Signs and customs of Epiphany Christmas Eve

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

January 18, the day before the feast of Epiphany, is called Epiphany Christmas Eve. There is a belief that if you make a wish on Epiphany Eve, it will certainly come true.

In all Orthodox churches, after the services, according to tradition, the rite of the Great Consecration of Water is held. It is believed that Epiphany water has miraculous properties: it heals ailments, restores youth. Consecrated water does not deteriorate under the influence of time. Believers have a custom: every year, having collected baptismal water, they sprinkle it on their homes, asking God to bless their home.

The tradition of swimming in ice holes on this day is not directly related to the very holiday of Epiphany. Bathing is optional for believers. According to the official statements of the church, this tradition is rather a magical rite. But many believe that if you bathe in icy water today, your sins will be washed away.

True, this year residents of the middle zone in Russia are unlikely to be able to find an ice-hole: there is no ice.

Today the strict fast ends - just like on Christmas, with the first star. Today it is not allowed to eat meat, eggs, fish, dairy products.

Many folk signs and beliefs are associated with Epiphany Christmas Eve. Today is the last day of Christmas divination. Although the church does not welcome this tradition, the people believe that Christmastide is the best time for fortune-telling.

In the villages before Epiphany, girls collected snow from haystacks to whiten their skin and become more beautiful. They believed that having washed her face with this snow, a woman becomes very attractive. The snow collected on the Epiphany evening was considered healing, various ailments were treated with it. Pure snow was also mixed into the feed for cows and horses so that they did not freeze. According to legend, Epiphany snow could keep water even in arid wells for the whole year.

There were also signs for Epiphany: "If there is a blizzard, snow or drift on this day, there will be a harvest", "If the snow bends branches on the trees, there will be a good harvest, the bees will swarm well", "There is little snow on the branches of the trees - no mushrooms in summer, do not look for berries ", hence the popular gratitude" Thank you, frost, that caused the snow. " If on Epiphany the stars shine and burn, then the old people predicted fertility.