Baptism of the Lord or Epiphany. Holy Epiphany, Baptism of the Lord

Today the Orthodox Church celebrates many great holidays. The foremost among them are Easter, that is, the Resurrection of Christ, twelve "great twelve" and five more "great twelve". In addition to them, days of commemoration of especially revered saints are celebrated with great solemnity. For each celebration, the day, the form of worship, and sometimes everyday details are firmly established: what color should be the robes of the clergy, what food is permissible at the festive table ...

But in early Christianity, all these holidays, apart from Easter, did not exist. And later they "wandered" from one date to another, then merged, then turned out to be separated, and the traditions of celebration were very different in different places. Simply put, church holidays took a long time to become established and took their modern form.

Most of them were born slowly, in disputes and agreements that could drag on for decades or even centuries. All this took place mainly between the 4th and 10th centuries, in a huge, long extinct country. It is called the Eastern Roman Empire or, more simply, Byzantium. And from there, church regulations regarding the holidays diverged to different parts of the Christian world.

The feast of the Epiphany of the Lord has a difficult fate.

"We must fulfill all righteousness ..."

Today, the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated by the Russian Orthodox Church on January 19 in the new style (January 6 in the old style), and its meaning is now transparent to every believer. This holiday is a memory of how Jesus Christ appeared on the banks of the Palestinian Jordan River and asked for baptism from the prophet John the Baptist. The latter, seeing the essence of Christ, was surprised and asked if he himself should be baptized by Christ? John baptized people for the remission of sins, but why should a creature that has a sinless divine essence be cleansed from sins? And is it appropriate for the Master to receive baptism from His servant? To this the answer was received: "We must fulfill all righteousness." Then John the Baptist bowed his head before the will of God, and Jesus entered the green, opaque waters of the Jordan, which from ancient times was revered as a sacred river. John the Baptist performed the rite of baptism, which became the prototype of the modern sacrament.

Schiarchimandite John Maslov wrote about the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan River as follows: “Having been baptized by John, Christ fulfilled“ righteousness, ”that is, faithfulness and obedience to the commandments of God. Saint John the Forerunner accepted from God the command to baptize the people as a sign of the cleansing of sins. As a man, Christ had to “fulfill” this commandment and, therefore, be baptized by John. By this He confirmed the holiness and greatness of John's actions, and gave Christians an example of obedience to the will of God and humility for eternal time. "

During Baptism, a miracle happened: the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the guise of a dove, “And there was a voice from heaven, saying: Thou art my beloved Son; in you is my good pleasure! " (Luke 3: 21-22). Thus, it was revealed to all the people that Jesus is not only the Son of Man, but also the Son of God. Therefore, the holiday now has a second name - Epiphany.

In the old days in Russia, any hole in the ice of a river or lake, created for the Epiphany consecration of water, was called Jordan. Let the Jordan River carry waves in warm places, palm trees stand along its banks, and the water in it never freezes, but still an Orthodox person can distinguish it somewhere near Ryazan or Belozersk, in a twenty-degree frost, among the snowdrifts swept by a blizzard. At this moment, time disappears, space disappears, thousands of waters from different centuries and countries merge into a single symbol of Jordanian water, sanctified by the presence of Christ.

White Reese Day

They began to celebrate the Baptism of the Lord very quickly - even during the life of the apostles. But at that time it was called differently and had a different meaning.

The disciples of Christ and the disciples of His disciples indulged in memories of how a living God appeared in the human world, how the Magi bowed to him, how He taught and how he manifested an essence higher than human. Therefore, three different events - the incarnation of God in the human body (Christmas), the Adoration of the Magi and the first signs of His true origin (Baptism) - merged into one in their presentation. Three different, according to today's concepts, holidays left, as it were, a single celebration. Initially, the common name for this identity was "Epiphany" (in Greek - "Phenomenon"), later another, now well-known, variant prevailed - "Theophany" (that is, "Theophany"). In the ancient Apostolic Decisions it was said: "May you have in great respect the day on which the Lord revealed to us the Divinity." The clergy - the heirs of the true witnesses of the Epiphany, the apostles - have served on this day in white vestments since ancient times.

Today, the signs of the ancient unity of Christmas and Epiphany are subtle. For example, both holidays have Eve (Christmas Eve) with strict fasting, there are some similarities in worship.

But some churches, such as the Ethiopian Orthodox and the Armenian Gregorian, still celebrate the same holiday.

"Having drawn water at midnight ..."

It is not a simple question when Baptism became an independent holiday. This did not happen all over the vast Christian world at the same time. But since the second half of the 5th century, Epiphany is almost universally celebrated as a separate holiday, and the word "Epiphany" becomes its synonym, no longer touching on Christmas.

The Church Council of the middle of the 6th century officially called the 12 days between Christmas and Epiphany festive - from December 25 to January 6, but he already distinguished two of these great celebrations.

The main distinguishing feature of Baptism is the consecration of water. This custom originated in antiquity and over time has become a kind of "visiting" card of the holiday.

For a long time there have been disputes over how many times should the consecration of water be carried out - one or two? So, for example, the Russian Church only in 1667 finally decided to hallow the water twice - both on the Eve and on the feast of the Epiphany itself. As a rule, the first time the consecration takes place in temples, and the second time - on rivers, lakes, ponds.

Moreover, the two blessings of water go back to two different church traditions.

The first of them is related to the order established among early Christians: to baptize new converts on the Eve of the feast. That is why the holiday once had a third name: it was called “the day of enlightenment” - as a sign that the Sacrament of Baptism cleanses a person from sin and enlightens with the light of Christ.

But later there were so many of those who wanted to accept Christ's faith that one day was clearly not enough for this. Baptism began to be performed on other dates as well. The custom of blessing the water on the Eve - even if none of the converts is in the church - has been preserved.

At first she was sanctified only once, at midnight. As early as the 4th century, St. John Chrysostom wrote about the consecration of water as follows: “Christ was baptized and sanctified the nature of waters; and therefore, on the feast of Epiphany, everyone, drawing water at midnight, brings it home and keeps it throughout the year. And so the water in its essence does not deteriorate from the continuation of time, gleaned now for a whole year, and often for two or three years remains fresh and intact, and after a little time is not inferior to the waters just drawn from the source.

Only from the 10th century was the consecration of water transferred from midnight to the Eve.

The tradition of hallowing water for the second time has other roots.

Initially, it concerned only the Jerusalem Church. There, the second consecration of water began to be performed in the 4th-5th centuries, since there was a custom to go out to the Jordan River for the consecration of water in memory of the Baptism of the Savior himself. From there, the custom of the second consecration of water gradually spread throughout the entire Orthodox world.

From time immemorial there has been a custom to drink Epiphany water in good health and sprinkle it on all the corners of the house - to "drive away evil spirits."

Bishop Hilarion (Alfeyev) explains this custom as follows: “The Lord Jesus Christ Himself came to the Jordan to John to immerse himself in the waters of the Jordan - not for cleansing from sin, but in order to sanctify them, transform them, fill them with life ... And He descended into the Jordanian waters to take upon Himself the burden of sin and death and the water element again to make the element of life. Since then, every year we consecrate water, and this water becomes a great shrine. This water, in which God Himself is present, sanctifies everything that is sprinkled with it, it heals people from diseases. "

Traditional dishes for Epiphany
How to swim in the ice hole correctly?
When and how can you collect holy water?
What to read prayers for Epiphany on January 19
Baptism plots on January 19
Baptism of a child for Epiphany on January 19
Signs and beliefs
What cannot be done at the Baptism of Christ
How to make a wish for Epiphany on January 19
Is it possible to guess on this day?
How to make a prophetic dream from January 18 to January 19
Christmas dreams by day
Pictures and cards with the Baptism of the Lord on January 19
Epiphany Poems January 19
SMS congratulations

Why Epiphany on January 19?

At the end of the 4th century, the first to break the ancient tradition in Rome, when they began to celebrate on different days. Then other cities and countries picked up this innovation.

January 19 falls on January 6 according to the Julian calendar, when the Patriarch of Constantinople consecrates the waters of the Hellespont.

Celebration period: 4 days before and 8 days after.

Where did the date of January 19 and the feast of Epiphany come from for the Orthodox? History of the Epiphany on January 19.

January 19 is the day of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the sacred waters of the Jordan River. This is the 13th day from the birth of Jesus Christ. This answers the question: what is Jordanian water on January 18th.

The Baptism of the Lord is also called the Epiphany. In the days of the apostles, this holiday was called "Epiphany" or "Theophany".

Icon of the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord)

Previously, Christians only celebrated the Resurrection of the Lord. After the Baptism of Rus, pagan rituals and Christian customs were mixed. Therefore, we observe today various traditions, fortune-telling with elements of paganism.

Baptism ceremonies and rituals on January 19

Bathing rite in very cold water came from the ancient Scythians. They immersed their children in ice water for the purpose of hardening, and this was a pagan rite. After the Baptism of Rus, he was associated with Christianity and called Baptism.

Even before the adoption of Christianity in Russia, it was believed that water purifies and protects from troubles, gives life. The water was called Mother, Queen. The source of water was associated with the goddess Mokoshi and was worshiped. After the Baptism of Rus, Saint Paraskeva and Nicholas the Wonderworker became the patrons of the water element.

Baptismal fast

Before the holiday, the Orthodox have a strict Christmas Eve fast.

It is cooked juicy - hungry kutia, it is cooked lean without adding oil. They eat nothing all day on Epiphany Eve, and after the first star appears, the meal begins.

