Holy water: miracles, healings, advice from priests

• Holy water and demons
• About reverence for hagiasma
• Contemporary evidence
• From the sermons of Schema-Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)
• From the stories about schema-abbot Savva (Ostapenko)
• From the life of Paphnutius Borovsky
• Archimandrite Elijah (Reizmir)
• Hieromonk Seraphim (Paramanov)
• Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko

The rational mind always wants to understand why holy water still helps the sick recover? What kind of power does she have? Some “research” comes to the aid of this mind, which studies water consecrated by someone unknown (or maybe “charged”). Also, to study water, they take samples of H2O and tell it bad and good words, then freeze it. Water “charmed” with good words gives beautiful snowflakes, and bad ones (it’s easy to guess) - ugly ones. Some kind of fortune telling on snowflakes comes out. Snowflakes are beautiful in all religions of the world, it is noteworthy: the author of the study associates the Christian snowflake with... Christmas trees. The author is Japanese, and in general he can be forgiven. It’s just strange to see the presence of photographs of these snowflakes on some Orthodox websites in articles about the healing power of holy water.

In order not to rant in vain about the influence of words on the structure of water, we present a comment from a physics teacher at the Pharmaceutical Academy, a candidate of mathematical sciences:

“Water has nothing to do with it. There could have been some other item (food, for example). At the physical and chemical level, objects are not receptive to words. One could consider such a hypothesis if we were talking about highly organized biological objects. And what’s in the water—H2O and that’s all. If the molecular composition changed, it would no longer be water. There are snowflakes in the photographs, they have a million different shapes, you can fantasize and compare them with anything. But swearing and getting angry is really bad for your health.”

Is studying holy water an attempt to test God? There are big doubts about whether this is worth doing. Studying holy water is like trying to see the Creator in space.

It seems that it is worth learning the properties of holy water not through this kind of research. Orthodox saints, without resorting to instrumental methods of studying the properties of water, with their lives showed us the gracious help of God through reverent eating of the sacred with faith and firm hope for help.

^ Holy water and demons

Professor Nikolai Vasilyevich Krainsky, a doctor and skeptic, and later a believer, was forced to testify: “Klikusha unmistakably distinguished holy water from simple water, no matter how secretly we gave it. Every time a glass of holy water was brought to her, she would go into a fit, often before she even tasted it. The water was fresh, Epiphany water (the study was carried out in mid-January). Both samples were poured into identical glasses in another room, and I brought the ready-made samples to her. After repeated experiments many times gave the same positive result, I mixed both samples of water together, simple and holy, and poured them equally into both glasses. Then the clique began to react to both tests with seizures. Not once did she make a mistake in this recognition of holy water.”

***

“People suffering from demons, approaching the shrine, become excited and begin to shake. From this it is absolutely clear that they have a demon. If you offer such people to drink a little holy water or want to cross them with holy relics, then they resist, because the Grace of God constrains the demons within them. And if people suffer from some kind of mental illness, they do not resist the shrine at all. Those who are possessed are worried, they begin to shake, even if you just approach them with a cross on you.”

“One day they brought me a demon-possessed child. First, I properly fed him sweets to whet his thirst, and then I brought some water from the holy relics. “I’ll give our Yanakis some tastier water to drink than the others,” I said. After drinking a little of this water, the baby began to scream: “This water is burning me, what’s in it?” “There’s nothing in it,” I answered. “What are you doing to me? She’s burning me!” - shouted the unhappy baby. “She’s not burning you,” I said, “she’s burning someone else.” I began to cross the baby’s head, and he began to shake, he fell into a crisis of possession. The demon that was in the baby twisted his body.”

Venerable Paisiy Svyatogorets

***

“According to the grace of God, Fr. George healed people. People who were possessed were also brought to him. They suffered terribly, the possessed seemed to lose their minds and went into a frenzy. They went berserk, shouted, screamed, and sometimes threw themselves at the feet of the priest. He prayed, sprinkled them with holy water, and the dark forces left the sick.”

From the Life of Hiero-Confessor Georgy Kossov

***

“Evil demons are very afraid of holy water. And you deliberately sprinkle yourself with holy water more often and sprinkle your houses and gardens.”

Archimandrite German (Chesnokov)

How to bless water yourself

You can consecrate water at home yourself, because there are some Christians who, for some extenuating circumstances, cannot visit the holy temple. A necessary condition for performing the Sacrament at home is sincere and unconditional faith!

1. Fill the jar with cold tap water.
2. Cross yourself, light a candle and read the initial prayers.
3. 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 church 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.

