Tomorrow, January 19, Orthodox Christians around the world will celebrate Holy holiday- Epiphany. On this day, many believers risk plunging into the seas, rivers or lakes to feel healing power Epiphany water, wash away all sins, grievances, problems. It is believed that after such a bath all diseases go away. However, each person who traditionally bathes in cold sea or river water on Epiphany has his own story. A KIA correspondent took to the streets of Sevastopol to hear stories from citizens.
“On Epiphany I have been swimming in our Black Sea for almost 15 years,” shared local resident Alla. – At first I was forced to do this; at work, the boss gathered us every year on January 19 early in the morning and took us to one of the city beaches. In this way we hardened ourselves and drove away illnesses. Then, a few years later, my grown-up sons began to swim with me. And when I quit my job, I realized that plunging into the sea at Epiphany is already our family tradition. Since then, every year we have performed this special ritual for us. Believe it or not, we hardly get sick the whole year after that. Yes, in the summer we have sore throats, but everything is simple here - the household loves ice cream and drinks liters of ice compote straight from the refrigerator. But in times of viruses, we remain healthy.”
“The first time I plunged into the sea was at Epiphany in 2009,” Vladimir told a KIA correspondent. “That year, or rather its beginning, turned out to be very sad for me; my wife died in January. We didn’t have children, my parents died a couple of years before, and I was left alone in this world. And so on Epiphany I decided to take a swim. I didn’t pursue any special goals, I was just wondering what it would be like to swim in the cold. I stayed in the water for no more than a minute, it was terribly cold. But the most interesting thing is that Epiphany water truly healed me of my emotional wounds. After washing, I immediately felt somehow lighter and calmer. Since then, I swim every year and practically do not get sick. This year I’m also going to Tauride Chersonesos - I want to take part in the religious procession and take a bath.”
“My friends persuaded me to swim for the first time on Epiphany,” Vladislav voiced his story. “It was six years ago, I was only nineteen then.” And for me it was just “for fun.” And I didn’t want my friends to laugh. But after the first swim I was hooked! Now every January 19th I take time off from work in the morning and rush to the sea. I try to quickly take a dip and immediately get into the car to warm up. One thing I can say for sure: after such procedures I feel more alert, fresh, active and energetic. Strength immediately appears, I want to move mountains. And tomorrow I will certainly take a swim.”
The Christian holiday Epiphany is celebrated annually on January 19. Federal News Agency talks about the special features of this day.
The Baptism of the Lord or Epiphany is one of the most important Christian holidays. It is one of the twelve, since it is dogmatically closely connected with the event of the earthly life of Jesus Christ, namely, with his baptism, which was performed in the Jordan River by the prophet John the Baptist, also known as John the Baptist.
The second name of the holiday - Epiphany - is associated with the miracle that occurred during the baptism of Christ, when the holy spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove and a voice from heaven called him son.
Features of the church holiday
The Epiphany of the Lord is celebrated on January 19 (January 6 - old style) and has four days of pre-celebration and eight days of post-celebration. That is, four days before Epiphany on church services prayers dedicated to the upcoming event appear, and they will continue until January 27, when the holiday will be celebrated, celebrated with a more solemn than usual worship service.
The clergy these days wear white vestments.
Epiphany Christmas Eve
On January 18, Epiphany Eve, Orthodox Christians observe strict fasting by eating sochivo, a traditional Lenten dish made from cereals (rice or wheat), honey and raisins.
At the same time, eating food is allowed only after taking out the candle after the liturgy in the morning and the first communion of Epiphany water.
Blessing of water
The great consecration of water in churches takes place on Christmas Eve after the liturgy and directly on the day of Epiphany. Consecration is carried out by one rite - the great agiasma, so the water consecrated these days is no different.
There is a tradition of sprinkling your home with Epiphany water while singing the Troparion of Epiphany. Also, Epiphany water, which has miraculous properties, is drunk throughout the year in the morning on an empty stomach, reading a prayer for receiving holy water:
“Lord, my God, may your holy gift and your holy water be for the remission of my sins, for the enlightenment of my mind, for the strengthening of my mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities according to your infinite mercy the prayers of your most pure mother and all your saints. Amen".
Epiphany water is drunk during illnesses and attacks by evil spirits. For example, St. John Chrysostom wrote that it is special:
“This water in its essence does not deteriorate over time, but, drawn today, it remains intact and fresh for a whole year, and often two and three years.”
Epiphany water has one more feature: a small amount of it can be added to ordinary water, and it will receive miraculous properties. Therefore, you should not carry Epiphany water from church in canisters; it is enough to take a little and dilute it at home with plain water in the required quantity. It is believed that one drop of holy water can sanctify an entire sea.
