Epiphany prayer. Prayers for Epiphany

In the distant Biblical times on the Jordan River there was a great event - the Baptism of our Lord Jesus Christ. In his memory, the Christian church established a holiday - the Baptism of the Lord. He has one more name - the Epiphany. The reason is that in the performance of the rite the Lord appeared simultaneously in three of His divine hypostases: the voice that illumined from heaven was God the Father; Jesus, baptized in the waters of the river, is God the Son; And the dove descending upon Him is the Holy Spirit.

The second most important holiday after Easter

This holiday is celebrated by all Christians of the world. At us it is celebrated on January, 19th and is considered the second on value after the Bright Resurrection of Christ. Prayers for the Epiphany are considered especially blessed. The celebration begins on the eve, the day that is called the Christmas Eve. On this day there is a post. He and a special baptismal prayer should prepare believers for a joyful event.

In the evening of this day, festive Evening and Vespers are performed in all the temples, which on completion end in the Morning. On this service festive troparia are performed. Troparion is, in fact, the main Epiphany prayer. Its content is directly related to the Biblical events. Thus, the first of them tells how the prophet Elisha shared the Jordanian stream, thus showing the prototype of the future stoppage of the natural flow of the river at the moment of the baptism of Jesus. The last troparion describes the mental turmoil that John the Baptist experienced , proceeding to the baptism of Him who created this world.

Festive water consecration

Further, the Gospel and the Apostle are read, in which the testimonies of John the Baptist about the Divine essence of Jesus Christ are cited. After this, the Great Vespers begins, on which among others paremia (excerpts from the Holy Scripture) are read, telling about the divine mission of the Savior.

On the same evening the Great Sanctification of the water is performed. It is important to note that it is committed twice - on this day and directly on a holiday, and the divine grace given in both cases is the same. This should be emphasized, because often you have to hear the corresponding disputes.

The tradition of the consecration dates back to very old times. The consecration of water in the church, during which a special baptismal prayer is read, is performed in the memory of the early Christian baptism of catechumens. It happened precisely in the Epiphany Epiphany. The consecration of the water of rivers and lakes on the day of the festival itself is a memory of how Jesus Christ consecrated the waters of the Jordan with his immersion. Usually it is accompanied by the cross processions and is called "walking to the Jordan". Everything is done according to the example of the biblical baptism of Jesus Christ - outside the temple. It is generally believed that the holy order of the Evangelist Matthew was the order of consecration of the water, and some prayers for the Epiphany were attributed to St. Proclus, who was Archbishop of Constantinople in the 5th century.

Christmas diving in the Jordan

It has become a tradition in this winter holiday to plunge into the hole. Usually it is carved in the form of a cross - a great cleansing sacrifice. It is generally believed that water on this day acquires completely different, healing properties. In addition, immersion in icy water is also a kind of Christian sacrifice. Before plunging into the ice hole, not a special baptismal prayer is read, but simply three times overshadowing itself with the sign of the cross, they say: "In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit," and then they throw themselves into the water. This pious tradition requires courage from its performers.

Prayers for Family Happiness

What does it take to make prayers on this holiday? Of course, the most expensive, because on this day the whole world is filled with a special divine grace. First of all, it is a prayer for the family. In the Orthodox tradition, it is customary to treat her to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Through her marriage to Joseph She showed the world an example of a truly Christian family, in which the commandments of God are the foundation of life. The duty of all Christian families is to imitate this holy family.

There is in the congregation of saints one more name, to which the prayer for the family should be addressed, is the archangel Varachiel. He was among those three angels who appeared under the oak in Mamre to the forefather Abraham and his wife Sarah. It was he who announced to this couple about the imminent gift of Isaac's son. It is addressed in cases of any family problems, and most importantly - with infertility or with a heavy pregnancy.

And, of course, you can not forget to pray to our main patrons of family life - the holy wonderworkers Peter and Fevronia. These Murom princes and princess became a symbol of conjugal happiness in Orthodoxy. The prayer for the preservation of the family hearth, addressed to them with sincere faith and hope, is always heard. Tom for many centuries there was a lot of evidence.

Prayers for the preservation of the house

Praying about peace in the family, about the health of all loved ones and relatives, you must always pray for the preservation of the dangers of your home. Prayer for the home is always necessary, because he, like everything in this world, is supported by the grace of God. He is also subject to all dangers, to protect from which we ask our heavenly patrons. In Orthodoxy, such a defender is one whom the Lord in times past set with a sword of fire in his hands to guard the gates of Paradise. This is Archangel Michael. He is offered prayers for protecting the house from enemies visible and invisible.

Prayers to these saints are graceful at any time, regardless of whether it is a holiday or a weekday. But in the Nativity of Christ they have a special power. The most important thing is to pronounce them with faith. There must be no shadow of doubt that the petition will be fulfilled. This is the law of prayer.

On the inadmissibility of fortune telling

Throughout the centuries, there have been many different traditions associated with the Christmas holiday. There are good, and bad, originating from pagan times. This, first of all, various conspiracies and fortune. It must be remembered that the church treats them extremely negatively. And this is understandable, because in a holy day for each person to turn to help the dark forces is completely unacceptable. This is a sin, and very grievous. Much more worthy - go to the temple for the festive service, and then pray at home. The Lord on the Christmas holiday will certainly hear and fulfill your wishes.