They start eating with kutya, mainly the rest of the dishes on the table are lean. Pies, pickles, pancakes, meat dishes and many other dishes are prepared.

Traditional dishes for Epiphany

The king of the festive table is the piglet, this dish is placed in the center of the table. The owner, who is also the head of the family, distributed pieces to everyone, breaking off the whole dish. The youngest member of the family was grunting under the table.

In the morning on an empty stomach, they used lean cookies, baked in the shape of a cross and washed down with holy water. At the same time, unsuccessful baked goods were not eaten by people, but given to street birds for feed.

A lucky cookie meant good, and a bad cookie meant trouble or trouble. I think we can remind you that successful baked goods are not burnt or cracked. Should be golden brown and well baked.

Then honey pancakes or pancakes were served on the table without fail. Eating pancakes like this meant pulling a large number of money.

On this day, the service is held in open reservoirs and rivers. For this, men cut an ice-hole in the form of a cross. The name of such an ice hole is Jordan. The priest blesses the water. If it is not possible to consecrate the water in the reservoir, then the service takes place near the temple.

The ice-hole is decorated, chapels are erected from ice.

When does the swimming in the ice hole for the Baptism of Christ take place?

Many priests from the morning of January 19, after the end of the Epiphany Liturgy service, go to consecrate rivers or lakes that are in the vicinity.

The rite of consecration of water consists in reciting prayers and immersing the cross in water three times.

How to swim in the ice hole correctly?

• Swimming is allowed only in an ice-hole with a built entrance to the water.
• It is possible only when there is a person nearby who will help you at any time.
• You must not drink alcoholic beverages or smoke.
• You cannot swim on an empty stomach.
• You can not plunge immediately after eating.
• You need to take a warm blanket, a blanket and clothes for changing with you.

1. You need to go to the last step of the Jordan staircase.
2. Then cross yourself and plunge into the hole three times with your head.
3. At the same time, pronounce the words: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

Water is a miraculous power that heals and helps all believers. It was believed in ancient times, and now more and more people bathe in an ice hole and cross themselves.

In addition to the ritual of bathing (Baptism), many Orthodox Christians collect water in their dishes for storage.

At the end of the church ceremony, pigeons are released - a symbol of the renewal of the old and the end of the holiday.

When and how can you collect holy water?

Water is considered consecrated from January 18 on Epiphany Eve on the eve of Epiphany in the church from 6 pm, and on January 19, when living water is consecrated in open sources. The water remains holy until lunchtime on January 19th. Then rivers and lakes become common.

In the church, you can collect holy water not only on the day of consecration, but also on other holidays during the week (this is how many days the holiday lasts according to the church charter).

You can also draw holy water from the tap at home. Best time for this from 00.10 a.m. to 01.30 a.m. on the night of January 18 to January 19.

You cannot be greedy and collect a lot of Epiphany water with a reserve.

What to read prayers for Epiphany on January 19

Troparion, voice 1

In the Jordan, the Lord who is baptized You, Trinity worship appears: the Parents' voice testifies to Thee, naming Thy beloved Son, and the Spirit, in the form of a dove, communicates the statement of the word. Appear, Christ God, and the world is enlightened, glory to Thee.

Kontakion, voice 4th

Thou hast appeared this day in the universe, and Thy light, O Lord, is signified on us, in the minds of those who sing Thee; you came and you appeared, the unapproachable Light.

Exaltation

We magnify Thee, the Life-Giving Christ, for the sake of us now baptized by the flesh of John in the waters of the Jordan.

Troparia at the consecration of water, voice 8

The voice of the Lord on the waters cries out the verb: come, receive all the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of reason. The Spirit of the fear of God, manifesting Christ.

Today the waters are sanctified, and the Jordan is divided, and the streams return its waters, the Lord is baptized in vain.

As if a man came to the river, Christ the King, and accept slavish baptism, Better, from the Forerunner's hand, sin for our sake, Human-loving!

Glory, and now: To the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, you come, Lord, receive the sight of a servant, asking for baptism, knowing no sin. Seeing Thy water and being afraid, the Forerunner was trembling, and cry out the verb: how will the lamp of Light illuminate, what hand will the slave put on the Lord? Sanctify me and water, Savior, take the sin of the world.

Baptism conspiracies on January 19 read with a pure heart

Epiphany conspiracies on health for water

Bring snow into the house on the night of Epiphany and wash with melt water with a request to the Lord to grant healing from diseases, health and strength. At the same time, say: "Clean and protect the Jordanian water!"

If a relative is sick, then wash his clothes in melted water and ask for a cure.

Speak about your intention to go to the water in your own words or by reading a special prayer, or the prayer of Our Father. In a health conspiracy, ask for anything related to health. Thoughts must be pure and full of faith.

Conspiracy water can be added in small portions, almost drops into the bathtub. It is believed that it restores the energy shell, washes away bad energy from another person, and is capable of healing.

Conspiracy water removes damage and the evil eye. Therefore, it is added to the baby bath.

It is best to take water blessed by the temple. But recruited during the Baptism of Jesus Christ has no less power.

The rite of cleansing the home from negative energy with many problems and bad events.

Take holy water and walk around all corners of the rooms, sprinkle them (spray with a little liquid). In the corners, it is believed that evil spirits are hiding. You can cross these corners at the same time. Say the words that you think are necessary according to your circumstances and from the bottom of your heart.

This will bring prosperity, luck, health to the residents and cleanse the accumulated negativity from the house.

Start at the front door and end at the front door.

Epiphany water from the temple (it is good to collect from 7 temples) removes damage, the evil eye.

To pronounce these words, pouring yourself with holy water:

“The Lord was born,

I was baptized into Baptism,

Famous for the name

Jesus Christ.

Like this water

Flowing off me

So that

And all the corruption

She left me.

Now and ever

And forever and ever. Amen".

Conspiracy on a baptismal candle, or a talisman against the evil eye and disease.

Put some candles in the church. At home, melt one candle until soft. From the part of the Epiphany candle, mold a cake and stick it on the bed at the head. This will be a talisman for health and recovery.

Conspiracy from the evil eye for children

With the help of the Epiphany candle, they protect the baby from damage and the evil eye in the same way, sticking a piece of candle at the head of the crib. You can also talk to your child about the easy life.

Conspiracy Words:

“Ivan the Baptist baptized Christ, and Christ blessed the whole world.

Will this child grow up with serious illnesses not to know.

His troubles will be avoided, but they will not be angry with him.

People will love him, angels will keep him. "

Conspiracy for an easy life for a baby

Attach part of the candle to the diaper and say:

“Lord, the child lives for the first year, give him many easy ways in life. Give a savior angel, a guardian angel of the very 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."

The charmed diaper is hidden from everyone so that it does not catch the eye of anyone.

Good luck conspiracy for the family

On the night of Epiphany, bring all your shoes into the apartment. Put a dish with water near the door next to the shoes. In the morning in this water wash all the shoes on which the negative is brought from outside.

Pour out the water and speak: "An evil spirit is under the ground, but a good spirit is on the ground." In his house, water is poured out where no one walks. The apartment is in the sewer.

Rite of passage and conspiracy for wealth and money

There is also a conspiracy for luck and financial prosperity, which is read on January 19 when leaving the church with consecrated water:

“I go home with holy water,

And you, money and luck, follow me.

All the troubles and losses

Take the other side.

Key, lock, tongue.

Amen. Amen. Amen."

A conspiracy for wealth and financial well-being.

Take the consecrated water from the church and walk through all the rooms, speaking the water with the words:

“Holy water came to the house, brought me prosperity.

There will be losses this house will pass,

there will be prosperity every day.

It will be good luck to accompany me in everything,

i will not know failure in anything. "

Then put this water overnight in the most important place of the apartment, and wash with it in the morning.

Conspiracy while the snow melts:

“The fire will melt the pure snow and turn it into Jordanian water.

Ivan the Baptist will sanctify the water, bless with the grace of God ”.

Baptism of a child for Epiphany on January 19

You can baptize a child for Epiphany (January 19). There are no prohibitions in the church about this. But you need to clarify the schedule of days with the clergy and make an appointment in advance.

On this day, there are many who wish, and besides, the priests bless the water and we need to find someone who can baptize the child.

How people spend this day and what traditions they support

On this day, people do not work as usual, but devote it to good deeds and prayers.

Baptism ends the period of Christmas holidays.

After the service, everyone went home, where they tried kutya. At the same time, the first who tastes kutya is the last member of the family who came. Therefore, we tried not to linger so that the whole family did not have to wait for one thing.

The hostesses sprinkled their dwelling with holy water to ward off evil spirits for the whole year.

Snow was endowed with the same properties as water. He was thrown into drying wells, they were washed to give health and beauty to the skin of the face. Women washed themselves with holy water and believed that it would preserve their beauty.

If you are in the church on the 19th, then light a candle in a quiet corner. It will bring good luck to you and your family.

Celebration traditions

If Christmastide is a fun celebration with festivities and fortune-telling, then Epiphany is the final day of the celebrations.

On this last day of the celebration, young people go home and carol, show small theatrical performances and recite rhymes, sing songs. For this they receive treats from the owners of the house.

Merry festivities were also organized, where the girls were especially smart and beautiful.

Signs and beliefs for Epiphany on January 19

Exists folk signs, proven for centuries. Many are associated with the weather and predicting it by what the weather is on the day of Epiphany. Usually on this day the most severe frosts.

Warmth on this day to a health problem.

If there is a lot of snow, then this is good health.

Here are some weather related signs:

If it is clear and cold on the day of Epiphany, then the summer will be dry.

