Theophany Water: Church traditions and superstitions associated with the Church
Many celebrate holidays and know their names, but do not know the reasons for which they are established. ... And it is shameful – to celebrate a holiday every year and not know its reason. Why then is this day called Theophany? Because Christ became known to everyone not when He was born, but when He was baptized; until that day He was not known to the people. (St. John Chrysostom).
The Feast of the Lord's Baptism is one of the main holidays of the Christian year, one of the first Christian holidays in general – it is celebrated with beautiful and deeply meaningful services, and the blessing of water attracts many more people to churches and to the sanctified bodies of water than on other days, with the possible exception of Pascha. What then sparks such interest in the holiday, why do people wait in a line for the baptismal water, how is Theophany water different from the holy water of church blessings on feast days? And how did the custom of blessing water come about?
A bit of history...
Under the Greek Patriarch Photius (820-896 A.D.), among those who had converted to Christianity from paganism, there was still a custom: every first day of the month, they would lay out a bonfire near their homes and jump over it, as some newly converted Christians adhered to pagan superstitions and believed that this jumping cleansed a person and would grant them health for a month. To destroy such a pagan custom, Patriarch Photius ordered the blessing of water to be performed every first day of the month and to sprinkle the faithful. This gradually weaned the newly converted Christians off their pagan custom.
The meaning of water consecration becomes clear from the litany read by the priest:
...For the blessing of this water, for its enlightenment and strength, and for the coming and action of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord. For the descending upon it of the grace of deliverance, the blessing of the Jordan, let us pray to the Lord. That it may become a stream of healing for all who receive and partake of it, let us pray to the Lord. That it may be for the purification of soul and body for all who need and receive it, let us pray to the Lord. That it may appear as sanctification and salvation for our souls, let us pray to the Lord. That it may be for the driving away and purification of every action and enticement of visible and invisible enemies, let us pray to the Lord. That it may appear as a medicine and purification of every disease of our souls and bodies, let us pray to the Lord. That the power of the immortal foe may be drowned in these waters, let us pray to the Lord. That we, receiving the sacred waters, may be enlightened by the grace of Christ, let us pray to the Lord. That we may all anoint ourselves with them in faith, or taste them for the purification of the filth of flesh and spirit, let us pray to the Lord. For the coming upon it of the purification, of the supernatural grace of the Trinity, let us pray to the Lord. For those who draw and drink from it for the sanctification of souls and bodies, let us pray to the Lord. That it may become a source of sanctification and incorruption of homes, let us pray to the Lord. That it may be blessed as the streams of the Jordan, let us pray to the Lord. That the Lord God may hear the voice of our prayer and have mercy on us, let us pray to the Lord. That we may be delivered from every sorrow, wrath, and need, let us pray to the Lord. Protect, save, have mercy, and preserve us, O God, by Thy grace.
During the Feast of the Lord's Baptism, two water sanctifications are performed, which again is connected to the establishment by Patriarch Photius (patriarchate years 857-867, 877-886), who decreed that in January, instead of the first of the month, the water blessing should be performed on the very day of Theophany, in addition to the already prescribed sanctification of the Great Water on the eve of Theophany, that is, on January 5/18. Thus, the custom was established to perform the water blessing on the first day of each month, except for January, when the blessing was performed on the 6/19th, and February 2/15th, when the water blessing was performed on the Feast of the Meeting of the Lord. Hence, it is clear that the Great Water is sanctified on January 5/18, and the water sanctified on January 6/19 has the same power as the water sanctified on August 1st.
Similar explanations regarding Theophany water — "The Great Agiasma" are found in ancient church statutes, writings of the holy fathers, and early Christian writers such as Saint Cyprian (died 258), Tertullian (approximately 155-220), Saint Epiphanius (4th century), Saint Basil the Great (330-379), and others. In the Russian church, until the 12th century, the custom of the second water sanctification on the morning of Theophany was absent. This custom only took root after the Jerusalem liturgical order became widespread in the churches.
