Epiphany Eve has arrived: the True Story and Holy Traditions on January 18
On January 18, Eastern Rite Christians celebrate Epiphany Eve, or Epiphany Eve, a day of strict abstinence and prayerful concentration, marking the end of Yuletide and preparation for one of the twelve feasts. This eve of Epiphany, imbued with deep sacred meaning and centuries-old folk customs, is an important spiritual milestone when believers remember the evangelical event on the Jordan River and purify their souls to celebrate the holiday. For more information, see the Izvestia article.
Epiphany Eve: the story of the event
The historical roots of this day go back to the era of the first Christian communities. Epiphany Eve is considered one of the oldest one-day fasts of the Orthodox Church, a tradition that developed in the first centuries of Christianity.
Initially, it preceded the feast of the Epiphany, which at that time was a single celebration that combined memories of both the Nativity of Christ and His Baptism in the waters of the Jordan. The day before, the fast emphasized the importance of the upcoming event and was an analogue of the short pre-holiday fast preceding the Baptism of catechumens.
The turning point was in the fourth and fifth centuries, when most Christian churches divided the single Epiphany into two separate holidays — Christmas and Epiphany. The final liturgical and calendar division was established by the middle of the fifth century.
However, the ancient tradition of strict fasting on the eve of these events has not disappeared. Thus, two Christmas Eve holidays appeared in the church calendar — Christmas Eve (January 6) and Epiphany (January 18), each with its own unique atmosphere and meaning.
The meaning of the holiday's name reveals its essence. "Everlasting" means the eve of a church celebration. The second name, Epiphany, is synonymous with Baptism, since at the moment of Jesus' baptism by John the Forerunner, the Most Holy Trinity appeared to the world: God the Son, God the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father from heaven. Thus, the Eve of the Epiphany is literally the day before the feast of Epiphany.
The name "Christmas Eve" has a folk origin and is associated with food. It comes from the word "sochivo" — a special lenten dish, which, according to church regulations, is eaten on this day after a long abstinence. Sochivo, also known as kutya, is made from wheat, rice or barley grains with the addition of honey, raisins, nuts or poppy seeds. It was this simple but nutritious food that gave the name to both Christmas and Epiphany evenings.
What services are held in honor of Epiphany Eve
The central element of the day is strict fasting. For believers, this is not just a dietary restriction, but an important stage in cleansing the body and spirit, a way to escape from the mundane and focus on the upcoming great holiday. According to tradition, on January 18, no food is eaten until the end of the service and the removal of a lighted candle.
Each believer determines the severity of fasting individually, according to his strengths and abilities. Someone completely abstains from food until the evening, others allow the use of lean food.
The Church understands the circumstances: travelers, the sick, pregnant and lactating women are exempt from strict fasting. After the evening service and the removal of the candle, the faithful relax, and the first meal is a sochivo, which is washed down with holy water.
The Epiphany Christmas Eve service is characterized by a special duration and solemnity. Usually, the following are performed in temples::
Great Hours is a special divine service where psalms and prophecies related to the feast of Theophany are read;
Vespers with the reading of paremia — excerpts from the Old Testament;
The Liturgy of Basil the Great is longer and more solemn than the usual liturgy of John Chrysostom. It is performed about ten times a year.
There is an important clarification: if Epiphany Eve falls on a Saturday or Sunday (as in 2026), the statute prescribes that Great Hours be celebrated on the previous Friday, the liturgical order changes: Great Hours are postponed, and the service is performed according to a special statute.
The Rite of the Great Consecration of Water: Meaning and significance
The most significant and spectacular rite of the day is the Great Consecration of Water, or water consecration. It takes place immediately after worship in a temple or on the nearest body of water — a river, a lake, or a specially prepared ice hole -the Jordan. This rite is called "great" because of its exceptional solemnity: it is performed only twice a year — on Epiphany Eve and on the feast of Epiphany itself, January 19.
Historically, the tradition of double consecration did not take shape immediately. Initially, in the IV–V centuries, the Jerusalem Church consecrated water on the day of the feast, in memory of the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan. Later, the practice of consecrating water on the eve was consolidated.
By the XI–XII centuries, the tradition of double water consecration had been established in Russia. It is important to emphasize that the water consecrated on January 18 and 19 has exactly the same grace-giving power and properties. There is no difference between them.