^ About reverence for agiasma

One day, while passing through monastic business, novice Sergei stopped by Elder Sepphora in Kireevsk, arrived late and stayed overnight. The next morning after the prayer rule, his mother invites him to the table:

“Now you and I will accept the shrine.” I have here some prosphora from the Pochaev Lavra, some water from Diveevo.

The old woman was sitting in her holy corner under the icons, and Sergei poured some water and, thinking about something, crossed the cup with Epiphany water! And Mother Zipporah - although she was already completely blind then, and besides, she was sitting with her back to him - suddenly turned sharply:

- What are you doing?

- What, mother?

- Why are you baptizing Epiphany water?

- Mother, I’m sorry, I didn’t think!

And she says so sternly:

- This is agiasma, a great shrine! She doesn't need to be baptized. She has such grace! Cross yourself.

From the book of memoirs about the Klykovskaya oxbow “Bird of Heaven”

^ Modern evidence

“My son got sick, and the clinic gave him an x-ray. The diagnosis was made as follows: sinusitis on the right and frontal sinusitis on the left. We didn’t get to the pediatrician right away because it was Friday evening. She did not give any medicine, but dripped holy water and oil.

On Monday we saw a doctor, who prescribed antibiotics and gave me a referral to an ENT specialist for Tuesday.

I decided not to buy expensive medications, I thought that the ENT specialist would suddenly prescribe others, and these would be wasted, and my son’s condition improved. So we managed without drugs.

On Tuesday, the ENT looked and said that everything was dry. She was surprised looking at our diagnosis and asked: “What were you treated with?”

I said: “Paracetamol (maybe I gave him one tablet).”

The doctor replied: “It’s not serious.”

Such is the power of prayer and holy water!

“Drink holy water as often as possible. This is the best and most effective medicine. I say this not only as a priest, but also as a doctor. From my experience in medicine,” the doctor and saint Luke of Crimea told patients .

A wonderful miracle and a wondrous wonder! Glory to our God forever and ever!”

V. Sinenkova

***

“My husband didn’t want a second child, the eldest was still nothing, but I felt it was time. I prayed, and my mother-in-law brought holy water from the Conception Monastery in Moscow. I drank water and prayed. Surprisingly, my husband changed his mind, and very soon we had a second baby. God bless!"

R. B. Ekaterina

***

“Two years ago for Epiphany we were going to the holy spring of 12 springs,” parishioner F.B., a parishioner of the Venev Church of the Resurrection of Christ, told the Sloboda newspaper. – When I went to church, I felt that renal colic was starting. I also thought: this is inappropriate, how it will twist now! And yet I went to the source. Although I don’t like cold water, I then took a dip in the spring. On the way back, the colic was gone! My diseased bronchi, which tormented me since my youth, went away. The next morning, the husband said: “I got up several times and went to your bed to check if you were alive. You were breathing as quietly as when you were young!”

***

Servant of God G.P. serves as an accountant at the temple. She told this story:

— In 1998, I was given a terrible diagnosis - cancer. They had surgery and chemotherapy. But no favorable forecasts. And my son was 13 years old then. I had to get him back on his feet. I came to the icon of the Kazan Mother of God and knelt down. And suddenly the icon began to bleed myrrh! I went to the holy spring “12 Keys” and plunged into ice-cold water, despite the fact that the stitch from the operation had not yet healed. That's all! Since then nothing has bothered me. The doctors examined him and everything is fine.

***

One of the parishioners of a rural parish says: “I always fill a bottle of water at Epiphany. It sits in my cupboard as an emergency medicine. I have an artificial valve in my heart. In my case, I can’t do without pills. But before taking the pills, I make sure to drink Epiphany water. I also take it as a sedative. Epiphany water helps cope with stress and anxiety, gives strength, and restores self-confidence.”

Hieromonk Seraphim (Paramanov) “The Law of Love. How to live Orthodoxy"

“Our daughter fell ill; on Thursday evening her temperature rose above 38.6. They gave me an antipyretic, but it didn’t help much. They called a doctor, he suspected ARVI, prescribed an antipyretic, rinses and an immunomodulator. By lunchtime on Friday it was already 39.6. The doctor was called again, but he only made a phone call and refused to come. The temperature practically did not drop, and the child began vomiting. By evening the temperature was 39.8, and the child vomited 8 times during the day. The vomit was already bile. They gave me chamomile and boiled water to drink, but nothing stuck - vomiting or the urge to vomit, but there was nothing left. After antipyretic suppositories, the temperature at best dropped to 38.8. Rubbing didn't help.

