What is the best time to drink holy water? Is it possible to dilute holy water? How to drink holy water for baptism

Our article will introduce you to interesting information about holy water. You will learn how to consecrate, store and receive it correctly.

Our ancestors considered holy water to be a gift from God and treated it very carefully. After it was consecrated, they collected it in clean dishes and stored it in red coal.

With its help, they treated various diseases, restored their state of mind and protected their homes and households from the evil eye. Modern man less superstitious, but still continues to believe in the miraculous properties of holy water.

Why is water called holy?

Blessing of water in the temple

Water becomes holy the moment the Spirit of God enters it. Consequently, it turns into a healing one when the priest begins to read a certain prayer over it or on the feast of the Epiphany.

It is believed that on this day the water in all rivers, lakes and wells changes its usual structure, becoming life-giving. Most religious people believe that it does not lose its properties for quite some time. long time, so at Epiphany they try to stock up on it for the whole next year.

The great power of holy water, healing and beneficial properties: scientific explanation

Modern scientists are also interested in the phenomenon Epiphany water, so they decided to explore it as thoroughly as possible. Studies have shown that its properties are very different from the liquid taken before the holiday. From the night of Christmas Eve, the amount of positive energy in it sharply increases, it becomes cleaner and, most importantly, substances useful to the human body appear in it.

According to scientists, this is why holy water has a great positive effect on the body. By consuming it, people simply enrich their body with natural minerals, which help remove waste and toxins from the body. This leads to the fact that a person begins to feel stronger and more cheerful.

Why doesn't holy water spoil?

Holy water

We all know that healing properties appear near the water after the consecration ritual. The priests charge it with positive energy, thereby preventing its particles from being destroyed. In addition, church water is disinfected with silver ions and all this together allows it to remain clean and tasty for quite a long period of time.

How to collect holy water in a church?

In principle, you can collect holy water in any temple and on any day. To do this, it is not necessary to wait for the Baptism of the Lord. You can quite easily go to church at a time convenient for you and ask the priest to bless it for you. After he reads a prayer over it, you can put it in a clean glass container and take it home.

Believe me, such water will have the same qualities as Epiphany water. If you take it with strong faith in God, it can also heal your body and soul.

How to make holy water at home?

Recommendations for blessing water at home

If you don’t have the opportunity to go to church to get water, then try to bless it at home. To do this, first sincerely pray to God and ask for his blessings. Then take a clean container and go collect water. If possible, try to find a well or spring. Having brought it home, pray to God again and only then begin the process of sanctification.

To do this, place a container of water in front of you, bend slightly over it and read a special prayer. After this, cross the jar and cover it with a lid. If you do it all with faith in God's blessing, then the water will absorb positive energy and become holy.

Is it possible to drink holy water and how to drink it correctly at home?

You can and should drink holy water. This healing liquid will help you improve your internal state, relieve you of diseases and even rejuvenate your body. And although it is believed that you can only drink it in the morning and on an empty stomach, there are times when you have to resort to its help at other times of the day.

Therefore, if you need to get rid of, for example, an unexpected headache, then take it in the evening. The only thing you should always remember is that it is advisable to drink the healing liquid on an empty stomach and always take three sips.

Is it possible to drink holy water just like that every day?

You can drink holy water only when problems arise

Holy water is sacred, and therefore should be treated accordingly. And this means that replacing it with ordinary drinking water, absolutely not. Priests consider this a very great sin and warn their parishioners against such actions. Therefore, it will be better if you use it only in case of urgent need.

For example, if you need to alleviate the course of an illness or protect yourself from negative energy. In all other cases, use ordinary tap water or natural source.

Can pregnant women drink holy water?

Pregnant girls and women can drink holy water quite easily. Be that as it may, it certainly won’t do them any harm. Of course, like everyone else, there is no need to quench her thirst, but to restore moral and physical strength, drinking is acceptable. If the pregnancy is very difficult, the expectant mother can help her body cope with the load in this way.

In order for the pregnancy to continue, one drink of holy water per day will be enough. You will need to drink it during periods when there is a threat to the mother’s life or her baby.

Is it possible to give holy water to a newborn and unbaptized baby?

Water for a newborn

A small child needs God's protection even more than an adult. Therefore, if you see that the baby has become restless and sleeps poorly, then give him some holy water. She will cleanse his body and soul of the negativity that adults have awarded him and return it to the baby peace of mind. As for unbaptized children, they simply need holy water.

An unbaptized child does not have a Guardian Angel, which means that you must do everything to prevent bad energy from affecting him. Therefore, until you baptize your baby, be sure to give him a little holy water every day. It will act as a barrier between the baby’s soul and the negativity of the world around him.

