Is it possible on January 19th. Believers have their own signs about the celebration of the Epiphany

Decor elements 23.09.2019
Decor elements

On January 19, Orthodox believers celebrate a great holiday - Epiphany 2018. This is one of the twelve celebrations, which in church tradition is called the Epiphany or the Baptism of the Lord. tells what can be done and what is absolutely impossible on this day.

Baptism: when is celebrated

Baptism is celebrated annually on January 19th. But the celebration begins on the evening of January 18, when Epiphany Christmas Eve is celebrated. According to tradition, water is considered the main symbol of this day. On this day, it has miraculous properties, and having bathed in it, you can get rid of diseases.

Epiphany: the history of the holiday

Great Orthodox holiday dedicated to the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist. According to an ancient legend, during a divine act, the Holy Spirit descended from heaven in the form of a dove. All those present then testified to the messianic destiny of Jesus Christ.

Epiphany 2018: the main traditions of the holiday

January 18 at Orthodox tradition Epiphany Christmas Eve is celebrated. At this time, it is customary to adhere to a strict fast.

On the eve of the holiday, you need to go to church to consecrate water. This action is called a water blessing prayer. It is believed that consecrated water must be stored all year, and it cannot deteriorate. It is also customary to drink this water during illness or life troubles.

People believe that sacred water helps to get pregnant. This requires drinking a small glass of water every morning and reading a sacred prayer.

The main tradition for Epiphany is to swim in the hole. In order to properly perform ablution, one should go to special place. Usually such places are equipped in the territories of springs, rivers or temples. At the same time, the bathing place must be consecrated by a church minister.

Before diving into the hole, you should cross yourself three times, and then sink headlong into the water with the words "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit." You need to plunge three times, each time repeating the sacred words.

Baptism: what needs to be done

On the feast of Epiphany, you need to do a few simple, but very important things:

  • in the morning, immediately after waking up, you need to read a prayer, for example, “Our Father”. It is also worth asking the Lord for health for yourself and your loved ones, well-being, happiness and blessings of higher powers.
  • it is believed that the water that was brought from the church should be sprinkled on your house in order to sanctify it and free it from bad energy.
  • if you do a good deed on this day, then positive energy will accompany you all next year.
  • a dream that you have on the night of January 18-19 will be prophetic. Therefore, it is worth remembering.
  • get married on January 19 good omen, and young spouses will find happiness and good luck in life.
  • be sure to drink holy water on an empty stomach and wash your face with it.

Baptism 2018: what absolutely cannot be done

Baptism is a very important Orthodox holiday, so on January 19 it is strictly forbidden to practice hard work such as repairing or cleaning.

On this day, you should avoid conflicts, you can not swear and scandal. People believe that all negative energy sure to return to their owner triple.

It is forbidden to wash at Epiphany, so you can desecrate the water.

It is not customary for Christians to cry on this day, because there is a risk of shedding tears all next year.

At Baptism, it is forbidden to engage in fortune-telling.

Do not be greedy when you collect sacred water.

It is believed that consecrated water should not be diluted, otherwise it may lose its healing abilities.

How to swim in the hole

Bathing in winter time v cold water can adversely affect human health if these rules are not followed:

  1. do not drink alcohol before swimming;
  2. before you plunge, you need to warm up the body, do a warm-up;
  3. before descending, you should check the stairs and railings for strength;
  4. you should enter the water gradually, you can not jump sharply;
  5. you can't go to the hole bare feet, it is better to wear shoes or slippers;
  6. you can stay in the water for no more than 30 seconds;
  7. after bathing, you need to warm up the body well with a dry towel;
  8. it is also better to drink berry or herbal tea after bathing.

