What to do if the baptismal water has deteriorated? The great power of holy water, healing and beneficial properties: a scientific explanation. Where can I get holy water and how to use holy water at home? Are there protozoa in holy water

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 consecrated in churches, in 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 pronounced before taking holy water?

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

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

Before you read a prayer before taking holy water, you must definitely cross yourself, focus on the prayer, and after it is read, you must cross yourself again and drink water. The next step is to 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 deteriorate 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 processed with silver. During the consecration of water, a silver cross is immersed in the font.

Since ancient times, silver kills pathogenic bacteria, and when it comes into contact with water, antibacterial treatment with silver occurs.

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

Bathing with holy water

Before washing with holy water, one should first wash with plain water and cleanse the 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 due 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, the face and neck are wiped, and the water will drain in streams.

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

How to use holy water?

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

Priests say that this water should be drunk from a teaspoon or from a glass on which a temple is depicted. It is possible even from an ordinary glass, if alcoholic beverages were not 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 dispose of old holy water?

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

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

Should you boil holy water?

Some believers ask if holy water should be boiled, as the priests say, it is not necessary, since during the year the water does not deteriorate at all, it has antibacterial properties and destroys all microorganisms harmful to health.

Can holy water be used daily?

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

Are women allowed to drink holy water while they are on their period?

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

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

Orthodox who read Holy Scripture know that animals should not be allowed to touch holy things, and therefore they are not allowed to drink such water.

What to do if the consecrated water is gone or it has a fetid smell?

If he is a Christian, he saw that his baptismal or consecrated water was gone, i.e. turned green or has a fetid smell (this may be due to constant scandals in the house, as well as the wrong attitude of a person to shrines), in these cases it is recommended to invite a priest to the house and illuminate it.

How to store holy water at home?

Consecrated water at home is placed next to the icons or behind them. You can also put it in a certain locker where church supplies are located.

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

Will it be a violation to wash an unbaptized child with holy water?

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

In the Orthodox Church, there are three rites of consecration of water: consecration in the rank of the sacrament of the saint, on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord, as well as a small consecration, which is throughout the year.

How to use holy water

In addition to ingestion, it can be sprinkled on the home. However, you should not rinse a sick person with it or during it, as holy water can get into the sewer. Water can only be sprinkled. Also, do not give it to pets to drink.

How to store holy water

There are cases of spoilage by holy water. If you kept it correctly, but it still deteriorated, in particular, cloudiness appeared in it, an unpleasant smell or it acquired a bad taste, you should definitely tell the priest about this. It is better to do this at confession with repentance for the irreverent attitude towards the shrine. The Church allows pouring spoiled holy water into a river or other natural source. Just don't flush it down the toilet and don't pour it down the sink!

Holy water is a shrine that is present in the house of a believer. She is recruited in churches after a prayer service and consecration and carefully used for needs.

All Orthodox sincerely believe that the holy liquid helps with illnesses, the treacherous invasion of dark forces and the removal of sins. Sprinkling housing, lubricating sore spots and taking it inside - every time the wonderful properties of water are manifested.

Respectful attitude and proper storage is the key to a long service life of fresh life-giving moisture.

Holy water is a gift given by the Lord and the attitude towards it should be special. When collecting consecrated water, the following rules must be observed:

• The container for the liquid must be cleanly washed and without stickers.
• Do not take large amounts of water. Moisture collected for the future is considered "imprisonment of the shrine" and may lose its healing properties. With a shortage, you can always dial in any nearby temple on any day of the year.
• When receiving and giving holy water, it is forbidden to swear or quarrel. Swearing destroys the faith and prayer of the begging Christian.
• Use for divination and magical rituals.

To preserve the miraculous properties, the vessel with the liquid is tightly sealed with a lid, stored next to home icons and do not allow sunlight to enter the container.

Indeed, the use of holy water is limitless when used carefully and deliberately. And yet there are rules on what can and cannot be done with holy water.

