About the use of holy water. What to say when you drink holy water. How to collect holy water in the church? The great power of holy water, healing and beneficial properties: a scientific explanation What is done with holy water from the church

Holy water is ordinary in composition and original origin water (well, spring, lake, river, tap water), miraculously acquiring sanctifying (fertile) and healing properties after performing a special prayer service called water sanctification.

All our life next to us is a great shrine - holy water (in Greek "agiasma" - "shrine"). 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 SacramentBaptism 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 at religious processions, during prayer services.

Blessing of water or blessing of water, there is a small one performed at all times at the prayer service for the blessing of water, and a great one. The Great Blessing of Water takes place twice a year - on the very day of Theophany, and also the day before, on the eve of Theophany (Epiphany Eve). On Christmas Eve and on the very day of the feast of the Epiphany (Baptism of the Lord), the same rite is performed during the consecration of water.

Epiphany water is a shrine that should be in the home of every Orthodox Christian. It is customary to use holy baptismal water on an empty stomach along with prosphora after the morning prayer rule with special reverence as a shrine.
“Consecrated water,” as St. 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. The Monk Seraphim of Sarov, after the confession of the pilgrims, always gave them to eat from the cup of holy Epiphany water.

The Monk Seraphim of Vyritsky always advised to sprinkle food and food itself with Jordanian (Epiphany) water, which, in his words, "consecrates everything itself." When someone is very sick, Rev. Seraphim blessed to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour. He said that medicines are stronger than holy water and consecrated oil - no.

It is important to know that bathing in consecrated reservoirs is only a tradition, it does not carry any cleansing from sins and is not a substitute for the Sacrament of Penance (Confession). On the days of church holidays, Christians try to participate in divine services and the main Sacrament of the Church - Holy Communion.

There is no need to store large containers of holy water: when it runs out, it is enough to add ordinary clean water to it, which will be sanctified by the available epiphany.

The Great Hagiasma, according to the canons of the Church, is regarded as a kind of lower degree of Holy Communion: in those cases when, due to sins committed, a member of the Church is penalized and forbidden to partake of the Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the usual reservation according to the canons is made: “Let him drink to this agiasma.”

The assertions that holy water acquires its properties due to silver ions from a silver cross, which the priest immerses in water during the Rite of water consecration, look naive. There is even an anecdote about this:
“How many silver ions are contained in a liter of consecrated baptismal water, if the consecration was carried out in a hole cut in the ice of the Volga (as was usually the case before the revolution and is practiced today), in a place where the width of the river reaches a kilometer, the depth is ten meters, the speed of the flow is 5 km / h, and the cross with which the village priest consecrated the water is wooden?

The consecration of water in the Sacrament of Baptism is generally performed simply by the hand of a priest. And yet, this water has all the properties that holy water should have.

In the Orthodox Church, holy water has the widest application as a source of God's grace in the mystical sanctification of everyone and everything. Thus, newborn babies (or unbaptized old ones) are freed from original sin through baptism in water and are united with Christ, becoming a new creature. A person dies, his remains and the last abode - the coffin, are sprinkled with holy water as parting words to eternity, as well as the resting place - the cemetery.

Who goes on a journey, he is blessed by sprinkling with holy water. Before the start of the teaching, the youths are sprinkled with holy water. Both the foundation of the house and the very dwelling of a person are certainly sanctified with holy water. In the church, everything that has a sacred use is necessarily sanctified through the sprinkling of holy water, just like the temple itself at the foundation, at the completion of its construction, and constantly on deliberate days and holidays of the year.

So, in the temple, everything belonging to the altar and the servants of the altar is consecrated with holy water - the throne, the altar, the antimension, service vessels, crosses, Gospels, altar clothes, vestments of clergy, etc. All sacred objects are also consecrated - icons, crosses, banners, reliquaries, bells, and so on.

It is difficult to find something that would be so necessary for people in their earthly life and constitute such an urgent need as bread and water. Bread is the simplest and natural food of man, supporting and strengthening his strength. A person uses water to quench thirst and cook food, washes the body and the things he uses with it.

These two substances, which are essential for man in his bodily life, turn out to be inalienable elements for him in his spiritual life as well. Bread, consisting of many grains, personifies the Church - One with the plurality of its members. Bread serves the greatest Sacrament - Holy Communion.

By consecrating water, the Church returns the water element to its original purity and holiness, by the power of prayer and the Word of God, it brings the blessing of the Lord to the 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, extinguishes the flame of passions, drives away evil spirits.

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

PRAYER FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF PROSPORA AND HOLY WATER

Lord my God, may Your holy gift be: prosphora and Your holy water 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 the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen.

ABC of Faith

Holy water is the greatest Orthodox shrine, it is always available in the house of a Christian who believes in the Lord. She crowns the image of Divine grace: cleanses from filth, strengthens in the feat of salvation.

We plunge into it three times during the creation of the Sacrament of Baptism in the font, it also revives each newly baptized into a new life in God.