If it's cloudy and fresh, expect a bountiful harvest this year.

A thaw is for the harvest.

A clear day is a bad harvest.

If it snows during the service near the reservoir, the year will be grain-growing and the bees will give a lot of honey.

Trees are covered with hoarfrost - in spring it is better to sow winter crops on the same day of the week.

There are many stars in the sky - the summer is dry, berries and peas will give a rich harvest.

If the wind is from the south, then the summer will be with thunderstorms.

If the sky is bright and starry, then summer will be hot, spring will be early, and autumn will be warm and long this year.

Bright stars in the sky also herald a calm year in every way.

For love and relationships, creating a family.

On this day, it serves as a good omen when they agree on a wedding. There is a saying: "Epiphany handicraft - to a happy family."

Learn about marriage

On Epiphany, a girl needs to go out and if she meets a young handsome guy or a man, she will soon get married.

Baptizing a person on this day is also good. The person will be happy.

You can even plunge into the hole after the 19th - this will wash away the sin committed the day before.

The bird knocking on the window reminds you to pray for the dead.

On this night, you will have a prophetic dream and you will have the opportunity to find out the future and not make mistakes if the dream was not very positive. The dream can come true in many years, so you will have time to work on mistakes in advance.

Barking dogs for money and well-being.

What cannot be done at the Baptism of Christ

You cannot fight with holy water in your hands, otherwise it will lose its strength. In general, at this time, everyone should be surrounded by harmony and peace.

You can not spill water and fall with it, this is a short life.

You cannot wash at home for 2 days after Epiphany and 2 weeks in rivers.

You cannot feed the chickens on the day of Epiphany, and then they will not rake the beds in spring, summer.

The Christian holiday prohibits any physical labor.

You can not get drunk on this day, but it is allowed to warm up a little.

The dead are not remembered at Epiphany, so as not to incite death. For this there is a special day of remembrance. And no matter how kind and bright your memories are, leave them for another time.

On this day, you should not shed tears, otherwise you will cry all year.

You cannot sew, pick up a needle and thread or knitting needles, cut, wash.

How to make a wish for Epiphany on January 19

The time of Epiphany is the most successful hour when you can make a wish and it will be heard and fulfilled. Therefore, you also need to prepare for this sacrament and correctly formulate your aspirations and dreams.

When does heaven open for Epiphany at what hours?

On this night of January 19, heaven opens and your every word and prayer will be heard and fulfilled. After the heavens are opened, the priests begin the blessing of water.

How to prepare for making a wish?

1. Ask for forgiveness from those you have ever hurt. You can mentally.
2. Thank God for supporting your whole life and for all the good things.
3. Before you appear in front of the open sky in the evening, put a bowl of water at home and say the following words: "at night the water itself sways." At midnight, watch the water and when it really sways, immediately go outside and ask for the most cherished and desirable from God. They say that it will definitely come true.

Ways to make a wish for the Baptism of the Lord

1. Scatter a handful of any small items and make a wish. Then count their number. An even number means the fulfillment of a desire.
2. The day before, write 12 wishes on a piece of paper and put it under your pillow overnight. Draw 3 of them at random in the morning. These will come true.
3. On the night before Epiphany, prophetic dreams are dreamed. Before going to bed, say out loud "Saint Samson, show your holiday dream Your Desire." If you see in a dream what you have envisioned, then it will come true.
4. At Epiphany, pour water into a bowl and after it starts to sway, go outside and make your wish, looking at the sky. Ask God for the most intimate.
5. Another way with water. Attach small pieces of paper with your desires rolled up (so that you cannot see what is written) to the edge of the dish with water. Put a non-sinking candle (tea) into the water. To which leaf the candle floats, it will come true.
6. Call your pet and see which paw it crosses the threshold with. If left, then the desired will come true.
7. On the mirror, write your desire with a bar of soap and place it under your pillow overnight. Check your mirror in the morning. If there is nothing, then this wish will come true. It is heard.
8. You can make a wish while swimming in the ice hole. When diving, wish whatever you want. And the next day, January 20, at three o'clock in the morning, go out into the street, ask again.
9. Take an aquamarine stone for a dip in icy water. It is like a bright flash - imagine it and throw it into the hole.

Most importantly, know that it is not the performance of rituals that is important, but the belief that everything will be as you want and belief in God, in the Higher Forces.

1. Just go out to the balcony, to the street and looking at the starry sky, ask the secret and everything will come true. This may be the first star that will open to you. Believe in the good!

And remember that you need to think only good things that do not harm other people.

How and when are they guessing at Epiphany on January 19? Is it possible to guess on this day?

Question: When are fortune-telling at Christmas or Epiphany?

Answer: At Christmas.

On this day of the Epiphany, the 19th cannot be guessed in any way, otherwise it portends trouble. After January 19, it is also impossible for 8 days.

The last day for Christmas divination is January 18 to midnight. Therefore, do everything from Christmas from 6 to 7 January to 18 January. And on the night from 18 to 19 it will no longer be possible.

Better think about what you want to receive from God and the Universe. And get it all!

How to make a prophetic dream from January 18 to 19 and on Christmastide week

Prophetic dreams are considered true, made from Thursday to Friday and on the eve of major church holidays, including Epiphany.

How to prepare for a prophetic dream

In order for such a dream to have meaning, you need to focus on what you want to know. The emotional attitude is important. Indicate for yourself what you want to see. Formulate the question clearly and repeat it several times to yourself. With this thought and fall asleep.

It is better to go to bed immediately after you redo all your household chores. Do not watch TV, otherwise the impression of watching a movie or program may emerge in a dream. Your state is peaceful and calm. you are ready to receive important information about your future.

It will not be superfluous to ventilate the room before going to bed and add a little aroma with the help of aromatic oils. Light an aroma lamp with the soothing properties of lavender oil (good for meditation), ylang ylang with a sedative effect. The oils of patchouli, orange, rose, sandalwood, nutmeg, chamomile, bergamot, fennel have the same properties. This method is called relaxation therapy. In a relaxed state, a person is able to read cosmic information.

It is also advisable to sleep alone in a separate room and bed.

In the morning, immediately remember in the smallest detail your dream, as it can be easily forgotten. Then interpret it in relation to your question. It is useful to put paper and a pen next to you in the evening. As soon as you wake up, you can write down what you dreamed about. Then you will definitely not forget the small details. Dream books and your intuition will help in interpretation.

Remember that the dream that you don't like is not programming for the future, but a warning of what to fear and how not to act. Therefore, take any dream positively and positively.

There are also special conspiracies for a prophetic dream.

1. “I go to bed on the night of (day of the week) under the Siam mountain. Three angels overhead: one hears, the second sees, the third will tell me. "
2. Put a small round mirror under the pillow, saying the words: "As light and shadow are reflected in it, so the answer to a question will be reflected in my dream."

Christmas dreams by day - what kind of dreams we see during Christmas week.

From January 9 to 10 - about well-being, the fulfillment of desires, about the family hearth. The answer to the question about the fate of loved ones.

From January 11 to January 12 - about financial difficulties, or vice versa about wealth, about raising a position at work.

From January 16 to January 17, they don't think anything. The dream itself will tell you what awaits you and what difficulties you will face.

Pictures and cards with the Baptism of the Lord on January 19

Download beautiful pictures, photos, postcards for free and send congratulations to your family and friends. Below are some verses you can use in your letters.

Beautiful cards with congratulations text and poems

Animated greeting cards

Epiphany Poems January 19

Congratulations to the Epiphany on January 19 funny and funny

Get ready for the holiday -

Very cheerful, healthy,

To swim in the ice hole

And stay healthy!

Happy Epiphany Day

All who honor him!

And we wish you health

Joy, everything, everything ...

Grab a keg this day

To the church, hurry up

And holy water

Pour it from the heart!

Do not yawn at Epiphany,

Dip your ass in the hole!

Let Epiphany water

Will give you health for years!

With the Baptism of the Lord!

Happy Baptism, people!

Fuck you all on a platter!

Fuck a little pig

To the piglet - vodka,

To vodka - caviar,

To caviar - bread crust,

Spread the bread with butter,

And, God bless you!

Do not yawn at Epiphany

Dip your priests into the hole,

So that until the new Baptism

There were sensations!

With the Baptism of the Lord!

On Epiphany Day - smile

Rejoice in holy water

But do not get carried away beyond measures

Ice cold water!

May the Lord bless

But don't get bronchitis!

With the Baptism of the Lord!

Girls jump into the ice hole at night,

Naked priests loom!

The peasants follow them,

Here's an old grandfather, too!

After all, water is holy now,

It is useful for health!

And Epiphany frosts

Make you laugh through your tears!

With the Baptism of the Lord!

In the family I wish you light and love,

With friends of kindness and understanding,

Find solutions in Baptism,

So that the Lord appreciated your efforts.

Beautiful and congratulations on the baptism of January 19 SMS short in verse in four lines

SMS congratulations on the Baptism of the Lord

I congratulate you on your Baptism,

With spiritual ablution!

Be happy my beloved

And also healthy, my dear friends!

Congratulations on your Baptism

And I wish you at this hour

Souls of easy cleansing

And God's blessing!

Love and Faith will save the world,

The soul will find its peace!

When the Baptism occurs,

I congratulate you on your cleansing!

Congratulations

Christ Blessing,

Comes to pass today

In the Baptism of the Lord!

Congratulations on your Baptism sincerely,

You do good on a daily basis,

Live always positively and amicably,

Beautiful, dignified, generous!

Let the Epiphany frosts

Take away trouble and tears

And add fun to life

Happiness, joy, luck!