From all of the above, it becomes clear that the sanctification of the Great Agiasma - the holy Theophany water occurs only once a year.
How is the water sanctified?
The rite of the second sanctification of water on January 6/19 is different from the sanctification rite of January 5/18. The Great Water Blessing on the eve of the Feast of the Baptism is performed as follows: the clergy come out of the altar. The celebrant holds the Holy Cross on his head, accompanied by the carrying of lamps. During this time, the choir sings: "The voice of the Lord upon the waters..." and other troparia. Then, three readings, the Apostle, and the Gospel, which narrate the baptism of Jesus Christ, are read. After the Gospel, the deacon recites the litany. Then the priest reads the water blessing prayer, in which he asks the Lord to grant sanctification, health, purification, and blessing to all who partake and anoint themselves with the holy water. After the prayer, the priest immerses the Holy Cross three times in the water, while the troparion "When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan..." is sung. The priest then sprinkles the temple and all those present with the sanctified water.
The Lesser Water Blessing occurs after the dismissal of the Divine Liturgy. First, a moleben for the Theophany of the Lord is performed. According to the Great Typikon "Church Eye", the canon is read in the church if there is no nearby river, lake, or water body, and if there is one close by, it is read on the way there. After the sixth ode, the water blessing begins, following the same procedure as on the eve, only the priest or bishop does not read the second secret prayer, as written in the very rite of water blessing for Theophany. After the sanctification, the seventh song begins and the moleben is concluded with the reading of the litany. After the dismissal of the moleben, they drink the holy water, approach the Cross, and distribute prosphora. After this, with the blessing of the abbot, the holy water is distributed to homes, where it can be kept for a whole year or more. Thus, two water blessings are performed on the Feast of Theophany. One is performed on the Eve (the day before) of the feast in the church, in remembrance of the Lord's Baptism (Great Holy Water), and the other – on the feast day itself, in rivers and wells for the great solemnity of the feast (Lesser Holy Water). The Great Water — Theophany Water — is sanctified once on January 5/18, and it is said that every Christian (regardless of their sins) within 3 hours after the water is sanctified should partake of it themselves and sanctify all objects in their home, barn, etc. If anyone cannot reach home within 3 hours, then, as an exception, they have the right to perform the aforementioned sacred actions within one hour after arriving home. In the evening of the same day, the Great Holy Water becomes inviolable, and only a priest has the right to administer it to those who, for some reason, are deprived of Holy Communion.
After the specified time, the Great Water is strictly forbidden by the church Typikon for laymen to use for any needs. Moreover, if it is accidentally spilled, the place, like when Communion is spilled, is burned or cut out and "placed in inaccessible places."
How to use holy water
After the Great Water Blessing, every Christian, upon returning home, should stand before the holy icons, pray three bows with the prayer "God, be merciful...," then say: "Through the prayers of our holy Fathers...," "The Trisagion and the Our Father," and the Jesus Prayer. Then, with the singing of the troparion "When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan...," they carry out the sprinkling of the entire house.
The use of holy water, sanctified by the Lesser rite, in the everyday life of an Orthodox Christian is quite varied. For example, it is consumed on an empty stomach or after partaking of antidoron and prosphora, in small quantities, and also for sanctification, such as of dishes.
It is important to remember that sanctified water is a church relic, touched by God's grace, and requires reverent treatment.
Holy water is customarily consumed with a prayer. Although it is preferable – out of reverence for the relic – to take Theophany water on an empty stomach, if there is a special need for God's help – during illnesses or attacks of evil forces – it can and should be drunk without hesitation at any time. With reverent treatment, holy water remains fresh and pleasant to taste for a long time. It should be kept in a separate place, preferably next to the home iconostasis.
If necessary, holy water can always be "diluted" with fresh water, with the singing of the troparion "When Thou, O Lord, wast baptized in the Jordan...". It is important to remember that you should pour the sanctified water into the plain water, not vice versa.