Signs for Baptism on January 19: what can and cannot be done
Per Orthodox calendar Baptism is celebrated exactly on January 19, and the most important signs should be followed from the evening of the 18th. On this strange night Special attention You have to pay attention to the weather. But not only it will help to learn approximately about the coming year.
All categories of signs of this holiday will be divided into: what can and cannot be done. They mainly concern personal life, but also agricultural life. And this does not mean that signs only tell about who and when will get married and when to sow the grain.
The day from January 18 to 19 is a day of strict fasting. This evening on the table must be juicy. This is a dish that is prepared with wheat, and poppy seeds, nuts, dried apricots and honey are added to it. But you can cook without adding poppy seeds and nuts, because the main thing in sochiva is wheat and honey.
This night you need to go to church for the night service. At the end of the service, the water is blessed. After the consecration of water, there comes a time when you can, and be sure that this is only healing water. So don't be afraid Epiphany water, after all, after these baths, no one gets sick. Anyone can collect water from the hole, which will be useful in the house.
Believers say that it is the water collected on this day that has medicinal properties. That she is able to heal wounds, both physically and spiritually, helps from the evil eye and ensures peace and order in the house, if every corner in the house is consecrated.


The Feast of Epiphany has gathered around itself many signs over many centuries. But those who believe in come true. Old people noticed from year to year and they passed it on to us, and which ones you believe in is up to you.

Signs for the Feast of the Epiphany
- And the first of the signs is that you can start swimming immediately after the end of the evening service on the 18th.
- on the night of 18 to 19, look at the sky and the stars will tell you the weather for the whole year and, which is very important, the political situation. By dry summer and early spring and warm autumn - bright stars. These stars also promise political stability and tranquility.
- but the new moon on this night speaks of the danger of flooding in the spring, cold winter, late spring and cool summer. But there is also a positive side of the new moon, they say if you substitute the largest bill from your wallet under the moonlight, it will help with money problems. And a person who is born on a new moon will have a very successful year.
- the year promises to be fruitful if there is more frost on Epiphany than on Christmas.
- warmth at Epiphany - to health problems. A lot of snow and frost to health for the whole year.
- treats joints and cuts Epiphany snow.
- if a young girl, leaving the house, is the first to meet a young man - for an imminent wedding, perhaps this year. If an elderly man, you still need to be like girls.
- if dogs bark in the evening - by the financial year. They say that by barking they call to hunt with good prey. But who is after what: who is after game, and who is after a career, position, money.
- a lot of snow promises a lot of bread.
- if it snows only in the morning - to a rich harvest for buckwheat.
– Cloudy morning with hoarfrost good harvest.
- before Baptism, you can draw crosses over the door and windows so that Satan cannot enter the house.
- leave shoes outside the door on Epiphany night - to illness
- the water collected in Epiphany does not deteriorate
- the wedding must be played between Epiphany and Maslenitsa, then happiness will be in marriage.
- a good sign is matchmaking on this day, this is a happy marriage.
- a person will be very happy if he was born on this day.


All these signs have deep roots. But knowledgeable people they say that on this night the heavens open the curtain, and all the wishes and prayers made will be heard and will certainly come true.

Baptism is the end of the New Year and Christmas festivities, but this is not the importance of the holiday. Theophany during the period of Christianity has acquired great importance for people living or striving to live a full spiritual life, and has become a sacred symbol of purification for the majority.

Not without the fact that church holiday a lot of folk signs and beliefs were mixed in, which, by the way, tend to come true. There was no magic involved either.

Epiphany turned out to be a holiday with a somewhat liberal bias, allowing divination, the use of conspiracies and the analysis of signs. But here’s what you can’t do at Epiphany, January 19, is to swear and hide anger. Actually, such actions are punishable on any day, but especially on Epiphany.

Guessing - only on Christmas Eve

Marriage, health and well-being of loved ones is a familiar set of questions, the solution of which has remained relevant for centuries, and you want to know the answer in advance, and that it must be positive.

You can find out your fate, but not on Epiphany itself, but on the evening before, until 00:00 inclusive. Further - taboo. At midnight, new, festive days start, and those who did not have time to find out their future are late. Fortune-telling will have to be postponed for a whole year. In the old days, the girls did just that, they were God-fearing and well aware of what should not be done at Epiphany, January 19th.

conspiracy conspiracy

Conspiracies can also be attributed to the category of divination. Active actions on the part of a person to correct their fate were also taken before midnight. But some rituals (for money, for example) were allowed to be performed before dawn, in parallel with the collection of baptismal water.

Analyzing (January 19) - what can be done and what cannot be done - we come to the conclusion that it is possible to wish yourself and those around you wealth, health, marriage (marriage) and direct all spiritual, magical and prayer forces to this. You can’t think badly - the boomerang effect in holidays appears more clearly and acts faster.