How to use

Watering houseplants

Do not use liquid for watering flowers. Consecrated water, with proper use and veneration, is able to retain the bestowed properties for a long time.

However, if during long-term storage the water has changed color or an unpleasant odor has appeared, then the question arises before the parishioner, is it possible to water potted plants or flowers with spoiled water?

The clergy favorably give permission for the disposal of water in this way. If there are no plants in the house, then the rest of the water can be watered on a tree or shrub on the territory of the Church.

Is it permissible to put water on the floor?

Agiasma is as sacred as icons or other church paraphernalia and requires due respect. The floor or earth is considered a place where a sinner can pass, and if a vessel is placed on the floor, then the water can be defiled and lose its healing effect. Before collecting moisture, you should consider where to put the container upon arrival home, without resorting to installation on the floor. If the action is forced and short-term, then it is permissible. The only place where you can put a bowl of water on the floor is the temple.

medicine and water

Do not drink medicine with holy water. Sick people sincerely believe that drinking medicines with consecrated water, the effect of the pills is enhanced, and the disease will quickly and inevitably recede.

When asked whether it is possible to drink the medicine with agiasma, the clergy answer that there is no strict ban on the action, just as there is no consent.

Of course, if ordinary water is not at hand at the time of taking the medicine, then drinking holy water is not considered blasphemy. But if there is a choice, then you should not combine medicines and a shrine.

Dilution of holy water

Collecting a large amount of holy liquid in the temple, a person automatically becomes a hostage to the superstition that magical power is contained in the water and does not think that every drop is full of prayer and is a blessing from God.

Diluting holy water is not forbidden and is only welcome, if a person needs to drink agiasma. It is enough to bring a small fraction of water from the temple in a small container and at home, with a prayer, drop by drop into ordinary water, it will immediately acquire miraculous properties. But the right advice is to regularly attend the Church and receive new holy water.

Application to animals: is it possible or not?

It is a sin to water animals with holy water. The holy scripture says that animals should not touch the shrine. That's why drinking holy water to pets is prohibited. However, if the animal is threatened with a fatal disease, and the owner hopes for a better outcome, then a few drops added to the main drink will not be superfluous.

But, by the way, the animal will not be able to appreciate the good liquid, but only the faith of the owner will help to overcome the disease. Sprinkling pets with life-giving moisture is not prohibited. The combination of prayer for diseases and sprinkling with holy water will save your pet from adversity.

Using agiasma for cleaning

Washing floors with holy water is prohibited, walking on foot after cleaning is considered a defilement. Application when washing various surfaces is also not permissible. Sprinkling of the dwelling is allowed, and if moisture gets on the floor in the process, then there is no sin in this. If a container of water has fallen and spilled onto the floor, then the moisture is collected with a clean napkin, squeezed into another bowl and either watered the flowers or poured into running water.

Consecration of the cross at home

The best defense of the Orthodox is considered to be a cross consecrated by a clergyman in the temple. But if immediate divine protection is needed, then the cross can be consecrated independently. To conduct it, you will need holy water and a prayer in front of the icon for the help of the Lord.

cooking with holy water

It is forbidden to add a shrine to food. Adding a shrine to food or tea is unacceptable and is considered a sin.

No need to combine the desire to turn to God, and fill the stomach.

Consecrated water is meant to relieve spiritual, not worldly, problems.

It is permissible to sprinkle food with prayer, faith and gratitude.

Holy water bath

It is forbidden to use agiasma for taking a bath, for the falling of the shrine into the sewage is considered disrespectful. Bathing in holy water, in the hope of remission of sins, will not bring results, only faith and sincere repentance can purify a person. But wetting the body with holy water after taking a bath with ordinary water is allowed. A small amount applied to the palm of your hand can wash your face and chest.

Can you bless a gun with holy water?

