When the Baptism of Christ is celebrated in 2017 - signs and traditions of the church holiday. When swimming in the ice hole at Epiphany, time

In contrast to the many Orthodox holidays celebrated on different days of the calendar, Baptism is always celebrated on the night of January 18-19. Baptism closes the Christmas Eve, beginning with the coming of Christmas. With this day is associated a lot of traditions and signs, beliefs. The history of the Epiphany (the second name of the Christian celebration) dates back more than two thousand years. Initially, this date was considered the birth (Christmas) of Jesus - it was then, in the waters of the Jordan River, God was manifested in three persons. Since that time, it is believed that the waters of the whole world are consecrated on January 19. Believers and even unchurched people bathe in the ice-hole - they are cleared of their sins and get well. When the Baptism of 2017 comes in Russia, many reservoirs will be consecrated by the ministers of the churches. It is after the prayers and the consecration of the waters that everyone will be invited to plunge into the hole cut in the ice. Children have enough to drink holy water - they do not need to dive into the water.

When the Baptism of 2017 is celebrated in Russia. The History of the Baptism of Jesus Christ

On the morning of January 19, 2017, after the onset of Epiphany in Russia, a great multitude of people will gather in Orthodox churches. All will be in a hurry to recruit holy "baptismal" water. So in Russia has been happening for more than a thousand years. The very same holiday is much older - it is more than two thousand years. The thirty-year-old Jesus, leaving Nazareth, went to the south, to the Jordan River, to the great righteous John the Forerunner, who baptized people at that time. John called to be baptized with water - repent, cleanse from sins and become closer to God. A voice was revealed to the righteous who told him how to distinguish the Savior approaching him - according to the appearance of the Holy Spirit (the dove) descending upon him at the moment of immersion in the waters of the Jordan. At the moment of Christ's dipping, everyone heard the voice of God, pointing to Jesus as his son. Therefore, the church calls Baptism and God-given. God the Son sanctified the waters of our earth, so that all believers could be baptized into them.

When swimming in the ice hole at Epiphany - The time of dipping into an ice hole in 2017

In 2017, Epiphany falls on Thursday. This is a working day, so believers who want to plunge into an ice-hole with consecrated water should agree with the authorities about the time off in advance. If you do not get out of work on January 19, do not worry. Water, recruited in Epiphany in any source, is considered curative. You can go to the temple and after work, taking with you a bottle for the water consecrated for Baptism. Traditionally, dipping in the hole on the Epiphany should occur only after the consecration of water by the priest.

Together with the parishioners, he goes to the reservoir, where the "Jordan" is cut - an ice-hole in the form of a cross. Sanctifying the ice-hole, the priest invites all comers to plunge. Confessing and repenting earlier in the church, parishioners enter into ice water. They say that even in the most frosty frosts, believers bathing in consecrated waters do not catch cold and do not get sick.

Folk features and traditions at Epiphany. What to do at Epiphany 2017

The main tradition of Baptism is dipping into the ice hole on January 19. After the sanctuary is consecrated, believers can follow the example of Jesus and enter the waters, in order to wash away their sins and come out of the water clean and body and soul. Before the Epiphany, one should not eat meat food - fasting is not too strict, but must be observed. Believers prepare for kreshchensky Christmas Eve kutya; allowed the use of fried fish, buckwheat, cabbage and potato vareniki. A good omen of the second Holy Evening on January 18 is considered "to treat frost." To do this, the owner of the house, typing in a spoonful of "hungry kutya" comes to the window and offers a frosty treat, saying that he did not break the crop. The sacred water recruited in the reservoir, sanctified by the priest, is curative. She removes the sickness, and adds strength. Traditionally, it is this water that the church is recruiting to later sacred to its homes, people, even cars and roads. According to the legend, from devil and from the holy water, the devil runs headlong. According to the tradition of Baptism, one should go to the water body and collect holy water for the whole family there. She is fed to both the sick and the children; such water is washed by wounds and washed. To become younger with both spirit and body. Believe that tap water, recruited on Epiphany night holy - is not true. It only, really, can stand for a long time without spoiling, not blooming, preserving its original taste.

Another wonderful tradition related to Baptism is to produce pigeons during the Jordanian worship. The dove symbolizes also the Holy Spirit, descended upon Christ during his dipping into the Jordan, and the end of the Christmas holidays.

The church does not recommend signs for Epiphany, however, many still believe that it is impossible to rinse the clothes in the rivers on January 19 - the devil will grab. In addition, during all Christmas holidays, including Baptism itself, women should not walk for water. To wash the girls with a christened snow - to beauty and white complexion. Perhaps, this sign has its own explanation - the grinding of the skin with snow causes a rush of blood to the skin: the girls have a healthy blush.

Dreams from 18 to 19 January are prophetic. That's why everyone tries to remember what they dreamed on Epiphany night.

People believe that the snowfall on January 19 promises a good harvest, while a sunny, clear day foreshadows the opposite.

In Epiphany 2017 it's good to make arrangements, get baptized, get married and discuss a wedding. If you are planning to hold negotiations, also choose for this Baptism - you will be lucky.

What can not be done on the Feast of Baptism:

• to engage in routine work (knit, sew, clean, wash);
• January 19 it is necessary to drink exclusively consecrated water, you can not consume the water consecrated last year, it is permissible to sprinkle the room, wash or water the flowers;
• lie is a vice that is forbidden by the Holy Scriptures forever. In the baptism lie can cause diseases of the oral cavity (sore throat, tonsillitis);
• profanity and scandals are strictly prohibited!