Epiphany bathing
Another tradition on Epiphany is swimming in an ice hole, which, as people believe, has a cleansing power for the soul and body, but this tradition cannot be called a church tradition.
For Orthodox Christians, the main thing on this day is attending church services, confession, communion, and receiving baptismal water. But swimming in special ice holes called Jordans is voluntary, and not at all mandatory, and it does not get rid of sins, since sins are absolved by the priest in the sacrament of repentance.
However, Epiphany bathing in Russia today has become something very fashionable. Special safe swimming pools are installed for them in reservoirs. On January 18, 19 and 20, rescuers and doctors are on duty in large cities near massive Jordanians.
By the way, the latter say that swimming in ice water, even with prayers, is not allowed for people with cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, problems of the genitourinary system, lung and liver diseases. Also, you should not dive into an ice hole during periods of exacerbation of inflammatory diseases or after suffering from a cold.
Signs and prohibitions
Another one folk tradition- This Christmas fortune telling, which ends exactly on January 19, Epiphany. Remember, from Pushkin: “Once in Epiphany evening the girls were wondering..."? Despite the fact that the church categorically prohibits any fortune-telling - be it Christmas, Yuletide, Epiphany and others, this pagan custom has survived to this day.
It is believed that dreams on the eve of Epiphany are prophetic, and predictions received on this day are the most accurate. They also believe that on Epiphany the heavens open, so whatever you pray for on this day will come true.
There are also folk superstitions who say what should not be done on Epiphany and on the eve of it in order to maintain health, well-being, happiness and good luck. For example, you cannot give matches, bread and money from home, you cannot borrow, you cannot cry and swear.
Feast of the Epiphany. Photo webplus.info
A little history
A string of New Year's holidays completes Baptism or, as it is otherwise called, Epiphany. The holiday, which originated about 2 thousand years ago, is celebrated on January 19, in memory of the baptism of 30-year-old Christ by John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River. The Gospel says that on that day the world appeared Holy Trinity- The Lord in three forms. During the Baptism, the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus in the form of a dove. At the same time, a Voice from heaven proclaimed: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Many historians also associate Epiphany with Crimea and Prince Vladimir.
Having raided Tauric Chersonese (Korsun) in 988, the prince forced Byzantium to marry Princess Anna to him, and when she arrived, he was baptized and married her. At the same time, the prince’s squad was also baptized. After this, Prince Vladimir with his wife, retinue, and Greek clergy arrived in Kyiv, where in the same year 988 the baptism of Russians began on the Dnieper, chroniclers write.
The place of the Baptism of Vladimir Svyatoslavich was immortalized, and the Vladimir Cathedral was erected in Chersonesos. Thousands of people still come to this temple to worship the land from where, according to legend, the Orthodox faith spread throughout Rus'.
Traditions
According to custom, on January 18, the whole family, as before Christmas, gathers at the table. Only Lenten dishes are served, and what is popularly called Poor Kutia is prepared. It received its name due to the fact that a strict fast was observed the entire day before Epiphany. Believers perform an interesting ritual - “Exile of Kutya”. Its essence is that you need to take the pot where kutya was cooked and smash it against the gate, while saying: “Get out, kutya, out of kutya!” In some regions of Ukraine, mainly in the West, they also give generously on this day.
In churches (and there are more than 500 of them in Crimea), water is blessed, which gains special power and healing properties. Epiphany water heal wounds, it helps to turn away any disaster. According to old customs, in the morning after a night church service, you need to sprinkle every corner of your home with holy water, and then there will be order and peace in the house.
In addition, from the very morning, January 19, daredevils plunge into ice baths. They say that Epiphany water from reservoirs is especially good for preserving health and beauty - it’s not for nothing that since ancient times everyone has been taking a dip in the ice hole, and girls are in a hurry to at least wash their faces with water from the river so that their faces are rosy. It was believed that the water in reservoirs remained holy for at least three more days after Epiphany. But all its unique properties disappear if they rinse clothes in an ice hole or throw dirt or anything else into the water.
|
|
|||
| Baptism in Chersonesus. Photo kazaki.crimea.ua | |||
Procession
It is customary that on the feast of the Epiphany a solemn ceremony is performed. procession. So, in the Crimean capital, according to information from the Simferopol and Crimean diocese, the procession will take place in three columns: the first from the Holy Trinity Convent, the second from the Peter and Paul Cathedral, the third from the Church of the Three Saints. Moreover, all three columns will converge at the Cathedral of St. Alexander Nevsky, which is under construction, where the Great Blessing of Water will be performed.
In Yalta, the religious procession will begin from the main church of St. Alexander Nevsky and will pass through the streets of the city.
In Sevastopol, the main events will begin in the Vladimir Cathedral of Chersonesos:
Believers will walk through the ancient settlement to the sea, and a festive service will be held here.
