How to take holy water to treat diseases. Holy water: church traditions and parachurch superstitions of the blessing of water

January 19 is one of the days on which all Orthodox churches are filled to capacity, because it is on this day that the Church celebrates the Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ and, according to 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 train 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 takes place 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 the liturgical books of the Orthodox Church, the feast of the Epiphany is called “Holy Epiphany, the 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 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 religious 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 is a reminder for modern Christians of the ancient baptism of 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. By swimming in an ice hole on Epiphany night, 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. The devil is a fallen angel who opposes God and wants to turn people away from God, which is why we ask God to deliver us from the devil and all the evil that he tries 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 of nature are sanctified...”) 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 sources.” 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, St. 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 once again we need to be reminded 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 your home and household items with Epiphany water. 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, for various reasons, were excommunicated 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 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 sick.

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 the prayer of the 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 must be a truly 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. For let your most honorable and magnificent name, the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, be blessed and glorified, 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.”

For many Christians, holy water is considered one of the main shrines, and therefore they treat it with favor. But some people don't even know: how to use holy water?

Water is blessed in churches and reservoirs. The priest can bless the water at any time by reading the necessary prayers over it.

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What prayer rule is said before taking holy water?

As a rule, there is a certain prayer before taking water and it is found in all Orthodox prayer books.

In some cases, water is drunk separately, then the word “prosphora” is not used in prayer.

Before reading the prayer before taking holy water, you must cross yourself, concentrate on the prayer, and after it is read, you must cross yourself again and drink the water. Next you should thank the Lord.

Scientific explanation of the healing properties of holy water

There is a large number of opinions about why holy water is healing and does not spoil for a long period of time. Scientists who have conducted research in this area say that the main healing properties of water depend on the fact that it is treated with silver. During the blessing of water, a silver cross is immersed in the font.

Silver has long been known to kill pathogenic bacteria, and when it comes into contact with water, an antibacterial silver treatment occurs.

Despite their scientific research, scientists have a number of unexplained factors. For example, why the electromagnetic field of water differs from the field of plain water, and scientists also could not find an answer to the question of why holy water is stored for so long and does not spoil.

Holy water bathing procedure

Before washing with holy water, you should first wash with plain water and cleanse your skin with soap. According to church canons, holy water must come into contact with a clean body. Even a drop of holy water added to a vessel makes it illuminated.

Physicists have proven that thanks to the changing structure of water molecules, a drop can change the composition of ordinary water. As a rule, a sponge is used for ablution; it is dipped into a vessel and wiped off the face and neck, while the water will flow down in streams.

During this procedure, morning prayers are read. It is also worth moistening your eyes with holy water, as this procedure has a healing effect. If a person has various injuries or bruises on his body, then this part of the body is also included in the morning wash. After washing, dry your face with a clean cloth or towel.

How to properly use consecrated water?

Many priests advise drinking such water on an empty stomach, as it can sanctify the entire body. After the holy water has been drunk, you can eat the prosphora and pray at the same time. If a person has mental illness, then in this case water must be drunk around the clock.

The priests say that this water should be drunk from a teaspoon or from a glass on which the temple is depicted. You can even use an ordinary glass, if no alcoholic beverages were consumed from it.

Take into account: You cannot drink water from the vessel in which it is located, otherwise it will be a violation of the holy canons.

How to recycle old holy water?

Priests advise not to make huge reserves of holy water, but if this happens, then you should either water your indoor flowers or bring them to the temple. As a rule, the temple has a dry well into which ashes are poured out and water is poured out.

This procedure should only be done with the permission of a clergyman.

Is it worth boiling blessed water?

Some believers ask whether it is necessary to boil holy water, as priests claim, That is unnecessary, since during the year the water does not deteriorate at all, has antibacterial properties and destroys all microorganisms harmful to health.

Is it possible to drink holy water daily?

According to the canons of Orthodoxy, holy water can be consumed every day, but drink it little by little and on an empty stomach so that it can cleanse the body of negativity.

Is it permissible for women to drink consecrated water if they are menstruating?

In accordance with church rules, when a woman is unclean, she should not accept blessed water and consume prosphora, receive communion, and she should not touch shrines.

Is it allowed in Orthodoxy to give blessed water to animals?

Orthodox Christians who read the Holy Scriptures know that animals should not be allowed to touch sacred objects, and therefore they are not allowed to drink such water.

What to do if the blessed water disappears or has a foul odor?

If he is a Christian and sees that his baptismal or blessed water has disappeared, i.e. turns green or has a foul odor (this may be due to constant scandals in the house, as well as a person’s wrong attitude towards shrines), in these cases it is recommended to invite a priest to the house and illuminate it.