The consecrated water is called by the Greek word "agiasma", which translates as "holy". The term "great agiasm" is assigned specifically to the epiphany water. Believers treat her with special reverence. According to church teaching, all aquatic life on earth is sanctified on holidays.
Usage: it is customary to drink agiasm on an empty stomach, often together with a piece of prosphora — consecrated church bread. It can be used to sprinkle homes, drink in times of illness or mental distress.
Storage: Epiphany water is stored in a separate, clean place, preferably next to the home iconostasis, throughout the year — until the next Epiphany.
Special cases: if the shrine becomes small, it can be diluted with ordinary clean water — it is believed that it conveys its beneficial properties. If the water has gone bad for some reason, it should not be poured into a sink or a place trampled underfoot. The church advises to pour it into an "irremovable" place — under a tree, into a river or into a flower pot.
Epiphany Christmas Eve traditions in popular culture
Epiphany Eve in Russia was a day of amazing juxtaposition of strict church fasting and vibrant folk customs, many of which date back to pre-Christian times. It was considered the last day of Yuletide, the "borderline" time when, according to popular beliefs, evil spirits are especially active.
Fortune-telling was the main entertainment for young people, especially for unmarried girls, despite the categorical condemnation of this activity by the Church. They were guessing at their betrothed, for the future, for the harvest. One of the most popular methods was fortune-telling on two needles: they were rubbed with fat and dipped in water. If the needles sank, it promised trouble, if they converged — fortunately in a relationship, if they diverged — to separation.
Caroling is another striking custom. For the last time in a year, mummers in masks and costumes ("hari") we walked around the courtyards, sang special carols, wished the owners well-being and received treats for it. To refuse carolers was considered a bad omen, promising crop failure and troubles for the house.
Protective rituals were aimed at protecting against evil spirits. They painted crosses on doors, window frames, lintels with chalk or charcoal. They collected Epiphany snow, which was attributed miraculous properties.: its meltwater was considered medicinal, it was washed for beauty, added to livestock feed for health, and thrown into wells so that the water would not spoil.
Epiphany bathing: tradition and its meaning
Mass bathing in the ice hole, or "Jordan", has become the most famous and spectacular external attribute of the holiday. People begin to take a dip on the evening of January 18, after the consecration of the water, and continue on January 19. There is a popular opinion that this action "washes away sins", gives health and tempering.
However, the Church clearly defines that bathing in an ice hole is not a church sacrament, a rite, or an obligatory part of a celebration. This is an established folk custom.
The clergy constantly remind us that real sins are washed away only through the sacrament of Penance (confession), and spiritual purification takes place through prayer and Communion. Bathing without faith and prayer remains just a hardening procedure. In addition, the Church calls for a prudent approach to this custom, taking into account the state of health.
What can and cannot be done on Epiphany Eve
Based on church traditions and national experience, ideas have developed about what is right and wrong on this day.
It is recommended to:
focus on spiritual life: prayer, reading the Holy Scriptures;
attend a church service;
observe the fast as much as possible;
collect holy epiphany water;
to forgive offenses, to make peace with loved ones, to spend the evening in a peaceful and calm atmosphere.
It is not recommended to:
indulge in noisy festivities, drunkenness, and entertainment;
quarreling, swearing, swearing, starting conflicts;
engage in occult practices that the Church considers a grave sin;
engage in heavy physical labor if it is not urgently needed;
pour holy water into the wrong place or treat it without reverence.
Weather signs for Christmas Eve
Like many national holidays, Epiphany Eve was an important day for peasants to predict the weather and the future harvest. Observations of nature formed into omens:
snow and blizzard on this day promised a rich harvest;
strong south wind — for a thunderous, stormy summer;
a clear night and a full moon foreshadowed a strong spring flood;
little snow on the branches — for a lean year;
It was believed that the weather on Shrovetide would be the same as on Epiphany Eve.
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Photo: IZVESTIA/Konstantin Kokoshkin
Epiphany Eve is a quiet and bright day, followed by the great feast of the Epiphany. He calls on everyone to put aside their fuss, turn inward, and purify their souls by fasting and prayer, so that they can meet the appearance of the Holy Trinity to the world with a pure heart and become partakers of the great grace bestowed by the consecrated water.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