Relatives, friends, sister, parents and others - for all occasions.

Friends

Today is Holy Baptism,

The bodies of the sinful wash,

I congratulate you my friends,

And I wish for the days to come

Good health to you,

Live in peace and love!

More spiritual strength

And what would God forgive sins!

For parents

Mom and Dad, my people are relatives,

Congratulations on your Epiphany!

Join you dear

I wish you a sacred sacrament!

To be healthy in soul and body,

So that happiness does not leave you,

And forget about your problems!

Having plunged into holy water once!

Brother

Beloved, my dear brother,

With the baptism of saints you!

I congratulate, be glad

You celebrate the whole world, loving!

I wish you happiness, peace and light,

And fulfillment of all desires

To be rich, but at the same time

I have not lost my spiritual knowledge!

To beloved husband

In Epiphany, the sky parted,

And God smiled from above!

And wherever you are on a holiday,

I wish him to touch you

With an easy, holy and kind hand,

Beloved, my dear husband!

Don't be afraid to wash your body

And renew the soul with water,

After all, this is a holy cause

Be clean in Baptism!

Holy water irrigation

On the days of the feast of Epiphany

Our sins are washed away

And souls are born again!

Congratulations

And God give you patience!

Faith, Truth and Health

Congratulations to all with love!

I congratulate you on your baptism!

Water lighting tonight

Will help us be born again!

Wash your faces first

Then step into the water

Connecting with nature!

Plunge into it you boldly

Health to the mind and body!

The angel touches the soul

When a person plunges into water!

In the Baptism of the Lord,

Which happened today!

Health for you for many years

God's blessings are always!

Great happiness, purity,

And so that your dreams come true!

Little sister

My dear little sister

Congratulations on your Baptism!

May the Lord protect you

It only gives happiness in life!

Much joy and health

So that the soul lives only with love!

Let's throw off our clothes

Let's dive into the sacred water

We will always live with hope

That we will find our happiness!

Let the soul be filled with light

And it will become easy at times!

I ask God about it

Congratulations on your Baptism!

On the bright Epiphany holiday,

There are different people

Wash yourself with holy water,

Reborn as a soul!

On this day I wish you health

And for you and for your loved ones,

So that there is no pain in life,

So that there is no risk in life!

To relatives

Congratulations to your family on Epiphany,

With this God's blessing!

Be happy, kind to people,

Be gentle and sweet!

Then all love will return to you,

And it will turn out to be good for you.

Because on Epiphany night,

All the bad goes away!

Friends

John baptized Jesus,

And passed the rite to the centuries,

And Baptism became a holiday,

Immersion in holy water!

I congratulate you my friends,

And I wish for long days

For the soul of peace and happiness,

Do not meet in life with bad weather!

Send congratulations to others,

And God give you all patience!

Sister

On Baptism, my dear sister

If you believe in a miracle

It will come, I know it

Desires will come true!

After all, this is a holiday for the soul

It only brings good, believe me

And do not rush to sleep at night,

Miracle open all the doors!

The miracle of spiritual birth

Comes to pass at Baptism!

We will be the happiest

Beautiful soul and body!

Congratulations on a wonderful holiday

And I wish you the strength not to waste in vain,

And live with your soul in harmony,

And you don't need more for happiness!

Do not forget about your soul,

She also needs an update

And even when there are not enough days

Take care of her with inspiration!

And in the Baptism of the Lord,

A gift must be brought to the soul -

Wash her in water today

Thus, to find happiness!

I congratulate you my friends,

Happy Baptism today!

Jesus said - be baptized,

This is a good destination

The people responded once

And the ice broke with a cross!

On this I congratulate you all,

And I wish you all peace!

The good news has spread

The Baptism of the Lord takes place,

And people gathered, countless,

By the holy water today!

I congratulate you on the holiday,

Baptism is a good deed

And I beg God for you,

So that he gave peace to the soul!

Great body health,

Always forgiveness for misdeeds!

Never be idle

And more communication with friends!

Into the holy waters of the Jordan

Jesus came in, to become baptized,

And under the hands of John

Found another soul to become!

And he advised the people

Baptized with water

To find freedom for your soul

Health to the body, peace to the mind!

And I wish you on this holiday

Find peace and find peace

So as not to rush around the world,

And not to go astray!

Forget all the sorrows of sorrow

Wait only for happiness ahead

So that the body of water is cleansed,

Leaving the bad behind!

For parents

My dear parents,

You accept my congratulations!

On a holiday - the Lord's Baptism,

The birth of a human soul!

I wish you well-being,

To avoid evil disasters!

Health, happiness and love,

God save you and save you!

The Great Baptism

Our soul is salvation,

I wish everyone joy

And be with God in goodness!

So that the children are healthy

So that there is peace in the whole wide world!

So that people believe in a miracle

Then we will all be happy!

Close

Baptism occurs

Washing our souls,

All sins are forgiven us

Life begins in a new way!

I wish you this goodness,

I wish you this joy!

Be happy my beloved

My loved ones, kind, lovely!

For those who perform the ceremony.

The sacrament is accomplished today

The angels in the sky are singing

Great Baptism of the Lord

Rejoicing, people rejoice!

I ardently congratulate you on him,

And after a great bath,

I wish the body health

And the soul of great relief!

Great happiness will come to us

It will dispel all bad weather

Through the Baptism of the Lord,

Which will take place today!

And I, friends, I congratulate you,

I wish the soul to be born again

May happiness be with you

A reward for good deeds!

Receive Christ's blessing

Plunge into holy waters

Listen to the chant

Finding freedom of the soul!

This holiday is wonderful

Simple and useful!

Despite the severe frosts,

We dive deep into the Cross,

Let the water wash away our tears

We will ask Christ for a miracle!

Still health for their children,

May the Lord protect them tender!

Congratulations on the Baptism with love,

I know that it will bring you happiness!

Forget grievances and quarrels,

Unnecessary conversations

Let's wash in Jordan today

On the day of the Baptism of the Lord!

I wish everyone health

And I congratulate you on the holiday!

The frost is cracking on the street

But our people are always in a hurry

On a holiday - holy Baptism,

To bathe!

To plunge into the icy water,

And wake up clean tomorrow!

Congratulations,

Let the angel into the heart!

To be born of water and the Spirit,

Holy water helps!

This is what Jesus said to Nicodemus,

I can tell you.

Do not be afraid of the water in the Jordan,

Only we will become healthier!

Feel free to be baptized,

And my sincere congratulations!

The Epiphany or Baptism of the Lord is one of the most important twelve feasts of Orthodoxy. Read everything about the history of this event in the article!

Baptism of the Lord, or Epiphany - January 19 in 2020

What holiday is it?

Forefeast of the Epiphany

From ancient times the Epiphany was among the great twelve feasts. Even in the Apostolic Decrees (v. 5, ch. 12) it is commanded: "May you have in great respect the day on which the Lord showed us the Divinity." This holiday in the Orthodox Church is celebrated with equal grandeur as the holiday of the Nativity of Christ. Both of these holidays, connected by "Svyatki" (from December 25 to January 6), constitute, as it were, one celebration. Almost immediately after the celebration of the feast of the Nativity of Christ (from January 2), the Church begins to prepare us for the solemn feast of the Baptism of the Lord by stichera and troparions (at Vespers), The honor of the Epiphany has been heard already since January 1: at Matins of the Feast of the Circumcision of the Lord, the irmos of the Epiphany canons are sung for the katavasia: "The depths are opened is the bottom ..." and "The sea waves are marching ...". With her sacred memories, following from Bethlehem to Jordan and gathering the events of Baptism, the Church in the pre-feast stichera calls on the faithful:
“We will pass from Bethlehem to Jordan, tamo bo Light to those in darkness is already beginning to illumine”. The closest Saturday and Sunday before Epiphany are called Saturday and the Week before Epiphany (or Enlightenment).

Eve of the Epiphany

The eve of the holiday - January 5 - is called the Eve of the Epiphany, or Christmas Eve. The services of the Eve and the holiday itself are in many ways similar to the service of the Eve and the Feast of the Nativity of Christ.

On the Christmas Eve of the Epiphany on January 5 (as well as on the Christmas Eve of the Nativity of Christ) a strict fast is prescribed by the Church: eating once after the blessing of water. If the Eve happens on Saturday and Sunday, fasting is facilitated: instead of once, eating is allowed twice - after the liturgy and after the blessing of water. If the reading of the Great Hours from the Eve, which happened on Saturday or Sunday, is postponed to Friday, then there is no fasting on this Friday.

Features of Divine Services on the Eve of the Holiday

On all weekdays (except Saturday and Sunday), the Epiphany Eve service consists of the Great Hours, pictorial and Vespers with the liturgy of St. Basil the Great; after the liturgy (after the prayer for the ambo), the water is blessed. If Christmas Eve happens on Saturday or Sunday, then Great Hours are celebrated on Friday, and there is no liturgy on that Friday; the liturgy of St. Basil the Great is postponed to the day of the holiday. On the very day of Christmas Eve, the liturgy of St. John Chrysostom happens in due time, and after it - Vespers and after it the blessing of water.

Great Hours of the Baptism of the Lord and their content

The troparion points to the separation of the waters of the Jordan by Elisha through the mantle of the prophet Elijah as a prototype of the true Baptism of Christ in the Jordan, by which the watery nature was sanctified and during which the Jordan stopped its natural flow. The last troparion describes the tremulous feeling of St. John the Baptist when the Lord came to him to be baptized. In the parimia of the 1st hour, with the words of the prophet Isaiah, the Church proclaims the spiritual renewal of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ (Isa. 25).