Can Muslims drink holy water?

In principle, church rules do not prohibit Muslims from drinking holy water. It is believed that if a person is ready to accept God’s gift into his body, then it will not cause him any harm.

Therefore, if you feel an irresistible desire to drink a healing liquid, then be sure to do it. Just drink it with an open heart and pure thoughts.

Is it possible to drink holy water on an empty stomach?

You can drink holy water after meals

Some people argue that drinking healing water only possible on an empty stomach. But if you ask any clergyman about this, you will find out that there are no strict rules or restrictions on taking this liquid.

They believe that you can drink holy water both before and after meals, the main thing is that at the moment of drinking the person’s heart is open to God. Therefore, if you need to drink it after you have eaten, then feel free to do it and do not be afraid that by such actions you will commit a great sin.

Is it possible to drink holy water with charmed water?

If the conspiracy was made by Christian prayer, then you can quite safely combine both liquids in one dose. But still in this case there is one nuance. If you have been chanting water because of drunkenness, alcoholism, or drug addiction, then it will be better if you do not combine charmed and holy water together.

Since the first one will still carry negativity, it will destroy the healing effect of holy water. In view of this, it will be better if you give dependent person first charmed and only then, to consolidate the result, the holy liquid.

Is it possible to drink holy water before communion?

Sacrament of Communion

Communion is a great sacrament, which is carried out according to certain church rules. And if this is not the first time you have done this, then you probably know that drinking and eating before this ritual is strictly prohibited. Exceptions are made only for children and sick people. All others must refrain from drinking water until the end of the service.

If you understand that you cannot do without drinking, then be sure to talk about it with your priest and ask him for a blessing. If he understands that this moment If you simply need life-giving moisture, then it is likely that he will allow you to take a couple of sips of water even before communion.

Is it possible to baptize with holy water?

Baptism is carried out exclusively with holy water. In order for her to become such, the priest first performs a church ceremony over her and only after that the baby is dipped into it. It is believed that if ordinary water is filled into the font, it will not be able to bring little man with God and, most importantly, will not be able to give him proper protection.

Is it possible to consecrate a cross with holy water?

Consecration of the pectoral cross

Of course, it would be better for the cross to be baptized by a priest in the temple. But if for some reason you can’t get into it, and God's protection you need it immediately, then you can consecrate it yourself. To perform this ritual you will only need holy water and Orthodox prayer.

So, stand in front of the images, pray to God, and then sprinkle the cross with holy water in a cross pattern. After this, pray again in front of the icons, bow low to them and you can put on protection.

Is it possible to take tablets with holy water?

People who believe in the power of this life-giving liquid claim that it enhances the effect very well medicines. For this reason it is enough a large number of people try to speed up their recovery in this way and begin to wash down the tablets with holy water.

What do priests think about this? They do not prohibit it, but they also do not advise doing so. Of course, this is not considered a great sin, but still, each person must decide for himself whether it is possible to combine a shrine and the creation of human hands.

Is it possible to dilute holy water with plain water?

Holy water can only be diluted with well or spring water.

You can dilute holy water with regular water, the main thing is to do it correctly. If you notice that you have very little life-giving liquid left, then take water from a natural source, read a prayer (it could even be the Lord’s Prayer), and then combine both liquids together. It is believed that when mixed, ordinary water absorbs the properties of the holy water and also becomes healing.

Can holy water be added to tea or food?

As mentioned a little above, holy water is a church shrine, so it should only be used to get rid of physical or spiritual problems. In view of this, there is no need to make it just another component of some dish. Some priests, in general, consider this not only disrespect for Christian traditions, but a great sin requiring repentance.

Is it possible to boil holy water and cook food with it?

Holy water is not suitable for cooking

There is no need to boil holy water, as during consecration it loses all negative energy and completely changes its structure. This allows her to keep her useful qualities and not deteriorate over the years. Therefore, no matter how long it sits with you, there is no need to boil it. This healing liquid cannot be used for cooking either.

Ordinary water is suitable for these purposes, but not as a sacred thing. Since it is needed exclusively for protection and health, it can only be used for these purposes.

Is it possible to wash your face with holy water and add it to the bath?

You cannot use holy water for everyday hygiene procedures. Usually, after washing or taking a bath, we pour the water down the drain, but this should not be done with church liquid. Such treatment of a shrine is considered quite a big sin, so it would be better if you still use it for ablution. plain water. The only thing you can afford in this case is to slightly moisten your hands with the healing liquid and thus wash your face.

