Epiphany (Jordan, Epiphany)
19 January.
Jordan (or Ordan, Epiphany, Epiphany) - the third and final great celebration of Christmas and New Year series, which the Orthodox and Greek Catholic Christians celebrate on 19 January. With him is associated baptism in the Jordan Christ.
When Jesus reached 30 years of age, he was baptized in the Jordan River. Went ashore, and heard a voice from heaven, God the Father, who called Jesus his Son. And on it the Holy Spirit descended like a dove. Hence another name - the Epiphany. Orthodox and Greek Catholics believe that this festival shows the mystery of the Holy Trinity. After that day, according to Christian teaching, is God in three manifestations: God the Father - in the voice of the Son of God - in the flesh, the Holy Spirit - like a dove.
Belief
It is believed that in baptism, from midnight to midnight, the water becomes medicinal properties and stores them for a year, healing physical and spiritual illness.
On this day in all towns and villages where there are churches, holy water. Concerning the people consecrated to the baptism of water, consider a kind of salvation from many ailments. Its yield drink seriously ill, she consecrated temples, homes and animals. It remains a mystery that Baptismal water is not spoiled, is odorless and can be stored for a year. Some people tend to believe that this contributes to the silver cross which the priest plunges into the water during the rite.
Traditions
On the eve of Epiphany celebrated "Hungry kutya, or the second Christmas Eve. All that day the faithful have nothing to eat - postuyut. Sit down to supper, when it shines the evening star. At dinner served Lenten dishes - grilled fish, dumplings with cabbage, buckwheat pancakes with oil kutyu and stewed fruit. After dinner they all put their spoons into a bowl, and top - a loaf of bread, "that the bread was born.
The next day morning go to church holy water. This meal starts with holy water, it is each owner sprinkles all family members, house, other buildings, wells.
By long tradition, the ceremony of blessing of water held in the open air, on the banks of rivers, streams and lakes. Even before Jordan, ice cut down a large cross ("Jordan") and put it next to an ice-hole. Sculpture of the cross installed vertically and are often poured beet kvass why it acquired a red color. It was also decorated cross periwinkle and branches of pine.
In Soviet times a day of blessing water in villages and towns were organized crowded religious procession to a river. In addition to the icons and church members horohv these processes carried lighted "troika" - three candles, herbs intertwined Vasilkov, chebryku and other flowers. The act of blessing water in many places accompanied by the firing of guns empty cartridges. Simultaneously released doves into the sky, pre-decorating them with ribbons of colored paper.
After the baptism begins a new wedding season, which lasted until Lent. It was a time of fun and entertainment. Young people gathered on the evenings, the family arranged pockets and visited each other's homes in order to bring the spring.
Signs
* On a clear day Vodohreschi - the bread will be clean, and if dull - is full of bread "smut";
* Goes Snow Grains - to harvest.
By Epiphany women tried not to rinse clothes in water, because "devils sitting there and can hold on." Instead, the girls put in consecrated water viburnum or coral and washed to cheeks were blush. In general, the baptism of the holidays for women walked on water, it had to do only men.
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