The Apostle and the Gospel proclaim the Forerunner and Baptist of the Lord, testifying of the eternal and divine greatness of Christ (Acts 13: 25-32; Matt. 3: 1-11). At the 3rd hour in special psalms - the 28th and 41st - the prophet depicts the power and authority of the baptized Lord over water and all the elements of the world: “The voice of the Lord is on the waters: the God of glory is upon the thunder, the Lord is on the waters of many. The voice of the Lord in the fortress; the voice of the Lord in splendor ... ”These psalms are joined by the usual 50th psalm. The troparions of the hour reveal the experiences of John the Baptist - awe and fear at the Baptism of the Lord - and the appearance in this great event of the mystery of the Trinity of the Godhead. In parimia, we hear the voice of the prophet Isaiah, foreshadowing spiritual rebirth through baptism and calling for the reception of this sacrament: "Wash yourself out, and you will be clean" (Isa. 1, 16-20).

The Apostle tells about the difference between the baptism of John and the baptism in the Name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19: 1-8), and the Gospel - about the Forerunner, preparing the way for the Lord (Mark 1: 1-3). At the 6th hour in Psalms 73 and 76, King David prophetically depicts the Divine majesty and omnipotence of the One who came to be baptized in the form of a servant: “Who is the great God, like our God? You are God, work miracles. Seeing Thee of the water, O God, and being afraid: you are disturbed by the abyss.

The usual 90th psalm of the hour is also added. The troparions contain the answer of the Lord the Baptist to his bewilderment about Christ's self-abasement and indicates the fulfillment of the Psalmist's prophecy that the Jordan River stops its waters when the Lord enters it for Baptism. The parimia speaks of how the prophet Isaiah contemplates the grace of salvation in the waters of baptism and calls upon believers to assimilate it: "Draw water with gladness from the source of fear" (Isa. 12).

The Apostle inspires those who have been baptized into Christ Jesus to walk in renewal of life (Rom. 6: 3-12). The Gospel preaches the gospel about the appearance of the Holy Trinity at the Baptism of the Savior, about His forty days of exploit in the wilderness and the beginning of the preaching of the Gospel (Mark 1: 9-15). At the 9th hour in Psalms 92 and 113, the prophet announces the royal greatness and omnipotence of the baptized Lord. The third psalm of the hour is the usual 85th. With the words of parimia, the prophet Isaiah depicts the ineffable mercy of God towards people and the grace-filled help for them, shown in Baptism (Isaiah 49, 8-15). The Apostle announces the manifestation of the grace of God, "saving all man," and the abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit on believers (Tit. 2: 11-14; 3, 4-7). The Gospel tells about the Baptism of the Savior and the Manifestation of God (Matt. 3, 13-17).

Vespers on the day

Vespers on the Eve of the Feast of the Epiphany is similar to that which happens on the Eve of the Nativity of Christ: the entrance with the Gospel, the reading of the parimias, the Apostle, the Gospel, etc., but the parimias at Vespers of the Epiphany are read not 8, but 13.
After the first three paremias to the troparion and the verses of the prophecy, the singers sing along: "Enlighten those who sit in the darkness: Humanity, glory to Thee." After the 6th parimia, there is a refrain to the troparion and verses: "Wherever Thy light would have shone, only on those who sit in darkness, glory to Thee."
If, on the Eve of the Epiphany, Vespers is combined with the liturgy of St. Basil the Great (on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday), then after the reading of the paremias, a small litany follows with the exclamation: "For thou art holy, our God ...", then the Trisagion is sung and the rest of the liturgy. At Vespers, which is separately celebrated after the Liturgy (on Saturday and Sunday), after the parimia, the small litany and the exclamation: "For thou art holy ..." followed by the prokeimenon: "The Lord is my enlightenment ...", Apostle (Cor., Cred. and the Gospel (Luke, credits 9th).
After that - the litany "Rtsem all ..." and so on.

Great blessing of water

The Church renews the memory of the Jordan event with a special rite of the great consecration of water. On the Eve of the holiday, the great consecration of water takes place after the prayer after the ambo (if the liturgy of St. Basil the Great is celebrated). And if Vespers is performed separately, without joining the Liturgy, the blessing of the water takes place at the end of Vespers, after the exclamation: "Be the power ...". The priest through the royal gates, while singing the troparion "The voice of the Lord on the waters ...", goes out to the vessels filled with water, carrying the Honorable Cross on his head, and the consecration of water begins.

Blessing of water is also performed on the very holiday after the liturgy (also after the prayer after the ambo).

The Orthodox Church has been performing the great blessing of water on the Eve and on the very holiday since ancient times, and the grace of blessing water on these two days is always the same. On the Eve, the consecration of water was performed in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, which consecrated the watery nature, as well as the baptism of the orphaned, which in ancient times was performed on the Eve of the Epiphany (Fasting Apost., Book 5, Chapter 13; historians: Theodorite, Nicephorus Callistus). On the very same holiday, the blessing of water occurs in remembrance of the actual event of the Baptism of the Savior. Consecration of water on the very holiday got its beginning in the Jerusalem Church and in the 4th - 5th centuries. took place only in her alone, where there was a custom to go out to the Jordan River for the consecration of water in remembrance of the Baptism of the Savior. Therefore, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the blessing of water on the Eve is performed in churches, and on the very holiday it is usually performed on rivers, springs and in wells (the so-called “Walking to Jordan”), for Christ was baptized outside the temple.

The great sanctification of water received its beginning in the early days of Christianity, following the example of the Lord Himself, who sanctified the waters by His immersion in them and established the sacrament of Baptism, in which the sanctification of water takes place from ancient times. The rite of blessing water is attributed to the Evangelist Matthew. Several prayers for this order were written by St. Proclus, Archbishop of Constantinople. The final design of the rank is attributed to St. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem. The blessing of water on a holiday is already mentioned by the teacher of the Church Tertullian and St. Cyprian of Carthage. The Apostolic Decrees also contain the prayers pronounced at the consecration of water. So, in the book. The 8th says: "The priest will call on the Lord and say:" And now sanctify this water, and give it grace and strength. "

St. Basil the Great writes: “According to what scripture do we bless the water of baptism? - From the Apostolic tradition, by succession in secret ”(91st Canon).

In the second half of the 10th century, Patriarch Peter Fulon of Antioch introduced the custom of blessing the water not at midnight, but on the Eve of the Epiphany. In the Russian Church, the Moscow Council of 1b67 decreed that a two-time consecration of water should be performed - on the Eve and on the very feast of the Epiphany and condemned Patriarch Nikon, who forbade the double consecration of water. The succession of the great consecration of water both on the Eve and on the feast itself is the same, and in some parts it resembles the succession of the small consecration of water. It consists in remembering the prophecies related to the event of Baptism (parimia), the event itself (the Apostle and the Gospel) and its meaning (litanies and prayers), in invoking God's blessing on the waters and immersing the Life-giving Cross of the Lord in them three times.

In practice, the rite of consecration of water is performed as follows. After the prayer outside the ambo (at the end of the liturgy) or the supplicatory litany: "Let us perform the evening prayer" (at the end of Vespers), the abbot in full vestments (as during the celebration of the liturgy), and the other priests only in the epitrachil, orders, and the abbot carrying the chapter (usually the Cross relies on the air). At the site of the consecration of water, the Cross rests on a decorated table, on which a bowl with water and three candles should stand. During the singing of the troparion, the abbot and the deacon cense the water prepared for consecration (three times around the table), and if the water is consecrated in the temple, then the altar, priests, singers and the people also censes.

At the end of the chanting of the troparia, the deacon proclaims: "Wisdom," and three parimias (from the book of Isaiah) are read, in which they depict blessed fruits the coming of the Lord to earth and the spiritual joy of all who turn to the Lord and receive communion from the life-giving sources of salvation. Then the prokeimenon "The Lord is my enlightenment ..." is sung, the Apostle and the Gospel are read. The Apostolic Reading (Cor., Cred. 143) speaks of persons and events that in the Old Testament, during the wandering of the Jews in the wilderness, were a prototype of Christ the Savior (the mysterious baptism of the Jews into Moses among the cloud and the sea, their spiritual food in wilderness and drinking from the spiritual stone that was Christ). The Gospel (Mark, cred. 2) tells about the Baptism of the Lord.

After reading the Holy Scriptures, the deacon pronounces a great litany with special petitions. They contain prayers for the consecration of water by the power and action of the Holy Trinity, for the sending of Jordan's blessing to the water and the granting of grace to it for the healing of mental and physical infirmities, for driving away all slander of visible and invisible enemies, for the consecration of houses and for every benefit.

During the litany, the rector secretly reads a prayer for the cleansing and sanctification of himself: "Lord Jesus Christ ..." (without exclamation). At the end of the litany, the priest (abbot) loudly reads the consecration prayer: "Great art, O Lord, and your works are wonderful ..." (three times) and so on. In this prayer, the Church implores the Lord to come and sanctify the water so that it receives the grace of deliverance, the blessing of Jordan, so that it is a source of incorruption, resolution of ailments, cleansing of souls and bodies, consecration of houses and "fair for every benefit." In the middle of the prayer, the priest exclaims three times: "You yourself, loving mankind to the Tsar, come now by the inspiration of Your Holy Spirit and sanctify this water" and each time he blesses the water with his hand, but does not immerse his fingers in the water, as is the case in the sacrament of Baptism. At the end of the prayer, the abbot immediately blesses the water in a cruciform with the Honest Cross, holding it with both hands and dipping it straight three times (bringing it down and raising it up), and at each immersion of the Cross, the troparion sings with the clergy (three times): "In the Jordan I am baptized to You, Lord ..."

