The bright feast of the Baptism of the Lord in 2022 is celebrated on January 19. On this day, we bring home consecrated water – stories about its healing power are passed down from generation to generation. How to use holy baptismal water so that it helps to live in health and well-being all year? Heed our advice.
The Baptism of the Lord (Vodokhrescha) completes the Christmas and New Year cycle of religious holidays. 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 on Jesus in the form of a dove.
Epiphany water is called Great Agiasma, which means “shrine” in Greek. The consecration of water also takes place in open reservoirs: after the Divine Liturgy, religious processions to the ice-holes are organized in churches. Such a procession was called “the march to the Jordan.” At the same time, the Church prays that the water would be sanctified “by the power and action, and the influx of the Holy Spirit”, that “the Lord would grant her the grace of healing the soul and body and driving away visible and invisible enemies.”
Epiphany holy water – how to use it correctly?
Consecrated water should be used for every good and indifferent need. It can be sprinkled for a blessing on certain objects, places of residence, vehicles, animals, plants. With the help of consecrated water, by the power of God, we expel any impurity that can manifest itself through objects or animals, people.
- Consecrated baptismal water must be collected in a clean glass or plastic vessel (it should not have any stickers on it). You need to store holy water in a quiet secluded place, preferably near the iconostasis – then it will retain its miraculous power longer. Warfare and quarrels have a detrimental effect on agiasma, holy water can lose its healing power.
- After returning from the temple, sprinkle all the corners of the house with baptismal water, while reading a prayer. Sprinkle the car with consecrated water so that divine grace keeps you on the road.
- If at work you have a nervous, tense atmosphere, you can quietly sprinkle the workplace, while reading a prayer to yourself. Epiphany water will strengthen your spirit and protect you from adversity.
- If you feel unwell, drink a few sips of Epiphany holy water on an empty stomach in the morning. Agiasma is intended for healing, it can be washed down with medicines. Also, consecrated water can be used in combination with medicines. It is also appropriate in a difficult spiritual state: depression, spiritual confusion, despondency. You can sprinkle yourself with it, wash your face, moisten your whiskey.
- You should not collect baptismal water for the future, because over time it loses its healing properties. Priests call this “imprisonment of the shrine.” If you add a little consecrated water to ordinary water, it will also become miraculous.
- If your child does not sleep well, is naughty, refuses to eat, wash him with Epiphany water or give him a few sips to drink.
Epiphany holy water – what not to do?
Epiphany consecrated water is a shrine, and it must be treated with reverence. It is not added to drink and food, they do not bathe in it and do not bathe children, do not wash clothes.
It is often recommended to wash with baptismal water with the evil eye. Here it is necessary to take into account the following opinion: the church considers belief in the evil eye a superstition, but if your soul is restless, you are worried about this, washing your face with blessed water will not be superfluous.
If it happened that water spilled, or the vessel in which the shrine was kept broke, then it would be right to collect the agama with a clean towel and squeeze it into another vessel to pour it into running water or another natural reservoir. You can also bring a towel into the pots of houseplants. It is unacceptable to pour consecrated water into a sink that communicates with the sewer!
Epiphany bathing 2022 – where and when are they held
In 2022, traditional Epiphany bathing in Kyiv will take place on January 19 on the Dnieper. Safe places are already being prepared:
- Hydropark. The bathing place will open at 14.00, admission is free. Rescuers and doctors will be on site, there will also be changing cabins.
- Feofaniya park . Opens at 7.00, admission is paid: for adults – 40 hryvnia, for schoolchildren and students – 10 hryvnia, for pensioners – free of charge.
- Obolonskaya embankment. Free location, opening at 12.00.
- Dnieper embankment. Near the temple of the Holy Prince Yaroslav the Wise, it will open at 7.30 and bathing is free.