Holy water against the evil eye and damage: application

Prayer from the evil eye and damage

If you have a suspicion that someone has jinxed you, then pour it into a glass a small amount of holy water, read a prayer over it and then wash it and drink the rest. This procedure must be repeated three times.

And in order to prevent damage to you again, clean the house church candles, and then sprinkle all the walls, windows and doors with life-giving liquid. Be sure to accompany all your actions with church prayers.

How to properly wash a child with holy water against the evil eye?

Pour a little water into a small bowl, cross yourself and the baby, and then begin to rub the baby’s face in a cross pattern with the church shrine. Do everything carefully so as not to scare the baby.

Repeat this manipulation two more times, not forgetting to pray to God all the time. Try to get the baby to fall asleep after the ceremony. Yes, and under no circumstances wipe the water with a towel. Carry the baby in your arms and wait until it dries on its own.

Can I drink holy water during my period?

Drinking water during menstruation

As practice shows, priests do not have a clear answer to this question. Some believe that drinking holy water during menstruation is strictly prohibited for a woman, while others are quite loyal to this. Those who are opponents refer to a chapter in the Bible, which states that during menstruation a woman cannot enter the church, pray or touch icons as during this period she is considered unclean.

Opponents of this opinion point out that this ban arose due to the fact that in ancient times women did not use sanitary pads, so they very often got dirty. menstrual blood benches and floors in the temple. For this reason, they believe that a woman can quite easily drink holy water during her period and are not afraid that by her actions she will desecrate a church shrine.

Where should I put the old holy water from last year, where can I pour it?

If it happens that you did not use the water that you collected at the previous Epiphany, then under no circumstances pour it out onto the street. If you do this, you will be committing a pretty serious sin. Since water is sacred, it is unacceptable for people or animals to trample on it.

In view of this, it will be better if you use it for watering indoor plants or pour it into a body of running water. This way she will have the opportunity to cleanse herself and start helping people again.

Is it possible to pour holy water into a sink?

It is forbidden to pour sacred things into the sink

Pouring life-giving liquid into the sink is strictly prohibited. By such actions you will desecrate the shrine and earn yourself a terrible sin. The priests say that it can only be poured into clean places, such as rivers or lakes. If you don’t have the opportunity to get to them, then pour it somewhere where no person can step. Water the lilac bush or any garden tree.

Why did sediment appear in holy water?

If you notice a colorless sediment in the water, then it is likely that you simply stored it incorrectly or collected it in an unsterile container. But such water can be drunk and used for healing and protection. If the sediment really worries you, then just try to use the liquid as quickly as possible, sprinkle it around the house or just drink it.

Why has holy water spoiled, gone rotten, turned green?

Green Shrine

But if the liquid collected for Epiphany turns green or rotten, then this is a reason to be wary. As a rule, this happens for several reasons. Regular scandals in the house or damage caused by an evil person can have such an effect on the shrine.

All these reasons destroy the life-giving properties of water, turning it into an ordinary liquid. Therefore, if this happens in your home, then immediately invite a priest and ask him to consecrate your home.

Is it possible to place holy water on the floor and why not?

Unfortunately, for God we are all sinners, therefore putting water on the floor defiled by human feet is strictly prohibited. If for some reason you do not have enough time to rearrange it with the icons, then it is better to find a place for it in the kitchen cabinet or, at worst, on the table.

But remember that she cannot stand in such places for a long time, so as soon as you are free, immediately move her to the so-called corner of faith.

Is it possible to give away holy water from home, give it to other people, or share holy water with friends?

Holy water should only be given to those closest to you.

In principle, there is nothing wrong with pouring holy water for your mother, sister or best friend. But whether it is possible to give it to strangers is a completely different question. Of course, if you are absolutely sure that they need it for a good cause, then you can give.

If you suspect that it is being used, for example, for a love spell, then do not give it under any circumstances. For God, you will be an accomplice to a bad deed, which means you will earn yourself sin.

Is it possible for animals to give holy water to a dog or cat?

If you are familiar with the Holy Scriptures, then you probably know all the covenants of the Almighty. And he said that under no circumstances should animals be allowed to touch sacred objects. Therefore, if you are a true Christian and sacredly honor all the commandments of God, then under no circumstances allow your cat or dog to drink holy water.

Is it possible to wash floors with holy water and water flowers?

You can't wash the floor with holy water

You cannot wash the floors with holy water because after cleaning you will walk on them and thereby desecrate the church shrine. You can only sprinkle it on the floor covering, and then only if the atmosphere in the house is not entirely normal.

