

• Baryshikha river ( landscape park st. Baryshikha ow. 4)
• Pond in the village Rozhdestveno (Pond in the village of Rozhdestveno (behind the Church of the Nativity), Mitino district
• Derivative canal (opposite the house at the address: Malaya Embankment st. 3, building 1)
• Khimki Reservoir (Moskva River) st. Svobody d. 56, PKiO " Northern Tushino»
• Stroginskaya floodplain (st. Tvardovsky vl. 16 building 3)
• Kirov floodplain (st. Isakovskogo vl. 2)
• Lake Bezdonnoe (St. Tamanskaya, 91)
• Moscow River (Karamyshevskaya emb., 13-15)
• Moscow river (Aviatsionnaya street, 79)
• Derivative canal (st. Lodochnaya property 19)

Where to swim on Epiphany - Zelenograd

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

Where to swim on Epiphany - Trinity and Novomoskovsky districts

• MUSP Fishing and sports (Troitsk, Desna river in the recreation area "Zarechye").
• Pond in the village Intercession (village Voronovskoye, Church of the Intercession of the Holy Mother of God, village Pokrovskoye).
• A pond near the Mikhailo-Arkhangelsk Church (Krasnopakhorskoye village, Bylovo village).
• Pond p. Filimonkovskoe, village Knutovo.
• Pond p. Shchapovskoye, with. Oznobishino, Church of the Holy Trinity.
• Pond of the village of Voskresenskoye, territory of the recreation center "Voskresenskoye", dam 1.
• Pond settlement Marushkinskoe, village. Big Pig.
• Pond of the settlement of Moskovsky, the settlement of the Ulyanovsk forest park, LLC "Gloria", the temple-chapel of the icon of the Mother of God "Fadeless Color".
• Pond p. Moskovsky, village Govorovo, pond No. 2, st. Central.
• Pond of the Mosrentgen settlement, the middle pond of the Troitsky Estate cascade.
• River village Rogovskoe, village Vasyunino, 100 m from the Church of the Holy Trinity on the river.
• Font of Vnukovskoye village, pos. DSK "Michurinets", st. Zheleznodorozhnaya, d. 1. Font next to the river. Setun.
• Font of the village of Marushkinskoye, village of Marushkino, park "Rucheyok".
• Kupel p. Klenovskoe, v. Tovarishchevo, r. Liver.
• Font of the village of Desenovskoye, village of Evseevo-Kuvekino.
• Font of the village of Pervomayskoye, village of Puchkovo, Church of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God.
• The font of the village of Mikhailovo-Yartsevskoye, the village of Shishkin Les, building 43, the Church of the New Martyrs.

16 places in specially protected natural areas of Moscow:

• PIP " Bitsevsky forest", sq. 7, st. Sanatorium alley, sanatorium "Uzkoe", Fourth Pond in Uzkom (with the participation of the Yasenevo District Administration)
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apt. 9, Shibaevsky pond, Kuzminki district, Zarechie street, property 14
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apt. 33, Nizhny Lyublinsky Pond, Tekstilshchiki district, Shkuleva street, property 2B
• PIP "Kuzminki-Lublino", Apt. 9, Upper Kuzminskiy pond, Kuzminki district, Kuzminskaya st., 7
• PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near the street. Tamanskaya, 91
• PP "Serebryany Bor", Lake Bezdonnoe, near the street. Tamanskaya, 91 (opposite shore of the lake)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Kirov floodplain, Isakovsky st., 2-4 (Administration of the Strogino district)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Tvardovsky st., 16 (Administration of the Strogino district)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Zhivopisnaya st., 56 (Administration of the Shchukino district)
• PIP "Moskvoretsky", Karamyshevskaya emb. 15 (Administration of the Khoroshevo-Mnevniki district)
• PIP "Izmailovo", Terletsky Forest Park, 2/6, Olkhovy Pond
• PIP "Izmailovo", forest park "Izmailovsky", the village of Izmailovskaya apiary, 1, Red pond (Izmailovo district administration)
• PIP "Kosinsky", st. Zaozernaya, 18, lake Beloe (Government of the Kosino-Ukhtomsky district)
• PIP "Kosinsky", st. Oranzhereinaya, vl. 24., building 1, Lake Svyatoe
• Landscape reserve " Teply Stan", recreation area" Troparevo "St. Academician Vinogradova vl. 12, Troparevo recreation area
• Fri Zelenograd, Forest Ponds alley, Black Lake recreation area (Government of the Savelki district)

Map of the placement of fonts for Epiphany bathing in 2018

On the night of January 18-19, the Orthodox world celebrates the feast of the Epiphany. In Moscow, about 60 fonts and ponds are being equipped for swimming. We suggest that you familiarize yourself with the addresses of the Epiphany fonts in Moscow in 2018. In order to view the map in detail and find out where you can swim on Epiphany on the night of January 18-19 in Moscow, click on the zoom button in the lower right corner of the map.