In Evpatoria, a prayer service will be held at St. Nicholas Cathedral, after which parishioners and clergy will make a religious procession to the sea.
Where in Crimea do people take baths?
You can experience Epiphany in almost all regions of the peninsula. Naturally, most people use sea water instead of an ice hole. So, in Yevpatoria last year, after the holy water prayer service was served, mass Epiphany bathing began. Having received the blessing of the holy fathers, about 50 ordinary townspeople, as well as 16 Evpatoria and 8 Saka walruses, entered the sea. In Sevastopol, in 2011, the water in the Chernorechensky reservoir was blessed, and in addition to ordinary citizens, representatives of the city authorities also took “baths”. In the Black Sea near the village of Orlovka near Sevastopol, Crimean Speaker Vladimir Konstantinov, members of the Presidium and deputies of the Verkhovna Rada of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea took their annual Epiphany bath.
On January 19 you can go to the Toplovsky St. Paraskevievsky Women's active monastery, which is located in the village of Topolevka, Belogorsk district. In the Church of the Holy Martyr Paraskeva, a cross with the relics of the holy saints of God is kept. There are holy springs here where you can immerse yourself in the font.
In addition, a massive celebration of Epiphany is expected in the Fairytale Valley of the Red Caves, which is located in Perevalny, Simferopol district.
Here, on the night of January 18-19, Father Dmitry will conduct the first rite of consecration of water. And on January 19, before the start of the festivities, the second one, and everyone who plunged into the font will be treated to cranberry liqueur.
When a person who has plunged into the font comes out, we will provide him with 30 grams of cranberry liqueur, prepared according to age-old Russian traditions,” said Natalya Kustova, coordinator of club institutions at the Dobrovsky village council.
There will also be traditional Epiphany fortune-telling and sports competitions for men “Well done”.
Ablution is also performed in the crystal clear waters of the Jur-Jur waterfall. In winter, this waterfall leaves an absolutely fabulous impression. It seems that somewhere here, behind the centuries-old oak trees covered with frost, Morozko and Metelitsa live.
|
|
|||
| On the feast of Epiphany, a religious procession is made to the sea. Photo KIA | |||
10 tips for beginners
At Epiphany, many rush to dive into the ice hole and wash away their sins. But despite its simplicity, the immersion process requires serious preparation. If properly prepared, a person with average health can easily endure a one-time dive. But, if he is even slightly weakened, in three or four days he will have to pay for his courage.
1. Before diving, you should definitely consult a doctor. For people with diabetes, arrhythmia, kidney problems, and women with gynecological diseases, alas, it is better to forget about the ice hole. Hypertensive patients may even have a stroke.
2. A week before diving, it is better to start preparing your body for the cold. For the first 3-4 days, it’s enough to go out onto the balcony for a minute in shorts and a T-shirt. In the remaining days, add cold water dousing. One or two (in the last two days) bowls of cold water will be enough.
3. Also, a week before swimming, you need to exclude citrus fruits, greens, rose hips and other foods rich in vitamin C from your diet. After all, it stimulates the immune system, and it is not necessary to stimulate the immune system more than the act of winter swimming will do: it will be too much, the immune system will drop significantly ".
4. Your clothes and shoes should be easy and quick to put on and take off. Dress appropriately. Ideally, clothes should not have fasteners at all, in extreme cases - a zipper. Take a rug. You will stand on it while you dry yourself and change clothes. Don't forget your hat - put it on as soon as you jump out of the water.
5. Not all weather is suitable for swimming. The ideal temperature for beginners is from 2 to 5 degrees below zero. You can risk diving into even colder temperatures, but -10 is already a dangerous threshold for a person trying to dive into an ice hole for the first time.
6. The ice hole should be well cleared of ice fragments so that you do not slip and get hurt and to make it easier to get out. It is advisable that it has a ladder or a shallow area for easy exit from the water.
7. Two hours before diving, you must eat a hearty meal, that is, provide the body with “fuel”. When you find yourself in cold water, the body will begin to frantically spend all its resources on heating and not a single kilocalorie will be superfluous.
8. Enter the water warmed up and gradually. This makes it easier to bear the cold. To warm up before the procedure, you can run, squat, or do active movements for a few minutes. Enter the water slowly, at an average pace: if slowly, you may have time to freeze, but if quickly, you may become frightened, severe stress, pulse and blood pressure rise sharply, and take your breath away. Going up to your knees, rinse your face with water and wash your face. This will also prepare the body for complete immersion.
9. Do not drink alcohol before swimming, otherwise the freezing after going out will be much stronger. In addition, there is a high risk of rupture of blood vessels. After diving, you can warm up with a small amount of alcohol (vodka is best), but regular tea is also perfect for warming up.