But you can quite easily water the flowers with this life-giving liquid. Moreover, this is how you can use last year’s water that you didn’t have time to drink.

Video: HOLY WATER (film “The Great Mystery of Water”)

Holy water and water from holy springs

This is a high essence in which two spirits are mysteriously united: the spirit of life (inherent in every water) and the Holy Spirit, who descends into ordinary water thanks to a special sacrament called the blessing of water. Holy water and water from holy springs are the strongest medicine, but this medicine is more likely for the soul than for the body.

Holy water- the strongest medicine. It can help with any ailment, so it is strongly recommended to take holy water when you are ill.

And this is again a scientifically proven fact. Experiments conducted by scientists have shown that different samples of Holy water have the same electromagnetic radiation, and this radiation is very differentfrom the radiation of plain and silver water.

It turned out that the line on the screens of devices that record the radiation of Holy Water from electromagnets coincides with the line that the device shows when diagnosing a completely healthy organ. And Holy Water transmits its healthy electromagnetic radiation to diseased organs, thus correcting the “sick” frequencies. This means that Holy water can really cure even very serious illnesses. Moreover, holy water heals everyone: believers and non-believers, baptized and unbaptized people. But Holy Water must be treated specially, not as a medicine from a pharmacy, but as a shrine, otherwise it will lose its unique properties. But with proper use and sincere faith, Holy Water will help heal almost any disease.

How to handle Holy water and how to store Holy water at home

Holy water should be stored in a specially designated place. If you have icons hanging in the “red” corner at home, it is better to store Holy Water there, behind the icons or next to them. You can place a vessel with Holy water in a special cabinet (box) where candles, incense, and church oil are stored. If it is not possible to place Holy Water near the icons or in a separate cabinet, clear a shelf for it in the closet or on a rack, and place the icon next to it.

There is no point in keeping Holy Water in the refrigerator. You should not store it near food.

How to drink Holy water correctly

You need to drink Holy water on an empty stomach after prayer. It is better to snack on holy water with church consecrated prosphora.

Prayer for accepting prosphora and Holy water

G 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 boundless mercy through the prayers of the Most Pure One Your Mother and all Your saints. Amen.

During an exacerbation of the disease, Holy water should be taken every hour while reading this prayer. In addition, in the morning and evening after taking Holy water, you need to read a prayer Mother of God"Healer":

Prayer to the Mother of God “Healer”

P Receive, O All-Blessed and All-Powerful Lady Theotokos the Virgin, these prayers, offered to You with tears from us, Your unworthy servants, to Your celibate image, sending up the singing with tenderness, as if You yourself are here and listening to our prayer. For every request you fulfill, you alleviate sorrows, you grant health to the weak, you heal the weakened and sick, you drive away demons from demons, you deliver the offended from troubles, you cleanse lepers and have mercy on little children: also, to the Lady Lady Theotokos, you free from bonds and prisons and all kinds of You heal manifold passions: for all things are possible through Your intercession to Your Son, Christ our God. O All-Singing Mother, Most Holy Theotokos! Do not cease to pray for us, Your unworthy servants, who glorify You and honor You, and who worship Your Most Pure Image with tenderness, and who have irrevocable hope and undoubted faith in You, the Ever-Virgin, Most Glorious and Immaculate, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Prayers that are read when sprinkling with holy water

You can not only drink holy water, but also sprinkle your house, and any thing in general. At the same time, you need to read a prayer for the sanctification of every thing.

Prayer for the sanctification of every thing

WITH Creator and Creator of the human race, giver of spiritual grace, Giver of eternal salvation, You, Lord, Himself, ate Your Holy Spirit with the highest blessing on this thing, as if armed with the power of heavenly intercession, those who want to use it will be helpful for bodily salvation and intercession and help, in Christ Jesus Our Lord. Amen.

Then they sprinkle the corner of the house (thing) with Holy water three times. You can sprinkle yourself with holy water. At the same time, the Troparion to the Cross of the Lord is read.

Troparion to the Cross of the Lord

WITH feed, O Lord, Thy people, and bless Thy inheritance, granting victories against resistance, and preserving Thy residence through Thy Cross.

If you are sprinkled with Epiphany (Epiphany) water, read the Troparion for the Feast of Epiphany.

Troparion for the Feast of Epiphany

IN In the Jordan I am baptized to You, O Lord, Trinitarian adoration appeared, for the voice of your Parents testified to You, naming Your beloved Son, and the Spirit in the form of a dove announced your words of affirmation. Appear, O Christ God, and enlighten the world, glory to Thee.