List of baptismal signs

The main signs for Baptism, January 19 (what can and cannot be done), one hundred and fifty years ago, were a program of action that was adopted by everyone - young and old.

Now they are not widely believed in and are perceived rather as entertainment, but more and more often they notice that forecasts based on the fluffiness of the snowfall, the clarity of the stars, the direction of the wind, are not without logic.

Two days after the Epiphany, they do not wash at home and two weeks - in the hole.

But dipping into the hole is welcome. It is especially useful for those who dared to tell fortunes the day before - water will wash away this sin.

You can sprinkle the house with holy water.

Before Epiphany, the hostess is allowed to personally draw small crosses over the windows and front door- it will save the house from troubles.

If a bird knocks on the window at Baptism, pray for the dead relatives, it is their souls that ask the living for help and charitable deeds.

Why can't you feed chickens?

One of the strange, at first glance, Epiphany prohibitions is on feeding chickens on this day. It would seem that such cruelty to living beings is unacceptable. But zealous villagers, who count not only every laying hen, but also every sprout in the garden in the summer, take the ban with all seriousness.

They have well-fed chickens - at number one on the list "What not to do on Epiphany, January 19." What does the poor bird, forced to suffer on a bright holiday, have to do with it? It is not known where such a sign came from, but they say that if you don’t feed the chickens on Epiphany, in the summer they will not rake the beds and spoil the seedlings.

Physical labor is prohibited

On the big day, all types of physical labor are prohibited. This is probably the most enjoyable. What can not be done on Epiphany, January 19? That's right, work! The time freed from everyday tedious work can be spent pleasantly and profitably - attend a service in the temple, go on a visit, have fun with friends.

Of course, meeting nice people with us means "fifty and more." You can warm your soul a little with alcohol even at Epiphany. What you can’t do on a holy day is to get too carried away and “sort out”. Firstly, the holiness of the holiday does not save you from a hangover and a headache. Secondly, looking like a famous pet is simply indecent. It's better to be drunk on a beautiful day happy holiday, revel in faith in a wonderful future predicted on Christmas Eve, and enjoy life just like that.

Baptism, like any religious holiday, is celebrated not only by believers. Many on this day just go “for the company” to swim in the hole, cover festive table and stock up on holy water.

And as is usually the case, people contribute to every religious holiday folk traditions. There are various signs that people trust, and which they perform exactly like church rites. All these traditions take root over time and become inseparable from each other. What are the signs for Baptism on January 19, what can and cannot be done, let's consider.

At Baptism, you can and must do everything religious rites this holiday: go to church, defend the service, plunge into the hole three times, and set the festive table.

In addition, you can pray all day and ask for something good. If a titmouse knocks on the window at Baptism, then it is also necessary to pray for those who have already passed away.

Every hostess on the eve of Epiphany has the right to draw small crosses in the house above the windows and the door with chalk. It is believed that such a ritual is able to protect the home from harm.

And on Epiphany, you can sprinkle the house with freshly brought holy water. This can drive away evil spirits.

Baptism is a holiday that should help people become spiritually enriched, forget all the bad things, wash away their sins and be nourished with strength for the whole year. Each person should remember how important he is to believers and respect their feelings.

Therefore, on January 19, in no case should you think about the bad, and even more so quarrel and wish someone harm. In addition, it is believed that if during a conflict a person has holy water in his hands, then it immediately loses its magical properties.

Also on this holiday you can not be greedy. We need to share food and, of course, holy water. You can’t take too much of it, you can’t push around while standing in line for water, it is believed that this will bring trouble to a person.

In addition, it is forbidden to guess at Epiphany - before that there was plenty of time for such rituals, Christmas time lasted from January 6 to January 18, so on the evening before 19, you need to hide all the items with which magical rituals were performed. After Baptism, it is also impossible to guess.

You can't get drunk on Epiphany. Since this is a great holiday, you can drink a glass of wine, but you should not abuse alcohol.

Is it possible to practice physical labor to baptism

Many housewives are probably interested in whether it is possible to get out on January 19th. No, you can’t, because on religious holidays it is strictly forbidden to work and engage in physical labor.