From the point of view of logic, the consecration of weapons is unacceptable, because killing is a sin. But from the standpoint of the Russian Orthodox Church, consecration is permitted and is regarded as a means of a forced struggle against evil. The gun stored in the house is consecrated to protect the household from a possible attack by robbers.

Selling: benefit or sin?

To charge for holy water is considered blasphemy. It is a gift from God and is given free of charge. But if money was required for the delivery of the shrine, then you can reimburse what was spent and call it a donation.

Is it possible to give holy water from home, share or give to strangers?

Giving part of the holy water to a stranger is possible, but you need to be firmly convinced that the moisture will be used in useful and not containing evil thoughts deeds.

Boiling and freezing

Freezing is not required. Water becomes consecrated after the priest reads special prayers and immerses the cross. After that, the liquid is filled with God's grace, cleansed of all negativity and retains freshness and miraculous properties for a long time. Therefore, boiling is not required.

No need to store water in the refrigerator it is polluted by nearby products. Also do not freeze. Under the influence of low temperatures, water changes its structure and loses its healing qualities, and after thawing it quickly becomes unusable.

What to do with unused

Where is holy water poured? Sometimes it happens that, and a person is afraid to use it inside. Then the rest of the water is poured into a place far from sewage. Pour onto the path where people or animals walk, into the sewer - you can’t! This is an extreme disrespect for the shrine. An acceptable place for draining unsuitable moisture is a river with the course, open pond, tree at the temple, houseplants.

The blessing of water is a great sacrament. It makes it possible to return to pristine purity and draw closer to the Lord. Using holy water, a person heals the soul and body.

All our life next to us is a great shrine - holy water.

Consecrated water is an image of the grace of God: it cleanses believers from spiritual filth, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God.

We first plunge into it in baptism, when, while receiving this sacrament, we are immersed three times in a font filled with holy water. Holy water in the sacrament of baptism washes away the sinful impurities of a person, renews and regenerates him into a new life in Christ.

Holy water is necessarily present at the consecration of churches and all objects used in worship, at the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and any household item.

We are sprinkled with holy water in religious processions, during prayer services.

On the day of Theophany, every Orthodox Christian brings home a vessel with holy water, carefully keeps it as the greatest shrine, praying to partake of holy water in sickness and all kinds of infirmity.

Epiphany water, like Holy Communion, is taken by believers only on an empty stomach.

"Holy Water"- as Saint Demetrius of Kherson wrote, - has the power to sanctify the souls and bodies of all who use it. She, acceptable with faith and prayer, heals our bodily diseases.

Holy water extinguishes the flame of passions, drives away evil spirits - that is why they sprinkle the dwelling and every thing that is consecrated with holy water.

The Monk Seraphim, after the confession of the pilgrims, always gave them to eat from the cup of holy Epiphany water.

The Monk Ambrose sent a bottle of holy water to the terminally ill, and the incurable disease, to the amazement of the doctors, passed away.

Elder Hieroschemamonk Seraphim Vyritsky always advised to sprinkle food and food itself with Jordanian (Epiphany) water, which, in his words, "consecrates everything by itself."

When someone was very ill, Elder Seraphim blessed to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour. The elder said that there is no stronger medicine than holy water and consecrated oil.

How water was first blessed

The consecration of water was accepted by the Church from the apostles and their successors. But the first example was given by the Lord Himself, when He plunged into the Jordan and sanctified the whole nature of water.

Not always water needed consecration. There were times when everything on earth was pure and holy.

And God saw all that He had made, says the book of Genesis, very good"(Gen. 1:31). Then, before the fall of man, everything was created by the Word of God, everything was made alive by the Holy Spirit, which hovered over the water. Everything on earth was sealed with the all-sanctifying blessing of God, and therefore all earthly elements served for the benefit of man: they supported life, protected the body from destruction. Living in this harmonious, heavenly environment, man, according to the promise of God, had to be immortal, for "God did not create death"(Wis. 1, 13).