Blessing of water in secular conditions

Very rarely, but there are situations when there is no place to get Holy water, but it is extremely needed. On the road, in remote places, in disaster conditions. In such circumstances, you can bless water without a priest, using the so-called secular rite. Only this should really be exceptional case: Otherwise it will be an insult to the Holy Spirit. For example, water is blessed without a priest in war, when a mortally wounded warrior needs to be baptized (if he is not baptized) or given communion - taking Holy water is considered a “small communion.” Water is blessed by secular rites only when Holy water cannot be obtained in any other way.

To bless water, you need clean water (the cleanest that can be found in the given circumstances) and a clean container - a basin or bowl. As a last resort, a wide-necked jug will do. If possible, you need to light three candles and place them along the edges of the vessel with the blessed water.

Before consecration, it is necessary to read the opening prayer, “To the Heavenly King,” “The Most Holy Trinity,” and “Our Father” (see above). After each prayer, cross the water three times. Then a prayer is read for the blessing of water:

Prayer for the blessing of water

B Oh, great one, work miracles, they are countless! Come to Your praying servant, Master: eat Your Holy Spirit and sanctify this water, and give it the grace of deliverance and the blessing of the Jordan: create a source of incorruptibility, a gift of sanctification, resolution of sin, healing of ailments, destruction by demons, unapproachable to opposing forces, filled with angelic strength : as if everyone who draws from it and receives from it has it for the cleansing of soul and body, for healing harm, for the change of passions, for the remission of sins, for driving away all evil, for the sprinkling and consecration of houses and for all similar benefits. And if there is anything in the house, or in the place of those living faithfully, this water will sprinkle this water, so that all uncleanness will be washed away, and it will deliver from all harm; below there, let a destructive spirit dwell, below, harmful air, and let all dreams and slander of the hiding enemy, and even something There is a hedgehog, either it envies the health of the living, or peace, by sprinkling this water, let it be reflected. May the most honorable and magnificent be blessed and glorified your name, Father and Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.

It is very important: in secular conditions (without a priest), water is sanctified only if there is another believer next to the person sanctifying it. You cannot bless water alone! The sacrament of the blessing of water is performed in a church - that is, in a meeting of believers. And the church arises wherever there are two or three believers. “Where two or three are gathered in My Name, there am I in the midst of them.”

January 19 is one of the days on which everyone Orthodox churches crowded to capacity, because it is on this day that the Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ and ancient tradition The consecration of water is performed, which is called the Great Blessing of Water. Unfortunately, this particular church holiday is accompanied by a trail of various folk superstitions that have no basis in church tradition. Together with the cleric of the Saratov Church of the Supreme Apostles Peter and Paul, priest Vasily KUTSENKO, we will try to consider the most common superstitions in order to understand how to treat holy water and what to do with it according to church tradition.

1. There is “Epiphany” water (blessed on January 18, on Epiphany Eve) and “Epiphany” water (blessed on January 19, the very day of the Epiphany).

The Great Blessing of Water is performed twice, this is true. The first blessing of water is on the eve of the Epiphany holiday, January 18, on Epiphany Eve, and the second on the day of the holiday itself. But there is no difference in this water, because on both January 18 and 19 the same rite (that is, sequence of prayers) of water blessing is used. Water consecrated according to this rite is called the Great Agiasma, that is, the Great Shrine. There is no separate “Epiphany” and separate “Epiphany” water, but only the Great Hagiasma. In liturgical books Orthodox Church The feast of the Epiphany is called " Holy Epiphany"Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ." The word "Epiphany" is a short expression of the events that occurred during the Baptism of Jesus Christ by John the Baptist on the Jordan River. The Gospel of Matthew describes it this way: “Having been baptized, Jesus immediately came out of the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and descending on Him. And behold, a voice from heaven said: This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17). That is, Baptism was a manifestation of Divine glory and confirmation of the Sonship of God of the Lord Jesus Christ.

It is difficult to accurately answer the question of what the practice of two water blessings is connected with. It is known that already in the 6th century in Palestine there was a tradition of consecrating water in the Jordan River on the eve of and on the day of the feast of Epiphany. IN Ancient Rus' There was a custom, which is still preserved in some places, to perform the Great Blessing of Water on January 18 in the temple, and on January 19 - outside the temple, organizing a procession to a specially prepared ice hole - Jordan.

2. On the day of the Baptism of the Lord, having plunged into an ice font or doused yourself with water, you can consider yourself baptized and wear a cross.