How to properly preserve holy water at home?

At home, blessed water is placed next to or behind icons. You can also put it in a certain cabinet where church supplies are located.

Some empty a special shelf and place an icon next to the water. Do not place water in the refrigerator or place it next to food.

Is it a violation to wash an unbaptized child with blessed water?

The canons of the Orthodox Church say that you can wash an unbaptized child with holy water, but on the condition that it is then poured into an untrodden place, but it cannot be poured into the sewer.

Find out whether unbaptized Muslims can drink holy water, when it can be drunk, for example, on an empty stomach or during menstruation. Does holy water help? Here you can read the church’s answers and learn how to use the product correctly.

Answer:

Orthodox believers treat with great love the gifts they receive from the Lord. Several times a year, water is blessed in all churches. On such days, parishioners have the opportunity to bring this shrine home. But not everyone knows how and who can drink holy water. Representatives of the clergy adhere to one requirement in this regard. Any person should have a special relationship with water from the Temple. Regardless of age, health status and material income. You just need to be morally and spiritually ready to accept this valuable gift. It is consumed in small quantities on an empty stomach after reading a short prayer of thanks. Of course, drink water from a clean cup or glass, and not from a bottle. However, all Christians should definitely remember that they may unwittingly hurt the feelings of another person if they try to somehow help an unbaptized person or a representative of another faith, for example, a Muslim, through holy water. In such a situation, you should definitely find out the opinion of more experienced and strong people in faith.

When can you drink holy water?

Water blessed in the church helps people solve various kinds of problems. But many, especially those who have become Orthodox recently, have a natural desire to do it correctly. And they begin to figure out when they can drink holy water. There are enough pious traditions in the Christian faith, but it is impossible to observe them all, and there is no need. For example, it is good to drink Epiphany water on an empty stomach. But since there are no strict restrictions on this matter, you can drink it at any time, even after eating. That is, each person determines for himself how often he should do this: every day or on Sundays, after taking communion or before it. Indeed, since the New Testament appeared among believers, their relationship with the Lord has taken on a completely different look. By the way, God’s Law does not prohibit drinking holy water even for women during menstruation. The church fathers speak about this quite definitely. After all, physical uncleanness does not make them prayerfully or ritually unclean. Therefore, it is unfair and wrong to deprive them of the opportunity to be in the temple and drink holy water if necessary. This idea is supported by passages from Rom. 14:14, Matthew 9:22 and others.

Does holy water help?

Absolutely everyone, even incorrigible skeptics, knows about the healing power of water from the Temple of God. In fact, it is enough for a person to see a small miracle with his own eyes in order to gain faith in Jesus Christ. But first of all, the one who is offered to use this remedy is interested in whether holy water helps everyone and always or the most worthy and in exceptional cases. Church ministers tirelessly continue to explain to their parishioners that blessed water is equally accessible to any believer. As mentioned above, some people drink it to strengthen their physical strength or to maintain their spirit. For some, it is extremely important to sprinkle living and other premises, and perhaps even their new acquisitions. According to the advice of the church, it is even necessary to do this if there is discord in the family or some kind of grief has occurred.

In the Orthodox Church there are three rites of consecration of water: consecration in the rite of the sacrament of the saint, on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, as well as minor consecration, which occurs throughout the year.

How to use holy water

Constant storage of water in reserve is unacceptable. Many people bring it once a year from church, usually at Epiphany, and store it according to the principle “to keep it in the house, because everyone does.” This is completely wrong! In this way, a kind of imprisonment of the shrine occurs. The grace of consecrated water will not decrease, no matter how long it is stored, but those who do not turn to the shrine, that is, do not use it, are robbing themselves. Holy water must be drunk regularly.

In addition to internal use, it can be sprinkled on the home. However, you should not rinse it on a sick person or during pregnancy, as water may end up in the drain. Water can only be sprinkled. Also, you should not give it to your family to drink.

How to store holy water

There is no need to keep blessed water in the cupboard among the groceries. Moreover, you should not put it in the refrigerator - holy water does not spoil. The container with it should be stored on a separate shelf in a place closed from light, or in close proximity to icons and other consecrated objects.

There are cases of water damage. If you stored it correctly, but it still deteriorated, in particular, cloudiness appeared in it, an unpleasant odor or it acquired a bad taste, you should definitely tell the priest about this. It is better to do this without repentance for the irreverent attitude towards the shrine. The Church allows pouring spoiled holy water into another natural source. Just don't flush it down the toilet or pour it into the sink!