After that, with the repeated singing of the troparion by the singers, the abbot with the Cross in his left hand sprinkles it crosswise in all directions, and also sprinkles the temple with holy water.

Celebration of the holiday

On the Eve, after the dismissal of Vespers or Liturgy, a lamp is delivered in the middle of the church (not a lectern with an icon), before which the clergy and singers sing the troparion and (for "Glory, and now") the kontakion of the holiday. The candle here means the light of Christ's teaching, Divine enlightenment given in the Manifestation of God.

After that, the worshipers are applied to the Cross, and the priest sprinkles each with holy water.

One of the most important and significant twelve Orthodox holidays is the Baptism of the Lord, or as it is also called the Epiphany. Christmastide ends with it, so it is necessary on January 19, the day when Epiphany is celebrated, to observe important rituals. In this article, we will tell you about the history of the holiday and the traditions associated with it.

The entire Orthodox world is celebrating 1 January 9 is the feast of the Baptism of God's Son Jesus Christ, who was baptized by John the Baptist (Forerunner) in the Jordan River. It was on this day that God called Jesus his son, appearing to people in the guise of a dove. Therefore, the feast of Epiphany is also called the Epiphany. At the time of his baptism, Jesus was 30 years old.

Jesus came to John and preached a sermon to the people about the need for baptism, which cleanses the souls of people from sins. After this event, God's son went to the wilderness, where he spent a lot of time starving and refraining from the temptations of the devil. The Apostles followed his example.

The feast of Epiphany in the church began to be celebrated immediately. Only during the life of Jesus was it celebrated on the same day as Christmas. The feast of Christmas and Epiphany was called the Epiphany. Separately, these holidays were celebrated in the Church of Constantinople. This happened in 377. The traditions of mutual celebration have survived to this day only in the Armenian church.

Baptism: traditions and customs of the holiday

The celebration of Epiphany does not actually begin on January 19, but the day before. On January 18, the Orthodox people are preparing the Epiphany Eve, which is a hungry kutya made of rice, millet, raisins and honey. However, it could not be eaten before the water was consecrated. You don't have to go to church to bless the water. There is such a belief that exactly at midnight water in rivers, reservoirs and even in a tap becomes holy. If you collect it at this time, then it will be of particular value as a medicine for the treatment of deadly diseases and not only.

However, you shouldn't trust tap water. Go to the nearest lake, where the priest conducts a special ceremony of water lighting. It is also advisable to devote before this a church service, which must be held on the night of January 18-19.

As a rule, an ice-hole is made in the ice in the form of a cross, over which the priest reads prayers, and then everyone who wants to be tempered, cleansed of sins and other evil spirits bathes in it. You need to plunge into the hole 3 times. After each immersion in water, you must be baptized:

• Diving into the water symbolizes the death of Christ.
• Emerging from the water signifies the resurrection of God's Son.

After you dive, be sure to drink a hot drink to keep warm. But it doesn't have to be alcohol. Tea with honey and lemon will do. However, if you do not sincerely believe that water will help you get rid of ailments, and that it generally has some kind of power, then it is better not to drink it and do not bathe in it, because in this case it really will not bring you any benefit. ...

The priests warn that you need to swim in the hole correctly:

• Don't undress ahead of time. Take off your clothes just before going into the water.
• Immersion in water should be slow. First wash your knees and face.
• After the diving processes are completed, immediately get out of the water so as not to overcool.
• If you are drunk or too full, you should not dive into icy water. After all, gluttony, like drunkenness, are church sins. In this case, the blessing will not descend on those who wish to be cleansed in Baptism. Moreover, it is simply very life-threatening. Due to the sharp temperature drop against the background of alcohol intoxication, the heart may stop.
• If before diving you did not visit the church, did not pray and light a candle, then you should not expect the miraculous effect of the sacred water either.
• Women are not allowed to dive into the hole in an open-type swimsuit. To plunge into the hole, you need to buy a new clean shirt or shirt, since the body must be covered. This shirt needs to be kept. Her woman can put on herself or her children when she or her babies get sick. It is believed that the shirt will have special strength throughout the year until the next Epiphany.

Important! The water drawn from the hole on the day of Epiphany does not deteriorate throughout the year. It can be sanctified at home, given to sick people in the family. After a year, it is better to get rid of this water somehow, because it loses its healing power. You need to collect new water on the same holiday in order to be able to use it next year.

Other less important but revered traditions of the Orthodox people are also associated with the Baptism of the Lord:

1. After going to the temple and blessing the water, you must definitely go to a meal. At the same time, there should be 12 dishes with butter and meat on the table.
2. On the festive table, you can prepare the so-called square pancakes. Pancakes of this shape attract wealth to the house.
3. It is necessary to celebrate Epiphany in the circle of relatives, since this celebration belongs to the family. If this tradition is not neglected, then the whole family will live in full force throughout the year, not get sick and feel good.
4. After the meal is over, everyone at the table should pray. In prayer, gratitude to the Almighty should sound for the fact that there is food on the table.
5. After prayer, all relatives must release a white dove from the cage. This is a symbol that you are letting go of all the past Christmas holidays.
6. Before Epiphany after Christmas, women were forbidden to go to the water just to take it home, or even more so to wash it in it. It was believed that devils are found in unconsecrated water, which can cause great harm to a woman. Therefore, men always went to fetch water for 2 weeks before Epiphany.
7. To preserve youth and beauty, women dipped in any container where sacred water was collected, mountain ash or corals. From them the girl's cheeks were always rosy.
8. Before sunrise on the day of Epiphany, each unmarried girl could learn her fate. To do this, she had to go outside and wait for the first passer-by. If they turned out to be a man, this meant that during this year she would get married.

Many signs are also associated with the feast of the Baptism of the Lord. By what was happening around, by changes in the weather, people determined what their harvest would be, what awaited them. As an example, we will give you some popular signs associated with the Epiphany:

• If there are many stars in the sky on the night of January 18-19, there are not a single cloud, this means that spring will come early, summer will be hot, and autumn will be rainy.
• If the full moon fell on Epiphany, then in the spring you need to wait for dangerous river floods.
• If the sun shines brightly on Epiphany and there is no wind, then the year will pass calmly for everyone, without incidents and special shocks. If you have some kind of undertaking in your plans, then you can not be afraid, it will be crowned with success. If the weather is rainy, cloudy and windy, then this is a sign that this year the Orthodox people will shed a lot of tears because of the troubles that will overcome them.
• If on the day of Epiphany everything is covered with snow or it snows all day, this means that all year the Orthodox people are not in danger of epidemics and terrible diseases, from which it is impossible to be cured.
• If a person all night for Baptism prays to heaven, which opens up to a person in a special way, then everything that he asks God for will certainly come true.
• To protect your home from evil spirits for the whole year, you need to draw crosses with white chalk on all windows and doors on the night of Epiphany.
• If snow fell on January 18, then it can be imposed on a person in the family who is very sick, then he will definitely be cured.
• If you baptize a child on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, then he will be very happy in life. Such children are called blessed.
• If you make an engagement on the day of the Baptism of the Lord, then the family will turn out to be strong and happy. Spouses will be able to live a long life together.
• All the dreams that you dream on the night of Epiphany come true, because they are prophetic. Any fortune-telling, like Christmas, is very powerful and always comes true.

Do not miss the opportunity this year to take advantage of all the blessings that the Lord gives us on the day of Baptism. May they bring harmony, happiness and health to your family!

Video: "The Feast of the Epiphany"

The present holiday is called the Epiphany because at the Baptism of the Lord the Most Holy Trinity appeared to the world, about which extremely vivid evangelical testimonies have been preserved (see:;;; John 1: 33–34). God the Father spoke from heaven about the Son, the Son was baptized in the sacred river Jordan from, and the Holy Spirit descended on the Son in the form of a dove. God the Light appeared to enlighten “those sitting in darkness ... and the shadow of death” and to save the fallen human race by grace.

The baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ is in the closest connection with all of His Divine-human work of saving people; it constitutes the decisive and complete beginning of this ministry. The baptism of the Lord in the redemption of the human race has great salvific ontological significance. Baptism on the Jordan exudes remission to mortals, forgiveness of sins, enlightenment, recreation of human nature, light, renewal, healing and, as it were, a new birth. The baptism of Christ in the waters of the Jordan thus had not only the meaning of a symbol of purification, but also a transforming, renewing effect on human nature. The baptism of Christ the Savior was actually a pre-image and the basis of the blessed method of rebirth by water and the Spirit in the sacrament of Baptism given after His Resurrection and Ascension. Here the Lord shows Himself as the Founder of a new, grace-filled Kingdom, into which, according to His teaching, one cannot enter without Baptism (see: Matt. 28: 19–20).

The triple immersion (of every believer in Christ) in the sacrament of Baptism depicts the death of Christ, and coming out of the water - communion with His three-day Resurrection.

At the Baptism of the Lord in Jordan, the true worship of God was revealed to people, the hitherto unknown mystery of the Trinity of the Godhead, the mystery of the One God in three Persons, was revealed, the worship of the Most Holy Trinity was revealed.

Having been baptized by John, who trembled at the request of Christ, the Lord fulfilled "righteousness", that is, faithfulness and obedience to the commandments of God. Saint John the Forerunner accepted from God the command to baptize the people as a sign of the cleansing of sins. As a person, Christ had to fulfill this commandment and, therefore, be baptized by John. By this He confirmed the holiness and greatness of John's actions, and gave Christians an example of humility and obedience to the will of God for eternity.

