In the days of the Old Testament, water was perceived as a terrible, uncontrollable element that once wiped out the very first human world from the face of the earth. However, already in the New Testament, from a symbol of destruction, it turned into a symbol of life and hope. Holy water has not lost its special significance even today: for Epiphany, Orthodox Christians line up in long lines, believing that Epiphany water has special properties.
Rites of consecration of water
There are two orders for the consecration of water - small and great. Great consecration takes place only once a year - on the feast of Epiphany.
This name is directly related to the gospel event that is remembered on this day - the baptism of Jesus Christ on the Jordan River. The water is consecrated by the great rite twice: on the eve of the holiday (in the evening of January 18) and on the very day of the Epiphany (January 19).
At the same time, the properties of water are absolutely identical, and the church superstition that one water is “weaker” and the other is “stronger” does not in any way correspond to the truth.
Another rite of blessing water is called small. It is used in the performance of the sacrament of Baptism, and in some churches the small consecration of water is performed every Sunday. These types of consecrations differ not only in that they are performed at different times, but also in different ways. The great consecration of water is performed through the recitation of a prayer, and the small is associated with the immersion of the cross in the water.
In earlier periods, there was a different practice in the church: the water was consecrated by immersing not a cross in it, but a particle of the relics of the saint. This rite is known as the "rite of washing the relics." However, after some time, it was completely replaced by small consecration.
How to use holy water?
There are several ways to use holy water. Many believers start their morning with it: they drink a small amount of water with a small piece of prosphora on an empty stomach, while reading a certain prayer. Someone sprinkles her home. Some people drink Epiphany water in case of severe illness or illness.
If there is not much water left, and the need for it is very strong, it is permissible to add ordinary water to it. It is believed that when mixed with ordinary water, holy water imparts its beneficial properties to it.
One of the unusual qualities of blessed water is the possibility of its long-term storage. Cases have been recorded when water was stored at home by believers for several years without compromising its quality. True, the opposite also happens, when the water deteriorates for unknown reasons. In such a situation, you cannot just throw a bottle with it in the trash. You need to find a place where the water is not defiled: for example, pour it into a river or under a tree, and leave the bottle in which it was stored (dry it and no longer use it in everyday life).
In order to avoid such situations in the future, the bottle into which it is planned to pour holy water must be clean and previously unused.
In any culture, especially in Christianity, water symbolizes the possibility of renewal and purification of a person, but in itself it is not a magical substance that guarantees the solution of any problem. Therefore, it is necessary to accept it with faith and a sincere desire to observe not only external standards of piety, but also internal ones.