Indeed, there is a tradition of swimming in an ice hole on the feast of the Epiphany. But this is precisely bathing, and not the Sacrament of Baptism. Although, if you get acquainted with the history of the feast of the Epiphany, you can see that this particular day used to be the day on which adults were baptized. A person who believed in the Lord Jesus Christ for a certain time prepared to accept the Sacrament of Baptism, which was a new birth for life with God and entry into the Church. Such people were called catechumens. They studied the Holy Scriptures and the foundations of the Christian faith and prepared to repent of all their sins before receiving Baptism, because the adoption of Christianity must begin with repentance, that is, with a change in life. Therefore, Baptism without repentance was simply impossible. And so, on the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord, the bishop performed the Sacrament of Baptism for adults. Such baptisms were also performed on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, on Holy Saturday (the Saturday before Easter), on Easter itself and on the Feast of Pentecost, which is also called the day of the Holy Trinity or the Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. The Great Blessing of Water on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord is a reminder for modern Christians of ancient baptism catechumens. But we must remember that the reception of the Sacrament of Baptism was preceded by preparation, repentance of sins and confirmation of the sincerity of one’s intentions before the church community. Therefore, it cannot be said that plunging into the Jordan hole and receiving Baptism are the same thing.

3. Swimming in Epiphany night in the ice hole, you can get rid of all diseases, sins and the evil eye. If you get sick during the year, you need to drink Epiphany water for healing.

It is necessary to place emphasis: separately - illness and sin, separately - the evil eye. The evil eye, damage and the like are superstitions. And you need to get rid of only one thing - belief in superstitions. Christians believe in God, and not in evil eyes, damage, love spells, etc. When we turn to God in prayer, we ask that God protect us from evil. For example, in the prayer “Our Father” there are the words: “Deliver us from the evil one,” that is, from the devil. Devil - fallen Angel who opposes God and wants to turn people away from God, that’s why we ask God to deliver us from the devil and all the evil that he is trying to sow in people. If a person sincerely believes in God, in the fact that the Lord God protects believers from all evil, then at the same time it is impossible to believe in damage, the evil eye, and the like.

By accepting Epiphany water (like any other shrine, for example, prosphora or blessed oil), a person can pray to the Lord that this shrine would serve him as a means of healing from illnesses. In the rite of the Great Blessing of Water there are the following words: “Let us pray to the Lord for the gift of this water of consecration, for the removal of sins, for the healing of soul and body, and for every good benefit” (Russian translation: “So that this water of consecration may become a gift, deliverance from sins, for healing of soul and body and fit for every useful work, let us pray to the Lord." We ask that through the use of agiasma a person receives the grace of God, cleansing sins and healing mental and physical infirmities. But all this is not some kind of mechanical or automatic action: I drank water - and everything immediately became fine. What is needed here is faith and hope in God.

4. Water for Epiphany becomes holy everywhere, and there is no need to go to church to get it, you can get it from the tap at home.

If we understand some words (for example, “today - that is, today, now - the waters are sanctified by nature ...") from the rite of the Great Blessing of Waters in a broad sense, then we can say that the consecration of all waters actually occurs. But again, it is important to understand that this does not happen on its own, but through the prayers of the Church. The Church asks that the Lord God sanctify the waters, give His grace-filled power to cleanse and sanctify the nature of the water. Unfortunately, it often happens that many come to the temple specifically for water, without participating in the service of the feast of the Epiphany. It turns out that Epiphany water becomes an end in itself. And this is wrong. First of all, we must glorify God for his good deeds to the human race, which He revealed through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself the sins of the whole world, because it is in memory of the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan that the consecration of water is carried out.

5. Epiphany water never spoils.

There is testimony from St. John Chrysostom, who lived in the 4th century: “On this holiday, everyone, having drawn water, brings it home and keeps it all year... The essence of this water does not deteriorate over time, but... for a whole year, and often for two or three years it remains intact and fresh and after such a long time is not inferior to waters just taken from springs.” But it also happens that Epiphany water can spoil. This happens either due to careless storage, irreverent attitude towards the shrine, or for some other completely natural reasons. In this case, you need to pour holy water into an untrodden place (in churches there are special “dry wells” for this purpose).

6. You need to add Epiphany water to the bath in which babies are bathed so that they do not get sick.

I think this is also one of the superstitions. Every person can get sick. And great saints suffered from physical illnesses. For example, the Monk Seraphim of Sarov could not straighten his back due to the injury he received. He was attacked by robbers and severely beaten. Saint Matrona of Moscow was blind from birth until the end of her days. No one forbids giving holy Epiphany water to infants (it is still better to drink holy water), including during illness. But in Once again it is necessary to recall that the use of a shrine is not a mechanism, but an action that requires faith and hope in God.