10. Don’t sit in an icy pool until you get goosebumps. Chills are a sign that the body has begun to become hypothermic. As soon as you feel this, immediately jump out of the water. On average, it is enough to stay in the water for 10 seconds - you will have time to plunge three times, as required by tradition.
Doctors categorically prohibit children from swimming in the cold. Young children, especially infants, have an imperfect thermoregulation system. Frostbite can happen very quickly and parents simply do not have time to notice it. Several years ago in Moldova, a one-and-a-half-year-old boy died during a baptism ceremony.
On the day of the Epiphany holiday, specialists from diving and rescue posts will be on duty in the organized swimming areas of Yalta, Alushta and Evpatoria.
Beliefs at Epiphany
If someone is baptized on this day - be the happiest person for the rest of his life
Epiphany hand-shaking (wedding agreement) - to a happy family
If in the evening at Epiphany a girl meets a young guy - good omen if the old man is a bad omen
On this day you cannot remember the dead.
Signs for Epiphany
If there is a blizzard, snow or drifting snow on this day, there will be a harvest
If the snow bends the branches on the trees, there will be a good harvest, bees will swarm well
There is little snow on the tree branches - don’t look for mushrooms or berries in summer
If on Epiphany evening the stars sparkle and burn, then the old people predicted the fertility of the lambs, then they said: “The bright stars will give birth to the bright white ones.”
Epiphany under the full month means a big flood.
Dogs bark a lot - there will be a lot of game and animals
If it snows in the morning, early buckwheat will be born; at noon it will snow - the average birth will occur; it will be late in the evening.
If the stars shine strongly that night, the bread will be good.
The sky is clear on Epiphany night - there will be a lot of peas.
Bright Epiphany stars mean a good offspring of sheep and will give birth to bright white sheep.
If you can't see the stars, there will be no mushrooms.
If there is a snowstorm on this day, the same will happen on Maslenitsa; if they do strong winds from the south - summer is thunderous. If there is a snowstorm, then take revenge on it after 3 months.
In general, I have never swam in open water at Epiphany in my life. Although I really wanted to do this specifically for Epiphany (I believe somewhere subconsciously that this is very good for a person). But I don’t like cold water; the moment of entering it and adapting to the temperature always stresses me out. And, although I swim very well for an ordinary person - not an athlete, I usually don’t swim that much.
But this year I decided that, after all, since we were at sea for Epiphany, and the weather, frankly speaking, was warm, there was no point in being a coward and not going for a swim. Moreover, when we walked along the shore and tested the water with our hands, although it seemed cool, it was not at all icy. And for many days, here and there, people were often seen swimming in the sea and sunbathing, like in summer, in swimsuits and swimming trunks.
In short, I decided and did it. I finally took a swim! When we arrived at the beach, I didn’t think about it for a long time, so as not to change my mind. The weather was sunny, warm (I think 22-23 degrees), although the breeze was blowing, it was weak and also warm. In general, I undressed, went into the water, dived, swam and came out. My husband didn’t even expect such agility from me (usually it takes me two hours to get ready to go into the water, even in the heat), I barely managed to get my camera out.
 |
|
| Record speed of preparation for swimming | And here is the swimming itself |
The impressions from swimming were the best. The water turned out to be cool, but absolutely not icy. 18-19 degrees. It was not painful for me to enter. I swam not for long at all, but fully, i.e. she lowered her face and breathed into the water; I didn’t swim far either. Looking at me, my husband decided to swim (although, in my opinion, he had no intention of doing so). But for him this is not a feat, because... He swam here and in an ice hole in Finland several times last year.
But the most surprising thing for me was not the bathing itself, but the feeling after it. To be honest, I thought that I would run out of the sea and, trembling all over, quickly dry myself, change clothes, and begin to warm up in the sweater that I had taken with me. No, nothing like that. I calmly went out and stood sunbathing and drying in the sun for probably 40 minutes, or even a whole hour. There were no bouts of shivering from the cold. It's the same with my husband. My daughter also really wanted to take a swim. But she was refused. Probably more due to inertia of consciousness and a little laziness, although it is a little scary to bathe a child in January. For the first time we decided to wet our feet. But I think next year we will definitely give our daughter a bath. Moreover, in mid-November we swam wonderfully, and the water was not that much warmer than it is now. And, by the way, on our beach the water is apparently even colder than everywhere else in Alanya, because... The Dimchay mountain river flows into the sea very close by, and this gives its own temperature effect. In any case, in the fall the difference in water temperature on different beaches was felt.
 |
 |
| My daughter and I run to soak our feet in the wonderful sea water for Epiphany | We wet our feet in sea water for Epiphany |
In a word, Epiphany bathing went perfectly. No one got cold or started sneezing. And we even sunbathed afterwards. The day went well, and the mood was cheerful and cheerful.
Virgo