But man himself, through communion with an unclean spirit, received the seed of uncleanness into his soul. And then the Spirit of God departed from the unclean creature: “And the Lord [God] said: It is not forever for my Spirit to be neglected by men [these], because they are flesh”(Gen. 6:3).

Now everything that the hands of sinners touched became unclean, everything became an instrument of sin, and therefore was deprived of God's blessing and was subjected to a curse. The elements that previously served man have changed. The earth now brings thorns and thistles, the smoldering air becomes dangerous and sometimes deadly. Water, having become a drain of sewage, became contagious, dangerous, and now, in the hands of the Justice of God, it began to act as an instrument of punishment for the wicked.

But this does not mean that humanity was deprived of holy water. The spring that Moses brought out of the rock spouted, of course, not ordinary water, but special water. The water in the spring of the Samaritan woman, dug by the forefather Jacob and later consecrated by the conversation of the Savior at this source, was not simple.

The concept of holy water is found in the Old Testament: "and the priest shall take the holy water in an earthen vessel"(Num. 5:17).

But very special water flows in the Jordan River. Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared in the Jordan to sanctify the watery nature and make it a source of sanctification for man.

That is why, at the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan, the miracle of creation seemed to be repeated: the heavens opened, the Spirit of God descended, and the voice of the Heavenly Father was heard: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased"(Matthew 3:17).

Thus, after the fall of man, for the first time consecration of water.

Why does the Church sanctify water

Why does the Church sanctify water again and again when it has already been sanctified by the Baptism of the Son of God Himself?

We, fallen, though renewed by the grace of God, people, always, until death, carry in ourselves the seed of ancient sinful impurity, and therefore we can always sin, and thereby again and again introduce impurity and corruption into the world around us. Therefore, our Lord Jesus Christ, having ascended into heaven, left us his living and life-giving word, granted believers the right to bring the blessing of the Heavenly Father down to earth by the power of faith and prayer, sent down the Comforter of the Spirit of truth, who always abides in the Church of Christ, so that the Church, despite the inexhaustible in the heart of the human seed of sin and impurity, has always had an inexhaustible source of sanctification and life.

Keeping this commandment of the Lord, the Holy Church always sanctifies not only the person himself, but also everything that he uses in the world with the Word of God, the sacraments and prayer. With this, the Church puts a limit to the spread of sinful impurities, prevents the multiplication of the disastrous consequences of our sins.

Church sanctifies the earth asking her God for the blessing of fertility, bless the bread serving us as food, and water that quenches our thirst.

Without blessing, without sanctification, could this corruptible food and drink sustain our lives? “It is not the generation of fruits that nourishes a man, but your word preserves those who believe in you.”(Wisdom 16:26).

This is where the answer to the question of why the Church sanctifies water arises.

By consecrating water, the Church returns the water element to its original purity and holiness, brings down to the water, by the power of prayer and the Word of God, the blessing of the Lord and the grace of the Most Holy and Life-Giving Spirit.

Why is water consecrated in special vessels

Like everything else in the Church, the vessel in which the consecration of water is performed carries a great symbolic meaning. Outwardly, the water-consecrated vessel looks like a chalice for communion. A vessel for consecrating water is a large bowl on a low stand with a round base for putting it on the table. On the eastern side of the bowl there are cells where, at the beginning of the blessing of water, three candles are placed - in the image of the Holy Trinity, which sanctifies and enlightens people with Divine grace. As a vessel and receptacle of God's grace, the chalice of water is approaching in its symbolic meaning the Eucharistic chalice - chalice (translated from Greek - a vessel for drinking) and just like the chalice, it marks the Most Holy Theotokos and Ever-Virgin Mary, in whose womb the human nature of the Lord Jesus Christ was formed. The round base of the bowl for blessing water is a sign of the circle of the earthly Church, the round bowl itself, into which water is poured, marks the Church heavenly, and all together there is symbol of Our Lady as the purest vessel of God's grace.