Many people ask - what date is Epiphany in 2018? What can be done on this holiday, and what can not? When to swim in the hole? How to collect water correctly, and what properties does it have? How to store holy water and what can it be used for?

According to established church tradition, the date Baptism or Theophany of the Lord falls invariably on the night of January 18-19. This is one of the most famous twelfth holidays, which is celebrated by Christians to cleanse themselves of sins, draw closer to God and feel his grace. On Epiphany on January 19, 2018, it is customary to swim in the hole (Jordan), draw water from springs, visit the temple, and do good. Also, in honor of the holiday, the Orthodox give each other small gifts and invite each other to visit.

What should be done at Baptism?

Orthodox Christians on the evening of January 18 (or on the morning of January 19) visit a temple or church where festive services are held. On this day, it is customary to dress in the most elegant clothes, to be in good location spirit, pray and take home water consecrated in the Church. Since after visiting the temple many people plan to plunge into the hole or into the font, before this action they need to confess and take communion.

Many note that on the day of the Baptism of the Lord in the Church one feels special atmosphere- solemn, festive, sublime. Many Orthodox feel that during the church service “as if the grace of God descends on them”, people feel peace and spiritual purification.

Blessing of water - when to draw water for the Baptism of the Lord 2018

During this have a bright day all water - from sources, reservoirs, from the tap acquires unique cleansing properties. With its help, you can heal ailments, mental and bodily ailments. Such water is suitable for sprinkling rooms in order to improve the atmosphere in them. It is also used to calm crying babies, as well as to improve sick animals. Epiphany water, consecrated in the Church, is called agiasma.

You can draw water for Epiphany already on January 18, after the evening liturgy, this time is called Epiphany Christmas Eve. The clergyman conducts the rite of the Blessing of Water in the temple, and then distributes the blessed water to everyone.

Water blessing is also carried out in the open air. You can collect water from the springs in the morning, as well as in the afternoon on January 19th. The water collected at this time has miraculous powers. Many people stock up on holy water for future use in order to use it during the year if necessary.

Keep in mind - water collected per day can only be stored in glass containers. Plastic bottles not suitable for storage! In glass, water can be preserved all year long without losing its strength and healing properties. It is recommended to drink Epiphany water on an empty stomach in order to feel vigorous and healthy.

Swimming in the hole for Epiphany 2018

Epiphany is a holiday when it is customary to plunge into the hole or "Jordan". How to swim properly, what should be done? Many people often have a logical question - when do they bathe in the hole at the Epiphany of the Lord - on January 18 or 19? And is it necessary to do so? And where is the best place to swim on Epiphany?

Right swim in jordan-on the night of January 19, from midnight (00:00) to 01:30. To plunge into the hole should be after its consecration by the clergyman. Epiphany consecration of water is carried out with a prayer, after which the priest lowers a silver cross into the hole. Didn't have time to take a dip at night? No problem! You can dive into the water (as well as gain it) on January 19 throughout the day.

Keep in mind - the Church does not force anyone to bathe! Immersion in water must be performed by the Orthodox of his own free will. To receive a blessing and be cleansed of sins, you can simply go to Church, pray and repent at confession.

Who can not dive into the hole

In order not to harm yourself, keep in mind that there are contraindications to this ritual. You should not go into ice water if you have such diseases as:

• Colds, SARS
• Any chronic illness
• Heart problems
• Diseases of the genitourinary system
• Weakened immunity

Diabetics, pregnant women, newborn babies and small children should not bathe in the font.

Where to swim on Epiphany?

Bathing can be carried out in any natural or artificial reservoir, in an ice-hole, in a spring, on a river. In every city and locality there are special places where townspeople or villagers go to bathe in holy water. Organized places Epiphany bathing can be recognized by the following features:

• "Jordan" carved in the shape of an Orthodox cross
• The ice hole has wooden decks and stairs.
• Tents with heat guns for changing clothes are located nearby
• An ambulance, a brigade of the Ministry of Emergency Situations is on duty near the hole
• After bathing, everyone is given hot tea to warm them up.

Bathing rules in Epiphany

Ablution in Jordan is not fun entertainment but the sacrament of the church. Near the consecrated font, you can’t make a fuss, and even more so use profanity. You can not come in a state of intoxication, as this is a sin.

You should go into the water with prayer. You need to plunge into the hole with your head three times, while repeating three times to yourself or out loud “ In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit” and cross over himself.

It is highly desirable that when swimming you wear not only a bathing suit, but also a long shirt (T-shirt) that hides your body from prying eyes.

If there is no source in your locality where you can take a bath, do not be discouraged! Instead of complete immersion, simply pour consecrated water from a bucket over yourself - this action is also equated with Epiphany bathing.

Epiphany water has a spiritual meaning, and it doesn’t matter how a person joins the saint - he completely plunges into the hole, pours it on himself or drinks a sip of holy water. Grace equally descends on everyone who on this holiday was involved in the sacrament of the Blessing of the Water.