There is a tradition: to sprinkle houses, plots and everything that is there with water taken from the temple on the day of the Epiphany. Therefore, it is quite possible to sprinkle Epiphany water and your home and household things. At the same time, you can sing or read the troparion (the main hymn) of the holiday: “I am baptized in the Jordan, Lord...”.

7. If you drink Epiphany water regularly throughout the year, you don’t have to take communion.

It is forbidden. This superstition is probably also due to a misunderstanding of church traditions. Water consecrated on the feast of Epiphany, even being a Great Shrine, as has already been said, still cannot replace the communion of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. Although, for example, there are certain similarities in the practice of Communion and drinking agiasma - you need to take communion and drink agiasma on an empty stomach. This emphasizes the special attitude towards water blessed for Epiphany. According to the rules of the Church, the Great Hagiasma was recommended to be used as spiritual consolation for people who various reasons were under excommunication from the Sacrament of Communion, that is, it was not a question of a complete and equivalent replacement, but only of spiritual consolation.

8. And a simple person can sanctify water on his own by reading prayers over it.

Indeed, the prayers of the Great Blessing of Water, like all other church prayers, are performed on behalf of the entire Church. The priest, calling believers to prayer, says: “Let us pray to the Lord in peace!” (Russian translation: “In peace, that is, in a peaceful state, let us pray to the Lord!”) - we will pray, that is, all those who are at the service. Believers are not observers of what is happening, but living participants in worship, together with the clergy, offering a single prayer to God. Therefore, we can say that each believer participates in sanctification through his own prayer, which becomes the single prayer of the entire Church. Therefore, in order to participate in the Great Blessing of Water, each of us can come to the church service on January 19.

Newspaper "Saratov Panorama" No. 2 (930)

Holy water is water that is ordinary in composition and original origin (well, spring, lake, river, tap), miraculously acquiring sanctifying (graceful) and healing properties after performing a special prayer service called water blessing.

All our lives there is a great shrine next to us - holy water (in Greek “agiasma” - “shrine”). We first plunge into it at Baptism, when, upon receiving this Sacrament, we are immersed three times in a font filled with holy water. Holy water in the SacramentBaptism washes away the sinful impurities of a person, renews and revives him in new life in Christ.

Holy water is necessarily present during the consecration of churches and all objects used in worship, during the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and any household item. We are sprinkled with holy water on religious processions, during prayer services.

Blessing of water or blessing of water, there is a small one performed at any time at the water-blessing prayer service, and a great one. The Great Blessing of Water takes place twice a year - on the very day of Epiphany, and also on the eve, on the eve of Epiphany (Epiphany Eve). On Christmas Eve and on the very day of the feast of Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord), the same rite is performed during the blessing of water.

Epiphany water is a shrine that should be in everyone’s home Orthodox Christian. It is customary to drink Holy Epiphany water on an empty stomach along with prosphora after the morning meal. prayer rule with special reverence as a shrine.
« Blessed water“,” as Saint Demetrius of Kherson wrote, “has the power to sanctify the souls and bodies of all who use it.” She, accepted with faith and prayer, heals our bodily illnesses. Venerable Seraphim After confession of pilgrims, Sarovsky always gave them a cup of holy Epiphany water to drink from.

St. Seraphim Vyritsky always advised sprinkling foods and the food itself with Jordanian (baptismal) water, which, in his words, “itself sanctifies everything.” When someone was very sick, Rev. Seraphim blessed to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour. He said that there is no stronger medicine than holy water and blessed oil.

It is important to know that swimming in consecrated reservoirs is only a tradition; it does not bring any cleansing from sins and is not a substitute for the Sacrament of Repentance (Confession). In days church holidays Christians try to participate in divine services and the main Sacrament of the Church - Holy Communion.

There is no need to stock up large containers of holy water: when it runs out, just add regular water to it. clean water, which will be sanctified by the existing Epiphany.

The Great Hagiasma, according to church canons, is considered as a kind of lower degree of Holy Communion: in those cases when, due to sins committed, penance and a ban on approaching the Holy Body and Blood of Christ are imposed on a member of the Church, the usual clause according to the canons is made: “Let him drink the agiasma.”

The claims that holy water acquires its properties thanks to silver ions from a silver cross, which the priest immerses in water during the Rite of Blessing the Water, seem naive. There is even this joke about this:
“How many silver ions are contained in a liter of consecrated Epiphany water, if the consecration was carried out in an ice hole cut out in the ice of the Volga (as was usually the case before the revolution and is practiced today), in a place where the width of the river reaches a kilometer, the depth is ten meters, the speed of the current is 5 km/hour, and the cross with which the village priest blessed the water is wooden?”