The baptismal font has the same basic symbolic meanings. This vessel is also made in the form of a bowl, only much larger than the water-consecrated one, and on a high stand.

How does the rite of the great blessing of water take place

The rite of consecration of water, which takes place on the feast of the Epiphany, is called great by the special solemnity of the rite, imbued with the remembrance of the Baptism of the Lord, in which the Church sees not only the prototype of the mysterious washing away of sins, but also the actual sanctification of the very nature of water, through the immersion of God in the flesh into it.

The Great Blessing of Water is sometimes performed at the end of the Liturgy, after the prayer behind the ambo, and sometimes at the end of Vespers, after the litanies: "Let's fulfill our evening prayer...".

It is performed at the liturgy on the very day of Theophany, and also on the eve of Theophany, when this eve takes place on any day of the week, except Saturday and Sunday. If the eve of Theophany is on Saturday or Sunday, then the great blessing of water takes place at the end of Vespers.

How water is blessed at a prayer service ordered by believers

In addition to baptismal water, Orthodox Christians often use water consecrated at prayer services.

Prayer singing, or a prayer service, is a special worship service in which they ask the Lord, the Mother of God and the saints to send down mercy or thank God for receiving blessings.

Prayers are performed in the temple or private homes.

In the temple, prayers are performed after the liturgy and are performed at the request and needs of the faithful. Such prayer songs include prayer rites performed with the blessing of various objects, for the healing of the sick, for those heading on a long journey, for warriors, etc. At prayer services, the rite of small consecration of water usually takes place.

The small consecration of water is also performed by the Church on the day of the Origin (wearing out) of the honest trees of the Life-Giving Cross of the Lord and on the day of the Mid-Midday, when the words of the Savior, full of the deepest mystery, spoken by Him to the Samaritan woman are remembered: “Whoever drinks the water that I will give him will never be thirsty; but the water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water springing up into eternal life."(John 4:14).

For a small blessing of water, a covered table is placed in the middle of the church, on which a bowl of water is supplied and the Cross and the Gospel are relied upon. Candles are lit in front of the bowl. After the exclamation of the priest, Psalm 142 is read: Lord, hear my prayer.... Then they sing: "God Lord" and troparia: “Now diligently to the Mother of God as a son ...”, “We will never be silent, Mother of God ...”. At the same time, the priest incense crosswise water.

After reading Psalm 50: "Have mercy on me, God...", troparia and litanies, the incense of the temple or house is performed.

At the end, the prokeimenon is pronounced and the Apostle is read (Heb. 2:14-18), in which St. Paul speaks of Christ:

“And since the children share in flesh and blood, He also took them in order to deprive by death of power the one with the power of death, that is, the devil, and to deliver those who, through the fear of death, were subject to slavery all their lives. For He will not receive angels, but He will receive Abraham's seed. Therefore, He had to become like the brethren in everything, in order to be a merciful and faithful high priest before God, to make atonement for the sins of the people. For just as He Himself endured when tempted, He is able to help those who are tempted.”.

“There is a pool in Jerusalem at the Sheep Gate, called in Hebrew Bethesda, in which there were five covered passages. In them lay a great multitude of the sick, the blind, the lame, the withered, waiting for the movement of the water, for the Angel of the Lord at times went into the pool and disturbed the water, and whoever entered it first after the disturbance of the water, he recovered, no matter what disease he was possessed..

The litany is pronounced: "Let us pray to the Lord in peace" in which petitions are raised for the blessing of water. This is usually done by censing water. Then the priest reads a prayer for the blessing of the water.

Sometimes a special prayer is also read: “ Great God, work miracles, they are innumerable! Come now to Thy servants who pray to Thee, Master, and eat of Thy Holy Spirit and sanctify this water: and give to those who drink from it and receive and sprinkle it with Thy servant, the change is passionate, the remission of sins, the healing of illness, and the liberation from all evil, and the affirmation of and the sanctification of the house and the cleansing of all filth, and the slander of the devil's driving away: as if blessed and glorified, Thy most honorable and magnificent Name, the Father and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and forever, and forever and ever. Amen".