Problems of eortological syncretism: the feasts of the Baptism of the Lord and the Nativity of Christ
The dynamics of the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord and etymological rethinking of its name

In the ancient Church, at least by the 4th century, three main holidays were defined: Easter, Pentecost and Epiphany. And it was the last celebration that reminded of the coming into the world of the God-man Christ. In the East, it was solemnly celebrated on January 6. At the same time, of course, it correlated not so much with specific historical moments in the life of the Savior, but with the very unique fact of His coming into the world, with the manifestation of the God-Man Christ, the Infant, the Youth and the Thirty-year-old Husband, who came out to preach the Gospel.

At the same time, individual Christian communities could make special accents, correlating the feast of the Epiphany with certain events in the life of the Savior: Christmas, the adoration of the Magi, Epiphany. The Feast of the Epiphany was also a feast of "lights", although, according to the Byzantine tradition that developed later, this name was adopted by the independent feast of the Epiphany of the Lord.

It is known that the area of \u200b\u200bdistribution of the feast of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6, was wider than Egypt: in ancient times it was spread not only in the east, but also in Gaul. A separate holiday of Christmas on December 25 began to be celebrated in the Roman and North African Churches. It should be noted that in the West the holiday of Christmas, which lasted for two weeks, ended with the adoration of the Magi, which signified the appearance of the incarnate God-man to the pagan world. As you know, in the Latin tradition, the celebration of Epiphany, although it was introduced after Christmas, did not receive the same significance as in the East.

The opposite process was going on there: gradually, in an increasing number of regions, the date of the Nativity of Christ was postponed from January 6 to December 25. Thus, in the end, both in the East and in the West, they came to almost maximum unification in the field of doctrine and worship. Despite the diversity of traditions and the slow spread of liturgical practice due to adherence to local customs, by the middle of the 5th century, complete unity was achieved in Byzantium. Even in the Armenian Church, which later became the stronghold of the "single" holiday, for some time after the Council of Chalcedon, a separate holiday of Christmas was celebrated.

Be that as it may, but the question of the date of the celebration of the Baptism of the Lord still causes serious controversy. The oldest dated historical evidence of the celebration of the Epiphany is contained in the pagan historian Ammianus Marcellinus, who described the participation in the celebrations of Julian the Apostate even before his open transition to the side of paganism.

There are several, to varying degrees, reliable and, moreover, not unidirectional testimonies belonging to St.John Cassian the Roman (360 - about 432) and the Syrian Monophysite writer Dionysius Bar Salibi, in which the ancient tradition of a single feast of the Epiphany, celebrated on January 6 (January 19 on Gregorian calendar). See also the Syrian Teachings of the Apostles (no later than the beginning of the 4th century). However, these fixations cannot provide any complete answers to the following questions: January 6 was predominantly a holiday of Christmas or, conversely, Epiphany; since when this date becomes the exact time of the celebration of the two holidays, as well as when the Nativity of Christ began to be celebrated separately; how these dates correlate with the chronology systems adopted in Byzantium.

In the system of the Byzantine new years, the central place was occupied by January 1. In this regard, it is no coincidence that the chronological coincidence of the celebration of Baptism with the beginning of the annual cycle of the Gospel readings becomes. In Ephesus, the city of the holy apostle and evangelist John, this cycle began with the Gospel of John, in which the theology of the incarnation is conveyed with the greatest depth. In Jerusalem, at the beginning, they read the Gospel of Matthew with a detailed presentation of the Nativity of Christ in Bethlehem, and in Alexandria - the Gospel of Mark, which opens with a description of Baptism on Jordan.

If we accept the reasoning that the Savior's suffering and resurrection occurs at the same time as His coming into the world and the Incarnation, which means that April 6 is not only Easter, but also the good news of the Archangel, and January 6 is the day of Christmas, Epiphany in this case it is perceived as a holiday of "lights" (in Syriac "denha"), a holiday of candles, which were lit both at Christmas and around the baptismal font.

In addition, some ancient authors wrote about the feast of the Epiphany on January 6 as the feast of Epiphany, others as the feast of Christmas, offering different interpretations of its origin. The first group includes Origen, Saints Athanasius of Alexandria, Clement of Alexandria. The latter argued that the followers of the Gnostic Basilides celebrated the baptism of Jesus on 11 and 15 Tibi - January 6 or 10, respectively, which fit well into the system according to which the divine Christ first appeared on earth during the event described.

Other ancient authors describe the feast of the Epiphany on January 6 as the feast of Christmas, namely: at St. Epiphanius of Cyprus, St. Ephraim the Syrian, and also in the ancient Armenian lectionary. Thus, Epiphanius reports that idolaters on January 5/6 celebrated the Feast of the Age (Aeon) or Coreum (Coreum). At the same time, the ubiquity of this pagan celebration is interpreted only as a confirmation of the power and greatness of the Christian Nativity of Christ. St. Epiphanius had a very original view of the dates of Christmas and Baptism: Christ was born on January 6, and baptized on November 8. He wrote in connection with the miraculous transformation of water into wine in Cana of Galilee, that on the first day, that is, on the 11th day of the Tibi, Egyptian Christians drew water from the Nile.

The Monk Ephraim the Syrian undoubtedly honored the feast of the Nativity of Christ on January 6, possibly connecting it with Baptism. However, the subsequent tradition of the Monophysite Syro-Jacobite Church, for which he was one of the fundamental pillars, prescribed to celebrate Christmas and Epiphany separately from each other.

The pilgrim Etheria mentions the custom of the Jerusalem Church - to celebrate the Nativity of Christ in the Bethlehem temple on January 6, however, because of the gaps in the manuscript detailed description the holiday has not survived. In part, these gaps are compensated for by the ancient Armenian lectionary, which mentions a meeting in the place of shepherds, a vigil in a church in Bethlehem, a meeting for the Epiphany in Martyrion in Jerusalem.

As for the Apostolic decrees, they understand the Epiphany only as a celebration glorifying the Baptism of the Lord.

Hypotheses proving the joint celebration of Christmas and Epiphany in Constantinople at the beginning of the 7th century are also highly polemical. Using extensive scientific and theological argumentation, Abbot Dionisy (Shlenov) comes to an unambiguous conclusion: “There remains no reason for the unified Feast of the Epiphany, unexpectedly celebrated in Constantinople at the beginning of the 7th century, the restoration of which in those years could mean - no more, no less - a refusal Byzantium from the recognition of dogmatic definitions ”.

From a review of a number of data on the holidays of Christmas and Epiphany, it is clear that the ancient authors more often wrote about only one holiday, and those who announced two celebrated on the same day on January 6, did it through the prism of their contemporary practice - Orthodox or non-Orthodox, as a rule Monophysite. One way or another, in subsequent times, for the Monophysite Armenians, joint celebration became a symbol of their distorted Christology, while the separate celebration of Christmas and Epiphany meant Nestorianism for them. However, a separate celebration of the Nativity of Christ on December 25, celebrated in the Western Church and in the North African Churches (no later than the beginning of the IV century) and gradually adopted - even before the Monophysite disputes - in Antioch, Constantinople, Alexandria, and later in the Jerusalem Patriarchate, became an integral part of the liturgical traditions of the Orthodox Church.

Over time, the feast of the Epiphany became more and more related in meaning to Epiphany and its connection with Christmas events weakened. At present, in Orthodoxy, Epiphany and Baptism are different names for the same holiday, which is the Lord's and, celebrated on January 6, is ranked as intransient. In this regard, a new - absent in antiquity - interpretation of the word appears Epiphany, which goes back to the Greek Θεοφάνια, as well as Επιφάνια - as the manifestation of God during Baptism in the fullness of the Trinity.

Feast in Orthodox divine services

Epiphany is one of the great twelve feasts. It is performed in the Orthodox Church with a grandeur equal to the Nativity of Christ. Both of these holidays, connected with Christmastide (from December 25 to January 6), constitute one majestic and soul-saving celebration.

The eve of the holiday - January 5 - is called the eve of the Epiphany, or Christmas Eve. His services are similar to the service of the eve of the Nativity of Christ.

On the eve of the Epiphany on January 5 (as well as on the eve of the Nativity of Christ), the Church enjoins a strict fast: eating once after the blessing of water. If the evening meal happens on Saturday and Sunday, fasting is facilitated: it is allowed to eat twice - also after the liturgy.

Rite of the great consecration of water

The Church annually renews the memory of the Jordanian event with the rite of the great consecration of water, which is carried out (in the event that the liturgy of St. Basil the Great is served) after the prayer outside the ambo. If Vespers is celebrated in isolation, the rite is set at its end: after the exclamation of "Be the power," the priest through the royal gates while singing the troparion "The Voice of the Lord on the Waters" goes to the vessels filled with water, carrying the Honorable Cross on the head, and the consecration of the water begins. It is also performed on the very holiday after the liturgy (also after the prayer after the ambo). The grace of blessing the water on these two days is always the same. In the evening, the blessing of water was performed in remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, which consecrated the watery nature, as well as the baptism of the catechumens, which in ancient times was performed at the eve of the Epiphany. On the very same holiday, the blessing of water occurs in remembrance of the actual event of the Baptism of the Savior.

