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Believers will look forward to Baptism in 2020, as this is a great Orthodox holiday, which is equivalent to Easter and Christmas. It is believed that on this day the water acquires healing properties, so many people go swimming in the ice hole. This holiday has many other traditions. Christianity and paganism were closely intertwined in it. Many rites and customs are handed down from generation to generation, preserved for centuries.
Baptism is celebrated on January 19 (according to the old calendar, January 6), in 2020 the date will not change, since it is fixed and does not depend on the phase of the moon or other holidays.
History of occurrence
The events that became the reason for the celebration took place during the life of Jesus Christ. But it all started with the fact that John the Baptist came to the Jordan River to conduct baptism by bathing. He preached to people that by bathing in the Holy River and repenting, one can cleanse one's soul from sins. The Prophet possessed great power of persuasion, so people believed him and went to the ceremony of baptism.
When Jesus Christ turned 30 years old, he also came to John the Baptist. After the rite of baptism of Jesus, the heavens parted, and the Holy Spirit descended to the earth in the form of a dove, and those present nearby heard the voice of God the Father, saying that Jesus Christ is His son, through whom good will proceeds. In connection with these events described in the Gospel, Baptism is also called the Epiphany.
Celebrate the holiday began during the life of the apostles. In those days, it coincided with Christmas, and in the IV century it was moved to a separate day. Now Baptism is celebrated in all countries that profess Christianity, although the traditions of celebration differ among different nations.
Tradition of celebration
Believers believe that on the day of the Epiphany, each person can cleanse his soul and body from sins. For this to happen, you need to perform a few simple steps:
- observe one day of fasting the day before;
- attend a service in a church or temple;
- drink holy water;
- confess and repent of their sins, ask for forgiveness from God.
On this day the heavens “open”, therefore the Lord hears all sincere prayers.
Consecration of water
An integral part of Baptism is water. Priests sanctify her twice - first on January 18 during the evening service, and then on the holiday itself. Prayers that are read above the water give it special properties. It can help in the fight against diseases, gives strength and cleanses the soul from sins, and also serves as a charm for the home. For this reason, all people who come to church for service must bring home a container of water. They drink it, and they necessarily give it to young children and sick people, use it for washing. Mistresses often spray corners in the house to expel evil spirits from the house and provide him with reliable protection. Sacred water favorably affects the energy and physical processes in the body. Even scientists confirm that its molecular composition is changing, although they cannot explain this phenomenon from a scientific point of view. Epiphany water retains its properties throughout the year, while it does not deteriorate. It can be stored at room temperature without any problems.
At the Epiphany, water is surely holy in ponds. It is believed that even from the tap water has unique properties on this day, since it comes from natural bodies of water and rivers.
Swimming in the hole
Since traditionally at Epiphany, many people bathe in ice holes, in 2020 you can feel the miraculous power of water. This ritual appeared long ago, although according to the Gospel, it is not necessary to do it, since the purification of the soul occurs through repentance and prayer. It is believed that bathing in natural springs not only helps to cleanse oneself from sins, but also get reliable protection for the whole year.
At the end of worship in the temple in the ponds make ice holes in the form of a cross. A dove is set nearby, as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The priest reads prayers, and then bathing begins. You should go into the water through the chest, and then you need to plunge three times with your head. Before each dive, you must cross yourself. Women are allowed to enter the water only in a shirt (to prevent other people's problems) and always with a head covered in a scarf. After leaving the pond, you need to wrap yourself in a warm towel and drink hot tea, preferably with honey. But taking alcohol is strictly prohibited.
What is prepared for the festive table
Before the holiday, believers fast. For dinner, it is obligatory served “sochi”. So called cereal porridge, which is allowed to add honey, raisins, nuts. It is allowed to put other lean dishes on the table - dumplings, stewed cabbage, pickled mushrooms. If the family is not fed up with “sympathy”, you cannot throw it away, you need to feed animals or birds. With the preparation of cereal on the Epiphany Christmas Eve, many signs are associated. If kutia turned out to be tasty, then the year will be favorable, and if burnt, trouble should be expected.
Knowing when the Baptism in 2020, the housewives will certainly prepare different goodies for the table. On the holiday it is allowed to eat meat dishes, pastries and other goodies. The family can only sit at the table after serving in the church. First, all household members drink sacred water and eat cookies in the form of a cross, and then proceed to the main meal.
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