After reading the prayers, the priest, taking the honest Cross with the Crucifix towards him, makes a cruciform movement on the surface of the water with its lower part, then immerses the entire Cross in the water. At the same time, they sing the troparia: "Save, O Lord, Thy people..."(thrice) and "Your gifts...".

Then the priest kisses the Cross, taken out of the water, and sprinkles all those present and the whole church. Those present venerate the Cross, and the priest sprinkles each.

After the blessing of water, everyone who ordered a prayer service can receive holy water.

Why the Church Prays for Water Springs

“The main of all the needs for human life are water, fire, iron, salt, wheat flour, honey, milk, grape juice, oil and clothing: all this serves the pious in favor, and sinners can be harmed”(Sir. 39, 32-33).

“... What gift is so necessary for us as water?- says the holy martyr Hippolytus of Rome. - With water everything is washed, and nourished, and cleansed, and irrigated. Water waters the earth, produces dew, fattens the grapes, brings ears of corn to maturity... But why talk too much? Without water, nothing that we see can exist: water is so necessary that when the other elements have a dwelling under the vaults of heaven, it received a container for itself above the heavens. The Prophet himself testifies to this, calling; "Praise Him, heavens of heavens and waters that are above the heavens"(Ps. 149:4).

And the Church, with a fervent prayer, calls out to the Lord to call forth sweet and abundant water from the bowels of the earth.

In the well, the digging of which is done according to the special prayers of the priest, there is not ordinary water: the “digging of the well” is already consecrated by a special ceremony.

“Give us water in this place, sweet and tasty, sufficient for consumption, but not harmful for acceptance ...” - the priest prays and the first begins to dig a well.

A special prayer is again performed over the dug well: “To the Creator of the waters and the Maker of all ... You Yourself sanctify this water: eat Your holy power on every resistive work, and give to all who receive from it, for drink for the sake of, or for the sake of washing, the health of the soul and body, to change every passion and every ailment: as if there would be a healing of water and peace to all who touch it and accept it ... "

Ordinary well water becomes an object of worship and, moreover, a miraculous object. "water of healing and peace".

There are many springs, wells, springs, where, through the prayers of the saints, water pours out, having a greater blessing than the waters of Bethesda of Jerusalem. Not only drinking this water, but even dipping into the waters of these springs brings many healings and miracles.

The Church has always performed and is now performing the consecration of the waters of public springs, rivers, lakes. This water also enters the reservoirs, and then - into the water pipes, into our apartments.

It can be argued that there is not a single stream of water in the world, not a single drop that would not be consecrated, spiritually fertilized by prayer, blessed and, consequently, which would not be life-giving and saving for people, animals, birds and the earth itself.

If we always acted as the Church and the Word of God teaches us, then the grace-filled gifts of the Holy Spirit would constantly be poured out on us, then every source would be for us a source of healing from bodily and spiritual ailments, each cup of water would serve as purification and enlightenment, "water of healing and peace", holy water.

But that doesn't happen. People get sick from water, water becomes a dangerous, deadly and destructive element. Yes, tap water - and holy water does not help us!

Are the prayers of the Church powerless?

When God intended to punish the first world with water, then He said to Noah: “The end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I will destroy them from the earth... I will bring a flood of waters on the earth to destroy all flesh that has the spirit of life under the heavens; everything on earth will lose its life.”(Gen. 6, 13. 17). These words can be applied to our day as well. Do not be surprised that water does not heal, does not benefit. What is surprising here, when the main sacrament - the Eucharist, the acceptance of the Body and Blood of the Lord - serves many not for salvation, but for condemnation ...

“Whoever eats and drinks unworthily, he eats and drinks condemnation to himself, not considering the Body of the Lord” (1 Cor. 11:29).