Does bathing in an ice hole on Epiphany cleanse sins?
Unfortunately, in the public consciousness, there is a perception that bathing in an Epiphany ice hole cleanses all sins... It turns out to be very convenient: there is no need to fast, prepare for confession, or stand through long services, and there is no question of repentance. When did the tradition of bathing in an Epiphany ice hole arise? In Ancient Rus', those who engaged in divination and dressing up during the festive season bathed on Epiphany, attributing to such bathing the ability to cleanse specifically these sins. Therefore, there is nothing for a believing person to do there.
Why many Christians are against Epiphany bathing
Firstly, the reference to the saving power of sanctified water preventing anything bad from happening contradicts the Gospel. Following such a statement is equivalent to demanding a miracle from God. Someone might say, "What's wrong with that?!" To get an answer, let's turn again to the Gospel: "Then certain of the scribes and Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee" (i.e., a miracle). But He answered them, "An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it..."
Secondly, bathing in sanctified water contradicts the reverent attitude towards a great relic. Christians have held great reverence for sanctified water since ancient times. Sanctified water is referred to as Great Agiasma (sanctuary) in the Orthodox Church. The Church uses this sanctuary for sprinkling temples and homes and prescribes drinking it for those who cannot partake in Holy Communion.
Currently, ice holes for bathing are often cut in the shape of a Cross. It is considered unacceptable in the Church of Christ to step on an image of the Cross.
Thirdly, the practice of "Epiphany" bathing is a breeding ground for superstition. Most of those who bathe are those who spend their days in sinful pleasures, superstitiously attributing to this bathing the purifying power from sins. Many bathers say they feel as if they were born again or baptized a second time, and all their sins were washed away. But our Creed states: "I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins." Every Orthodox Christian should know that sin is washed away not during bathing in the "Epiphany ice hole," but in the Sacrament of Baptism with triple immersion and in the Sacrament of Repentance.
Fourthly, Epiphany bathing is non-traditional for the Russian Old Orthodox Church; it is not based on the experience or teachings of the Holy Fathers. As seen from the words of the litany, Theophany water is drawn, consumed (drunk), used for anointing, and homes are sanctified with it. There is no mention of bathing in it.
Most people treat bathing as an extreme entertainment. They boast about it, take pride in it before others. They jump into the water for fun or to satisfy a sense of pride. This boasting and bragging before others and oneself, for one's own glory, is not a feat for the sake of Christ. A feat for the sake of Christ is daily prayer, almsgiving, fasting, charity, not bathing in holy water. Such baths are not for Christ's sake, and not for the Glory of God. It has nothing to do with Orthodoxy. On the contrary, bathers desecrate the water. Unfortunately, this epidemic has spread even to the clergy, among whom there are monastics, about whom St. John Climacus said: "It is a great shame for us, having left everything after the calling by which the Lord, not man, called us, to care about anything that cannot bring us benefit in the time of our great need, i.e., at the departure of the soul. This means, as the Lord said, to turn back and not be fit for the Kingdom of Heaven." The clergy should be diligently preparing for the Divine Liturgy in the morning, and at that time they cannot even take a sip of water or medicine, let alone warm up with strong alcoholic beverages before or after bathing. How can one dare to do this?!
Bathing after the Divine Liturgy grossly violates the church tradition prohibiting bathing on the day of Communion. According to this tradition, even a deceased person who died on the day of Communion is only washed below the waist (Rite of Panikhida, published by the Novozybkov Old Believer Archbishopric, 1984 edition). If an infant is communed on any holiday and becomes soiled, they are also to be washed only below the waist. Consequently, the prohibition on bathing on the day of Communion applies to all Christians without exception.
It goes without saying that customs like the ones described, which violate the sanctity of the celebration and contradict the spirit of true Christianity, cannot be tolerated and must be eradicated.