The consecration of water in the Sacrament of Baptism is generally performed simply by the hand of the priest. And yet, this water has all the properties that holy water should have.

In the Orthodox Church, holy water has the most wide application, as the source of God's grace in the mysterious sanctification of everyone and everything. Thus, newborn babies (or unbaptized adults) through baptism in water are freed from original sin and united with Christ, becoming a new creation. A person dies, his remains and his final abode - the coffin - are sprinkled with holy water as a farewell to eternity, as is his resting place - the cemetery.

When someone goes on a journey, he is blessed by sprinkling with holy water. Before starting the teaching, the youths are sprinkled with holy water. Both the foundation of the house and the person’s dwelling itself are certainly sanctified with holy water. In the church, everything that has sacred use is necessarily sanctified through sprinkling with holy water, just like the temple itself at its foundation, at the completion of its construction, and constantly on special days and holidays of the year.

Thus, in the church, everything belonging to the altar and the altar servers is blessed with holy water - the throne, the altar, the antimension, service vessels, crosses, Gospels, altar clothes, clergy vestments, etc. All sacred objects are also blessed - icons, crosses, banners, reliquaries, bells, etc.

It is difficult to find something that would be so necessary for people in their earthly life and constitute such an urgent need as bread and water. Bread is the simplest and natural food for man, supporting and strengthening his strength. A person uses water to quench thirst and prepare food, and washes the body and things it uses with it.

These two essential for a person in his bodily life, substances turn out to be integral elements for him in spiritual life. Bread, consisting of many grains, personifies the Church - One with the plurality of its members. Bread serves the greatest sacrament- Holy Communion.

By consecrating water, the Church returns water element primitive purity and holiness, by the power of prayer and the Word of God, brings down the blessing of the Lord onto the water. Blessed water is an image of God's grace: it cleanses believers from spiritual impurities, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God, extinguishes the flames of passions, and drives away evil spirits.

Therefore, holy water is necessarily present during the consecration of temples and all objects used in worship, during the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and any household item. Believers are sprinkled with holy water during religious processions and prayer services.

PRAYER FOR ACCEPTING PROSPORA AND HOLY WATER

Lord my God, may Thy holy gift be: prosphora and Thy holy water 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 Thy infinite mercy through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen.

ABC of Faith

Ruban Yu. I.

priest Alexy Khoteev

Clergyman's Handbook

prot.

Metropolitan

Gleb Chistyakov

Holy water– 1) water of ordinary composition and original origin (well, spring, lake, river, tap), miraculously acquired, as a result of a prayer service called , the properties of sanctifying and healing (according to the faith of the people who piously use it); 2) (sometimes, in some understanding) water from a holy source.
All our lives there is a great shrine next to us - holy water (in Greek, ἁγίασμα - shrine).
We first plunge into it when, upon accepting this, we are immersed three times in a font filled with holy water. Holy water in the Sacrament of Baptism washes away the sinful impurities of a person, renews and revives him into a new life in.
Holy water is necessarily present during the consecration of temples and all objects used in the church, during the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and any household item. We are sprinkled with holy water at religious processions and prayer services.

« Blessed water, – wrote Saint Demetrius of Kherson, – has the power to sanctify the souls and bodies of all who use it" She, accepted with faith and prayer, heals our bodily illnesses. After the confession of the pilgrims, the monk always gave them to drink from the cup of holy Epiphany water.

Is it possible to sprinkle holy water on unclean places?

There is the power of the cross as something protecting, like an exorcism. We can sanctify something in the sense of “filling with grace,” but we sprinkle something (say, a toilet) with baptismal holy water so that no evil is hidden there, and not for the consumption of holy things there.

Is it possible to drink holy water on an empty stomach?

According to tradition, holy water is taken on an empty stomach in the morning, which is understandable: first of all, a person eats the holy thing, and then proceeds to ordinary food. As for the remaining days, in the Typikon (Typikon, chapter 48 - month book, January 6, 1st “zri”). It is said that it is unwise to abstain from holy water because of eating food:
« Let it be known to everyone about holy water: those who separate themselves from holy water for the reason that they have already tasted food are not doing good, for the grace of God is given for the sanctification of the world and all creation. We also sprinkle it everywhere, in all unclean places, and even under our feet. And where is the intelligence of those who do not drink it because they eat food?».