Miracles and healings are happening today. But only those who accept it with living faith in the promises of God and the power of the prayer of the Holy Church, those who have a pure and sincere desire to change their lives, repentance, and salvation are rewarded with miraculous effects of holy water. God does not work miracles where they want to see them only out of curiosity, without a sincere intention to use them for their salvation. A wicked and adulterous generation- said the Savior about his unbelieving contemporaries, - looking for signs; and no sign will be given to him.

In order for holy water to be beneficial, we will take care of the purity of the soul, the lordship of thoughts and deeds. And with every touch of holy water, let us offer up this prayer in our minds and hearts.

Prayer for the adoption of prosphora and holy water

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 spiritual and bodily strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities through Your boundless mercy with the prayers of the Cleansing Your Mother and all Your saints. Amen.

Sretensky Monastery
"New book" - 1997

Orthodox believers began Epiphany Christmas Eve - the day before the important feast of the Baptism of the Lord, also called Epiphany. The days preceding the great church holidays are the days of the strictest fast.

So it is with Epiphany Christmas Eve, on this day believers either try not to eat anything at all and only drink holy water, or they eat only juicy - boiled grains of wheat and rice, to which honey and raisins can be added. Behind Christmas time are holy days, festive, dedicated to the joy of the Born Christ. Ahead is the feast of the Epiphany, established in honor of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.

And in order to internally, spiritually, prepare us for the feast of Epiphany, the Church on the eve establishes a strict fast - even Sochivo on Epiphany Eve is eaten after the "first star", that is, after the removal of a candle during the evening service. In memory of the Baptism of Jesus Christ, both on Epiphany Eve and on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord itself, water is blessed in churches.

What is the blessing of water? Blessing of water is a special order of prayers and sacred rites that impart special beneficial properties to water. According to the centuries-old experience of the Church, holy water, accepted with prayer, has the grace-filled power to protect, heal and sanctify. Therefore, not a single divine service is complete without holy water. In church life, holy water is everywhere: it is in the consecrated water that the Sacrament of Baptism is performed, and with it, holy water, the deceased is escorted on his last journey, sprinkling both the body and the coffin in the cemetery - this is how the shrine serves as protection from dark forces.

We drink holy water if we get sick on an empty stomach, eating prosphora, and, as the prayer says: "May it serve for communion." Holy water, with prayer, is poured over, blessing, travelers, on their way, and students before the start of the new academic year. Our houses are sprinkled with it during consecration, and all objects in the temple - icons, crosses, banners, bells, everything belonging to the altar and the servants of the altar - the throne, the altar, the Gospels, clothes, vestments, in a word, everything. Cars, planes, submarines and even rockets - and this too can be blessed with holy water if we want to protect our lives, make them safe, and receive God's blessing.

Hence the question: where does it come from in such quantities? Twice a year - on Epiphany Christmas Eve and on Epiphany (Epiphany) itself, the so-called "great consecration of water" - "great agiasma" (in Greek, a shrine) is performed. It is accompanied by a prayer in which we ask the Lord: "...come now also by the influx of Your Holy Spirit, and sanctify this water. And give her grace and deliverance, the blessing of Jordan..."

The Fathers of the Church mention the special properties of the Epiphany water and advise more often to resort to its healing help. In addition to the great consecration, for everyday needs there is a small consecration of water, performed in churches every day - the so-called "small hagiasma". Then with this water they consecrate housing, objects, sprinkle the sick. Unlike holy water of small consecration, Epiphany water is advised to drink only on an empty stomach, with the prayer "In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen." An exception can be made only for very sick people or with a sudden onset of a painful condition.

And, of course, we must remember that the use of holy water for medicinal purposes does not at all preclude going to doctors and treating them. By the way, there is no need to store Epiphany water on an industrial scale: the properties of this water are such that when it starts to run out, you just need to add ordinary clean water to it, and it will be consecrated by the already existing Epiphany - the principle of unlimited dilution applies here.