Read about holy water:

It is necessary to keep it reverently as the greatest shrine, taking it with prayer and prosphora on an empty stomach in illness, with the invasion of dark forces, in the conquest of passions and other weaknesses. The most daring, in a rush to gain bodily health, plunge into the frosty Jordans built on reservoirs.

Attention! An important and interesting quality of holy water is that even in a meager amount, when added to ordinary water, it communicates its beneficial properties to the second one, thereby consecrating all water.

Out of a benevolent attitude towards the shrine, although it is customary to drink it on an empty stomach, in case of ailments or in special need of God's help, one can and should drink it or consecrate things with it at any time.

Holy water is usually stored for a long time and does not deteriorate. But it can “disappear” if it is not reverently stored and used. In addition, it can deteriorate in those people who constantly scandalize, live in sin, it somehow “reacts” to external and internal negativity.

It is forbidden to drink water to several people from one vessel, the neck of a bottle, a can.

Important! Women in impurity should refrain from using agiasma.

Holy water

How to sanctify water yourself

Water can be sanctified at home on your own, because some Christians who, for some valid reason, cannot visit the holy temple. A necessary condition for performing the Sacrament at home is sincere and unconditional faith!

Fill the jar with cold tap water.
Cross yourself, light a candle and read the opening prayers.
Cross the water three times and read a special prayer for the blessing of water (it can be found in any prayer book). Pour some baptismal water from the temple into the container.

It must be remembered that it is still advisable to take consecrated water in the temple or participate in special water-blessing prayers.

Church-wide delusions

Many believe that bathing in the Epiphany Jordan can cleanse the soul from sins. This is not true, the absolution of sins is performed only through the Sacrament of repentance (confession) in an Orthodox church.
The water collected in the church on the day of the feast of the Baptism of the Lord is baptismal for a year, two, three, and so on, until its reserves run out. People mistakenly think that her holiness "lasts" only a week.
There is no difference whether the water was collected on Christmas Eve or on the day of Epiphany. In terms of quality, it is absolutely the same. It is consecrated by the same rite, but many people do not even bother listening to prayers. Some non-believers, for example, come today for water, and tomorrow they repeat the same thing, being sure that "tomorrow's" water is stronger than "today's".
Great Agiasma can be used by both Orthodox Christians and non-Christians. It is important that they accept it God-fearing and reverent, with sincere prayer on their lips.
It is believed that water drawn from a tap or in a pond on the feast of the Epiphany is consecrated. But such it will be only for those who have strong faith in Christ. But it is better, of course, to get water in the church. Indeed, in its holy walls, during the festive divine service, there is a unity of Christian prayers. It happens that a person does not have the opportunity to come to the temple - then with faith and prayer he is allowed to pour water from the tap and use it.
By adding just a drop of holy water to a container of plain water, absolutely all water is consecrated. Therefore, it is unreasonable to collect blessed water after prayers and on the feast of Epiphany with whole buckets, canisters, because "a drop of the sea sanctifies."
It is considered a myth that if an unbaptized person comes to church on the feast of the Baptism of the Lord and defends the entire service from beginning to end, then he is already considered baptized and has the right to wear a pectoral cross and participate in other church sacraments.
It happens that holy water deteriorates, becomes cloudy, changes color, and a rotten smell appears from it. In this case, it is necessary to pour it into a place that cannot be trampled underfoot, for example, under a tree, into a flower pot or into a pond. The vessel in which it was stored should no longer be used for domestic purposes.
The assertion that a person who daily and according to all the rules takes holy water can not proceed to the Sacrament of Communion is not true. After all, holy water can in no way replace the Blood and Flesh of the Lord, which a Christian takes into himself during communion. According to church rules, agiasma is used instead of Communion only if a person has been excommunicated from Communion for a while, that is, penance has been imposed on him.

Consecration of water

Popular beliefs

Previously, villagers used to collect snow from haystacks on the day of Theophany. The collected snow melted, and the canvas was immersed in the resulting water. People believed that only epiphany water could whiten it. And the girls carried out "cosmetic" procedures and washed themselves with this water in order to whiten their skin.
It was and is still believed that if a girl or woman wash her face early in the morning with the snow that fell on Epiphany, then she will be attractive to the opposite sex for a whole year.
The snow collected on the evening of January 18 was considered healing, curative. People came up with a variety of methods of treatment that helped them get rid of ailments. Of course, this is a myth, but no one has canceled the placebo effect.
Epiphany Christmas Eve was considered the time of the highest revelry of evil spirits. In order to avoid its invasion of dwellings, people placed church candles in the corners of the houses and lit them, and a wooden crucifix was hung on the door without fail.
Water was poured into the silver bowl on the evening of January 18. The container was installed on a table or on a windowsill. At midnight, people waited for the water to begin to sway, which meant the opening of the heavens and the descent of the Holy Spirit. At this point, people were making wishes. It was believed that everything conceived at that moment would certainly come true.
Dreams that occurred on the night of Epiphany were considered prophetic.
People believed that the sacrament of Baptism performed on a person on a holiday promises a newly baptized Christian happiness for life.
The matchmaking, performed on the day of Epiphany, promised the young couple a long, calm, happy and blessed marital life.

