Folk signs for January 19th: what can and cannot be done

In Russia, omens have been given special importance since ancient times. They were used to judge the weather, when to sow and harvest, and what to expect in the future. Therefore, every day of the national calendar was full of rituals and superstitions. Izvestia tells about the popular signs of Monday, January 19, and which church holidays are celebrated on this day.

Folk signs for January 19th

In Russia, towards the end of January, the Yuletide festivities ended (the period from the Nativity of Christ to the Epiphany of the Lord) and the time of Epiphany divination came. According to custom, they guessed on the night of January 19th, after midnight, before going to bed. Such predictions were considered the most accurate.

Despite the fact that the church condemned such activities, the villages did not miss the opportunity to look into the future. With the help of magical rituals, they sought to find out the fate of family members, the name of their betrothed or future chosen one. For divination, they used a variety of tools that were at hand: mirrors, combs, candles, wax, water and grains.

Great importance was attached to observations of nature, which predicted the weather and harvest in the coming year. The clear, star-studded sky on Epiphany night promised a lot of wild berries, mushrooms and nuts. A severe snowstorm or blizzard was regarded as an unkind sign, promising a hungry year.

Other signs of the day:

• to see a shooting star — you can make your most cherished wish, and it will definitely come true.;
• Breaking a cup or plate is good luck, and cutting yourself while picking up the pieces is minor trouble.;
• to meet a person with full buckets of water — to financial well-being for the whole year, with empty ones — to need;
• The barking of dogs on a holiday leads to an abundance of game in the forests and successful hunting.

What not to do on January 19th

There was also a whole set of prohibitions that our ancestors tried not to violate, so as not to get themselves and their family into trouble. For example, it was strictly forbidden to lend money, it was believed that this way one could "give away" well-being from home. Quarrels and foul language were strictly condemned — any negative expression on that day, according to beliefs, could turn into big problems.

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What else can't be done on January 19th:

• Holding a grudge against loved ones can lead to illness.;
• to do heavy housework — the day should be devoted to spiritual pursuits;
• having a lot of fun and dressing up — the joy of the holiday should be bright, not exuberant;
• to continue Yule divination — any magical actions on this day are considered a grave sin from the position of the church.

Church holiday on January 19th

Orthodox Christians celebrate Epiphany on January 19, the great feast of the twelve, which is also called Epiphany. This day commemorates the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by John the Baptist, as well as the appearance of the Holy Trinity.

According to legend, during the ceremony, the voice of God the Father sounded from heaven, proclaiming Christ His beloved Son, and the Holy Spirit descended to earth in the form of a dove. From that moment on, the mystery of the Triune God was revealed to the world and the saving path of humanity began through baptism and repentance.

The main traditions of the holiday are also related to water. On Epiphany Eve on January 18 and after the Divine Liturgy on Epiphany day on January 19, water is consecrated. It is consecrated both in temples and in specially prepared ice holes in open reservoirs — the Jordan.

It is believed that epiphany water receives a special grace and is able to stay fresh throughout the year. Believers carefully preserve it by eating it on an empty stomach with prayer or using it to sprinkle their homes.

Epiphany bathing has become another tradition. This is a folk custom that symbolizes purification from sins. However, the clergy emphasize that bathing in the ice hole is not a religious precept and cannot replace prayer, repentance and participation in worship.

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Prayers on January 19th

On the day of the Baptism of the Lord, believers first of all turn to God with a request for spiritual purification: they ask to strengthen faith, to grant strength to overcome passions and sins. They also pray for bodily health and deliverance from diseases, considering epiphany water to be a remedy for ailments. Many ask for family peace, help in difficult circumstances, and fulfillment of good wishes.

Prayer before taking holy water

"O 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 through Your boundless mercy through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen to that."

The main prayer for Baptism

"Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, born of the Father before all ages, Light of Light, <...> on the most luminous day of Your Epiphany, you came to the Jordan to be baptized by John as a sinner and a publican, sinless that you might fulfill all righteousness and take away the sins of the whole world in the waters of Jordan, like the Lamb of God<...> For this reason, all the powers of heaven rejoice and all creation rejoices. <...> May the assemblies of men rejoice today, for their nature has now risen to the first nobility, and may they all joyfully sing: The Epiphany time. Come mentally to the Jordan, we will see a great vision in it: Christ is coming to baptism. Christ comes to the Jordan. Christ buries our sins in water. <...> Celebrating this divine sacrament, we fervently pray to You, O Lord, Who loves mankind: grant us, who thirst according to Your voice, to come to You, the Fountain of ever-living water, that we may draw the water of Your grace and the remission of our sins, and that we may renounce wickedness and worldly lusts; chaste, virginal, and righteous and let us live piously in the present age, waiting for Your blessed hope and the appearance of Your glory. <...> Grant us to glorify Your all-holy Name with Your Beginningless Father and with Your All-holy, Good and Life-giving Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen to that."

Earlier, Izvestia told us what they pray for on the feast of the Circumcision of the Lord.

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