Is it possible to clean up on January 18 before Epiphany - it is possible if the hostess did not have time to prepare the apartment for the holiday, but only in the morning - in the evening you need to pray, go to church and fast.

It is also worth remembering that you can only do laundry until January 18th. And then on Epiphany and two more days after the holiday, you can’t wash things. Previously, women who wanted to wash clothes in the river where the hole had been cut down had to wait until two weeks had passed after the holiday.

Signs for Baptism

There are several other interesting baptismal signs. So, for example, residents of villages and villages claim that chickens cannot be fed on Epiphany. A folk sign says that if you feed poultry on this day, then in the summer they will ruin the beds and destroy the seedlings.

Also, people who have a garden believe in another sign that if a poorly growing tree is poured with holy water, then it will begin to bear fruit next fall.

Another good sign is to baptize a child on this holiday. It is believed that thanks to this he will be happy and grow up healthy.

People also believe that it is necessary to monitor the weather on Epiphany, because it determines how the whole year will be: warm or cold, rainy or dry.

To find out what weather will prevail in summer, you need to leave the house in the morning and look at the sky. If the sky is clear and the frost stings your cheeks, it means that the summer will be dry. And if the weather is cloudy, then in the summer there will be a lot of precipitation, which means that in the fall you can expect a good harvest.

You can also find out whether the harvest will be rich by the number of stars in the sky. If there are a lot of them, then this year it will be possible to eat plenty of fruits, berries and legumes.

Here is a list of the main things you can and cannot do at Epiphany. It is believed that if you spend this holiday peacefully, observing all the traditions, you can be sure that the whole a year will pass well.



In commemoration of this bright event, a holiday was approved, which is otherwise called the Epiphany. The event is celebrated annually on the same date.

  • Epiphany rites and traditions
  • Make a wish for Baptism
  • Folk omens for baptism

When does the blessing of water take place?

Church holidays, as a rule, begin from the second half of the previous day. Therefore, in churches and temples, the consecration of water begins after the morning service during Epiphany Christmas Eve, the procedure continues on the day of the feast - January 19 at the end of the liturgy.

The clergy say that the water consecrated on Christmas Eve is in no way inferior in its miraculous powers water consecrated on the very day of Baptism. Holy water can heal a person from fatal diseases, fulfill his innermost dreams, and bestow good luck.




The water consecrated in Baptism is used in small doses throughout the current year until the next feast. Holy water is sprinkled on the corners of the apartment to cleanse it of negativity, this liquid is able to fill the home with powerful positive energy. The consecrated liquid should be drunk in small sips, but pouring it under your feet and washing dirty objects on this day is highly undesirable.

Epiphany rites and traditions

The main world Christian tradition on the Epiphany feast is the solemn procession of the cross to the Jordan River, where Christ was baptized. On this day, Christians from all over the world gather and march to holy places, having reached the river, people bathe in its waters, being cleansed of sins and sinful thoughts.

But far from always a person has the opportunity to join the global procession. Therefore, in all Russian cities and villages bathing in local rivers. Immersion is carried out in three steps, with each dive it is required to pronounce the words of the sacred text: “I plunge in the name of the Father; I dip in the name of the Son, I dip in the name of the Holy Spirit.” Those who do not have the courage and health to plunge into ice water, sprinkles himself with holy liquid, while saying prayers.
A special hole for swimming is called Jordan.




It is worth noting that dipping into Jordan is a folk, not a church tradition. The ministers of the church claim that any water on this sacred day becomes holy. Therefore, you can even wash yourself with ordinary tap water, while reading a prayer and believing with all your heart in liberation from sins.

Those who regularly bathe in Jordan at Baptism should not bear in mind the following rules:

You can start swimming after the evening service on January 18;
for safety reasons, diving is carried out only in special places equipped for this purpose, after the consecration ceremony has been performed;
before starting the dive, you should say the Our Father prayer;
immersion is carried out completely, together with the head, after which you should cross yourself three times;
it is advisable to purchase special shirts for swimming, you should not perform this procedure in shorts and bathing suits;
On the eve of the dive, it is recommended to eat well, but not to overeat; after the procedure, it is advisable to drink a cup of hot tea.