More about superstitions:

On the feast of Epiphany, you should not do physical work, household chores. It is forbidden to swear and commit sinful acts.

Advice! A pious occupation is attending a divine service in a church, confession of sins, communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ. And after the service, it is desirable to collect holy water.

Even the elders admonished the people that there is no stronger medicine for a person than holy water.

Watch a video about holy water

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. So 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.

holy water- 1) ordinary in composition and original origin water (well, spring, lake, river, water), miraculously acquired, as a result of a prayer service, called, the properties to sanctify and heal (according to the faith of people piously using it); 2) (sometimes, in some sense) water from a holy spring.
All our life next to us is a great shrine - holy water (in Greek, ἁγίασμα - shrine).
We first plunge into it in when, while taking this, 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 revives him into a new life in.
Holy water is necessarily present at the consecration of temples and all objects used in, at the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, any household item. We are sprinkled with holy water at religious processions, during prayer services.

« consecrated water- wrote Saint Demetrius of Kherson, - has the power to sanctify the souls and bodies of all who use it". She, acceptable with faith and prayer, heals our bodily diseases. After the confession of the pilgrims, the monk always gave them to eat from the cup of holy Epiphany water.

Is it possible to sprinkle unclean places with holy water?

There is the power of the cross as something protecting, like an exorcism. We can sanctify something in the sense of “fulfill grace”, but we sprinkle something (say, a toilet) with Epiphany holy water so that no evil is hidden there, and not for the consumption of the shrine there.

Is it possible to drink holy water on an empty stomach?

By tradition, holy water is taken on an empty stomach in the morning, which is quite understandable: first of all, a person eats a shrine, and then proceeds to ordinary food. As for the remaining days, then in the Typicon (Typicon, ch. 48 - the calendar, January 6, 1st "behold"). it is said that it is unwise to abstain from holy water on account of eating food:
« Let it be known to everyone about holy water: those who wean themselves from holy water for the reason that they have already tasted food do not do good, for the grace of God is given for the sanctification of the world and all creation. In the same way, we sprinkle it everywhere, and in all unclean places, and even under our feet. And where is the mind of those who do not drink it because of eating food».

Instruction

Baptized people should take holy water on an empty stomach, in the morning or in the evening - just before going to bed. If the illness has greatly twisted the patient, it is not forbidden to take holy water in unlimited quantities, not paying attention to food intake, and also to sprinkle it all over the body or a sore spot. You should know that even in the case when the patient is prescribed medication on an empty stomach, they should be taken only after drinking holy water.

After drinking holy water, it is imperative to pray for healing (only the sick should read this prayer). Healthy people after this should read a prayer for the adoption of prosphora and holy water.

Holy water should be taken in small sips at a time. In this case, you should know that it should be drunk in three sips.

Ordinary believers need to take holy water every morning with the use of a piece of prosphora and, as already mentioned above, reading a prayer for the acceptance of prosphora and holy water. This is how every new day of a believing Christian should begin.

Holy water can be added to ordinary tap water, and then it is believed that all water is clarified, becomes holy, acquires healing, beneficial properties. You can drink it and cook food from it.

Daily intake of holy water helps to heal not only skin diseases or stomach diseases, it also allows you to get rid of spiritual ailments. It is taken for cardiac arrhythmia, with an increase in the thyroid gland, with migraines, tooth and ear pain, and many other ailments. You can store holy water only at room temperature near the icon or behind it.

Holy water has healing properties, it is believed that it helps with various diseases and misfortunes. Someone can deny this fact, it is their right. But any Orthodox person should know where to get holy water and when to take it.

Instruction

When there is misfortune in some family, in desperation people immediately want to go to church, pray and draw holy water. No need to argue with your call of the soul. In any temple, you can easily collect holy water, just take an empty container with you. Some churches are already selling containers with a sticker on which a prayer is indicated before taking holy water and prosphora. Remember that you are not alone, and you should not pour five to ten liters of water at a time. At one time, it is recommended to take no more than 0.5 liters.

Water collected on the Christian holiday of the Baptism of the Lord, which is celebrated on January 19, has a special healing power. It is believed that this water casts out unclean spirits, cleanses the souls of sinners, relieves depression and despondency. Collect a bottle of water at the temple on January 19th. Holy water is sanctified with silver and can be stored for a long time without spoiling at all. In order not to stand in a long queue on this holy holiday, you can receive a healing liquid without leaving your home. At midnight from the 18th to the 19th of January, it is holy water, consecrated by God himself, that flows from the tap. You can also take a shower in your apartment at this time, especially the brave ones can recover by diving into the hole.

If you want to collect holy water in a certain place, for example, at the grave of a saint, then go on a pilgrimage trip. In most temples, you can check the schedule and travel options. During the tour, you will visit the cemetery where the saint is buried, bathe in the spring and collect holy water, which you can also keep for many years.

best take holy water on an empty stomach in a small amount or add one drop to a glass of water. The power of a healing drink can consecrate any large volume of water with just one drop. Before accepting, pray, cross yourself and reverently accept the gift you have received.