This rite got its start in the Jerusalem Church and in the 4th-5th centuries it was practiced only in it: according to custom, everyone went out to the Jordan River for the blessing of water in remembrance of the Baptism of the Savior: “Here has come this long-awaited moment of the sinking of the cross. The whole crowd amicably picks up the troparion of the holiday sung by the clergy and, without waiting for the three-fold immersion of the cross in the water, begins to quickly plunge into the sacred streams, drink them in handfuls and fill them with their flasks, bottles, jugs, etc., taking from under their feet from the bottom of the river as a keepsake and her pebbles ”; “In the middle of the Church of the Resurrection, for this consecration of water, an oblong elevated platform is being prepared ... In the middle of the platform, a water holy table, covered with a veil and decorated with a large resurrection cross with a particle of the Life-giving Tree of the Lord, icons, ripids and candlesticks, is placed on a dais. Three silver vessels filled with water are placed under the canopy of these shrines. Therefore, in the Russian Orthodox Church, the blessing of water in the evening is performed in churches, and on a holiday it usually takes place on rivers, springs and in wells - in the so-called Jordan, for Christ was baptized outside the temple. The rite of blessing water is attributed to the Evangelist Matthew. Several prayers for this order were written by St. Proclus of Constantinople. The final form of the rank is attributed to Saint Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem. Tertullian and Saint Cyprian of Carthage already mention the blessing of water on a holiday. The Apostolic Decrees also contain the prayers pronounced at the consecration of water. In the second half of the 5th century, the Antiochian patriarch Peter Fulon introduced the custom of blessing water not at midnight, but on the eve of the Epiphany. In the Russian Church, the Moscow Council of 1667 legalized the performance of a double consecration of water - in the evening and on the feast of the Epiphany. The succession of the great consecration of water both in the evening and on the feast itself, of course, is the same, and in some parts it resembles the succession of the small consecration of water. It consists in remembering prophecies related to the event of Baptism (paremia), the event itself (the Apostle and the Gospel) and its meaning (litany and prayer), invoking God's blessing on the waters and immersing the Life-giving Cross of the Lord in them three times. In the evening, after the dismissal of Vespers or Liturgy, a lamp is delivered in the middle of the church (not a lectern with an icon), before which the clergy and choristers sing the troparion and (for "Glory, and now") the kontakion of the feast. The candle symbolizes the light of Christ's teaching, Divine enlightenment given in the Manifestation of God. After that, the worshipers are applied to the cross, and the priest sprinkles each with holy water.

Patristic exegesis of the holiday

During the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, the Holy Church affirms faith in the highest, incomprehensible secret of the three Persons of the One God and teaches to equally confess and glorify the Holy Trinity Consubstantial and Inseparable, denounces and destroys the delusions of ancient false teachers who tried to embrace the Creator of the world with ordinary thought and word. The Church shows the need for Baptism for believers in Christ, instills a feeling of deep gratitude to the Illuminator and Purifier of sinful nature. She teaches that salvation and cleansing from sins is possible only by the power of the grace of the Holy Spirit, and therefore it is necessary to worthily preserve the grace-filled gifts of Holy Baptism in order to keep the precious garment necessary for salvation clean.

Conversations on the feast of the Epiphany are known as early as the 3rd century: Saints Hippolytus, Gregory the Wonderworker. At the same time, in the mainstream of the disputes about the separate or syncretic celebration of Christmas and Epiphany, bright works appeared in which the first point of view was substantiated on solid theological grounds, but very emotionally. Thus, St. Proclus of Constantinople preached: "In the previous feast of the Nativity of the Savior, the earth rejoiced; on today's feast of the Epiphany, the sea is overjoyed, since through the Jordan it received the blessing of purification." And Kosma Indikoplevt in "Christian Topography" briefly recorded what over time all Orthodox Christians accepted: "Since ancient times, the Church, so that she does not forget about one of the two holidays, if she began to celebrate them together, decreed that they should be separated by twelve days according to the number of apostles." ...

Subsequently, from the 4th to the 9th centuries, the great Church Fathers (,) created their festive homilies, skillfully combining dogmatic content and symbolic and allegorical imagery.

A holiday in pre-Chalcedonian and Western traditions

For historical and comparative liturgy, the dramatic story of the establishment of a single day for the celebration of Christmas and Epiphany in the Armenian Church is extremely curious. In Armenia, where, having rejected the Council of Chalcedon, they began to profess the Monophysite teaching, in the second half of the 6th century the old custom of celebrating Christmas and Epiphany on the same day was finally established at the direction of the Armenian Catholicos Nerses II (548–557). Undoubtedly, the return to this tradition was due to their desire for the greatest possible isolation from Byzantium on religious grounds. This practice is abundantly substantiated in many polemical works of such authors as Shirakuni (Anania Numerator, about 600-670), Zakhariya Dzagetsi (+ 877), Hovhannes Erznkatsi (from Plaza) (1220 / 1230-1293) and many others who, among other things, they appealed to the apostolic testimonies.

As for Western practice, the earliest mention of the celebration in question is contained in the letter from Pope Syricius (384-399) to Bishop Chimerius of Tarragona (Spain). However, the subsequent pontiffs - neither Saint Leo the Great, nor Saint Gregory the Great - did not mention this holiday. Later, according to the Roman sacramentaries of the 8th and 9th centuries, the Nativity of Christ and the adoration of the Magi were celebrated, but not Baptism. As a result, the last feast in the Latin rite is completely separated from the Epiphany and is celebrated the next Sunday after Epiphany.

According to the sermons of Pope Leo I (400–461), in Rome the worship of the Magi was the only theme of the holiday. It is also fixed in the perception of the Roman rank in the empire of the Franks, but nevertheless in the Gallican service in the antiphons of the liturgy of hours - apparently under the influence of the Eastern tradition - three miracles are mentioned: the adoration of the Magi, Baptism, the miracle of transforming water into wine.

Due to the thematic specificity, the memory of the Epiphany was moved to the octave day of the Epiphany. Presumably, the meeting of the strong Gallican tradition (the Baptism of Jesus - the adoration of the Magi - the miracle in Cana - the multiplication of the loaves) with the Roman tradition (the adoration of the Magi) led to the separation of the festive storyline. And the adoration of the Magi remained after January 6, and the baptism in the Jordan passed to the day of the octave. Hence the reading of the Gospel fragment about the miracle in Cana of Galilee on the second Sunday after Epiphany (now - on the second Sunday of the annual circle).

For the feast of January 6, an accompanying celebration is also provided - the Cathedral of John the Baptist - the next day.

Catholic Epiphany has many traditions. During Mass, chalk is consecrated, with which believers write letters on their homes TO, M and B, symbolizing the names of the wise men - Caspar, Melchior and Baltasar, who came to worship Jesus. This day is also called a generous day, and the evening on the eve of the holiday is a generous evening, when it is customary to give gifts to children and relatives and distribute pies.

So, as a result of the diachronic development, the feast of Epiphany in the Latin rite was completely separated from the Epiphany and is celebrated on the following Sunday.

Holiday iconography

The eventual complication of the holiday, its significant dogmatic component influenced the fact that the images of the Epiphany, which appeared already in the first centuries of Christianity, captured not only the Baptism of the Savior in Jordan from John the Baptist, but, above all, the appearance to the world of the incarnate Son of God as One of the Persons of the Holy Trinity , to which the Father and the Holy Spirit testify, descending upon Christ in the form of a dove.

In the early Christian monuments of the 4th-5th centuries, such as the ampoules of Monza, the mosaics of one of the baptisteries in Ravenna, the plaque from the throne of Archbishop Maximian, Christ baptized by the Forerunner was represented as a young beardless youth. However, in the future, in accordance with church tradition, the image of the Baptism of the Savior in adulthood will become widespread.

Despite the fact that the main source of the iconography of the Epiphany event was the Gospel, on the evidence of which the descriptions of Baptism in the Apocrypha are based, the images of the holiday contained elements that were not borrowed from the narrative of the holy evangelists. So, following ancient pictorial techniques, in the scenes of Baptism, isographers placed the personification of the Jordan River - a gray-haired old man sitting, as, for example, in the mosaic of the dome of the Arian baptistery, on the bank or located in the river itself, together with the personification of the sea in the form of a floating woman.

In addition, the Gospel does not report the presence of angels at the Lord's Baptism, although their figures in different numbers, starting from the 6th-7th centuries, are always depicted standing on the opposite bank of the Jordan River from John the Baptist, usually occupying the right side of the composition.

Above the Savior in the water from ancient times, a segment of the sky was depicted, from which a dove descends to Christ - a symbol of the Holy Spirit, rays of the Trinity light, as well as the blessing right hand of the Most High, meaning a "gesture of speech" - a voice from heaven (painting in the Daphne monastery near Athens, second half of the 11th century). This accentuates the moment of the appearance of the Divine, theophany.

Over time, more details appear on icons, mosaics, book miniatures and other things: on the banks of the Jordan, people are shown undressing, waiting for their turn to be baptized; sometimes a cross is depicted on the water, the confluence of the streams of Ior and Dan, etc. (Church of the Savior on Nereditsa, Novgorod, 1199; St. Catherine's Monastery on Sinai; Pskov churches, first half of the 14th century).

The greatest attention in all the images of the Epiphany is attracted by the figures of the Savior and John the Baptist, who places his right hand on the head of Christ, which correlates with the Gospel and the hymnography of the holiday (icons from the Sergiev Posad Sacristy Museum and St. Sophia Cathedral, 15th century).

In Russian monuments of the 16th-17th centuries, despite the prohibition by church Councils to depict God the Father, in the Epiphany in the segment of the sky, the figure of the Sabaoth is often present. And usually a ray comes out of His mouth, in which the Holy Spirit is depicted in the form of a dove.