Not everyone can take a dip in ice cold water. There are some diseases that are a contraindication to such a procedure. You can not dive into the hole in the presence of a cold, hypertension, chronic skin diseases.




It is noted that the water on the day of the Epiphany becomes different, it is softer and more palatable. This applies not only to holy water, but also to any other, even the one that flows from the tap. Throughout the holiday, you can draw water directly from the tap, noting the improvement in its properties. On this day, the water becomes tastier and cleaner.

What to do on Epiphany and Epiphany Christmas Eve

The celebration of the Epiphany is accompanied by several rituals and traditions. It is very important to observe a strict fast on the day before the festival. Epiphany Christmas Eve comes on January 18, in the people this date is called "Hungry Kutia". On Christmas Eve, the only dish is kutia, made from cereals. You can not add butter or milk to it, it must be lean. Eating kutya is allowed only after sunset. Even water should be consumed at this time in a limited amount.




But on Christmas Eve, you should prepare for the celebration, and by Epiphany itself, at least 12 types of dishes should be on the table. Baptism is celebrated at a chicly laid table, on which meat dishes must be present.
Holy water brought from the church is necessary for sprinkling all the corners in the room, this procedure will save a person's family from illness and trouble for the whole year. It is believed that people baptized on January 19 are different good health they live happily ever after. Theophany is an ideal holiday for reconciliation, if a person is in a quarrel with someone, then on this day you need to forget about disagreements and reconcile.

What Not to Do on Epiphany Day

Baptism is a sacred holiday, on this bright day one cannot be discouraged, suffer and be sad, otherwise the whole year will be sad. On this day, such a quality as the forgiveness that Christ preached is highly valued, so it is very important to be able to forgive your offenders, you cannot be offended and quarrel on this great day.

On Epiphany you can not do dirty things related to water. Since any water on Epiphany is holy, there is no need to desecrate it, wash floors with it, and do laundry. For another three days after the celebration, water can retain its properties; it cannot be defiled at this time. It is better to postpone any work for this period.




You can guess on the eve of Epiphany, but it is not recommended to do this on the holy day itself. There is a belief that if you guess on Epiphany Day, you can guess the fate not in better side. You should not read conspiracies on this day, the church is categorically against such actions, you should not go against its canons, especially on holy days.

You can not drink alcohol on a holy day, even if they are not strong. It is not recommended to use obscene words, any negativity should be driven away from oneself, especially before swimming in the hole.

Make a wish for Baptism

On the night of January 18-19, anyone can make a wish if the plan is complete pure thoughts, then it will come true, because on this holy day heaven heeds the requests of sincerely believing people. In order for the Lord to hear the one who asks, his desires should not contain the desire to harm someone, you should not ask for material benefits, just as you should not demand undeserved honor from yourself.

Before making a wish, you need to read the Our Father prayer, standing in front of the icon, then you should make a request. If the request is pure and really necessary for the asker, it will be fulfilled.

Folk omens for baptism

There are several popular beliefs and accept at Baptism, which will help predict the weather and the future.

Our ancestors believed in the following signs:

On the night of Epiphany, you should look at the starry sky, bright stars indicate that the summer will be dry and spring will come early;
if Epiphany night falls on a new moon, there is a danger of spring floods, spring will come late, summer will be cool;
if severe frosts are observed on Epiphany, and they are stronger than Christmas ones, then the year will be fruitful;
Epiphany snow has healing properties;
if on the night of January 19, dogs bark loudly in the vicinity, this portends a successful financial year;
a lot of snow fell on the Epiphany holiday - the year will be bread.


In order to scare away evil from the home, our ancestors drew crosses over doors and windows. This custom continues to this day. You can not leave shoes outside the threshold on Epiphany night, this can lead to illness.

In order to have a lot of happiness and love in personal life, from ancient times in Russia, weddings were played between Epiphany and Maslenitsa. A person born on Epiphany day will be healthy and happy.
All signs and beliefs have deep roots, the ancestors sacredly believed in them. But to believe in them or not is everyone's business. Epiphany is a holy holiday, which is better to meet with your friends and relatives.

We recommend reading

Top