By nightfall, when the temperature rose again to 39.6, they put a candle (taking into account the dosage and time interval) and wiped the child with vodka. The child fell asleep. I don’t know anything other than “Our Father.” I decided to look for prayers and pray and found this article, which helped me a lot. I began to read what I knew - “Our Father”, baptize the child, and every time she wanted to drink, I gave her a few sips of holy water, and by 3 o’clock in the morning the child’s temperature dropped to 38, and only after that I went to bed. In the morning, the wife said that the child woke up around 5 am and she gave her water that was in the mug. My wife was very tired from the day with the child, she was dozing and did not know that I was praying and giving the child holy water.

On Saturday morning the child's reading was 37.6, but we called the doctor anyway. In the afternoon, when the doctor arrived it was already 37.2, the doctor did not prescribe anything new, only drinking and rinsing and a little broth and crackers. All day I gave the child holy water, while reading a prayer and baptizing the child. I went to church and thanked the Lord for heard prayers and ordered a prayer for my daughter’s health. By evening we already had 36.3. On Sunday, the skinny child started running and in the evening she calmly ate stuffed peppers. Today, Monday, we already went for a walk, our eyes glow, as if we weren’t sick, although we still continue to gargle and drink immunomodulatory drugs. Daughter is 3.5 years old. When children are sick, the heart really sank. I wish everyone health and faith!”

r.B. Sergius

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About the use of holy water Throughout our lives, there has been a great shrine next to us - holy water. Blessed water is an image of God's grace: it cleanses believers from spiritual impurities, sanctifies and strengthens them for the feat of salvation in God. We first plunge into it in baptism, when, upon 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 revives him into a new life in Christ. Holy water is necessarily present during the consecration of churches and all objects used in worship, during the consecration of residential buildings, buildings, and any household item. We are sprinkled with holy water during religious processions and prayer services. On the day of Epiphany, every Orthodox Christian carries home a vessel with holy water, carefully preserves it as the greatest shrine, prayerfully communing with holy water in illnesses and all infirmities. Epiphany water, like Holy Communion, is received by believers only on an empty stomach. “Consecrated water,” as St. Demetrius of Kherson wrote, “has the power to sanctify the souls and bodies of all who use it.” She, accepted with faith and prayer, heals our bodily illnesses. Holy water extinguishes the flames of passions, drives away evil spirits - that is why they sprinkle holy water on the Dwelling and every thing that is consecrated. After the confession of the pilgrims, St. Seraphim always gave them to drink from the cup of holy Epiphany water. The Monk Ambrose sent a bottle of holy water to a terminally ill patient - and to the amazement of the doctors, the incurable disease went away. Elder Hieroschemamonk Seraphim Vyritsky always advised sprinkling food and the food itself with Jordanian (Epiphany) water, which, in his words, “itself sanctifies everything.” When someone was very sick, Elder Seraphim gave his blessing to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour. The elder said that there is no stronger medicine than holy water and blessed oil. How the consecration of water was first performed The consecration of water was accepted by the Church from the apostles and their successors. But the first example was set by the Lord Himself, when He plunged into the Jordan and sanctified the entire nature of the water. Water did not always need to be blessed. There were times when everything on earth was pure and holy. “And God saw everything that He had created,” says the book of Genesis, “and it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). Then, before the fall of man, everything was created by the Word of God, everything was enlivened by the Holy Spirit, who hovered over the water. Everything on earth was sealed with the all-sanctifying blessing of God, and therefore all the earthly elements served for the benefit of man: they supported life, protected the body from destruction. Living in this harmonious, paradisiacal environment, man, according to God’s promise, was supposed to be immortal, for “God did not create death” (Wisdom 1:13). But man himself, through communication with an unclean spirit, accepted the seed of uncleanness into his soul. And then the Spirit of God retreated from the unclean creature: “And the Lord [God] said: “My Spirit will not forever be despised 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 the blessing of God and was subject to a curse. The elements that previously served man have changed. The earth now brings thorns and thistles, the air saturated with decay becomes dangerous and sometimes deadly. Water, having become a drain of sewage, became contagious, dangerous, and now in the hands of God’s Justice 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 source that Moses brought out of the rock flowed, of course, not ordinary water, but special water. The water in the source of the Samaritan, dug by the forefather Jacob and later sanctified by the Savior’s conversation at this source, was not simple. The concept of holy water is found in the Old Testament: “and the priest will take the holy water in an earthen vessel” (Numbers 5:17). But very special water flows in the Jordan River. Our Lord Jesus Christ appeared on 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 on 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, water was consecrated for the first time. 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 people, although renewed by the grace of God, always, until death, carry within us 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 to heaven, left us his living and life-giving word, granted believers the right to bring down the blessing of the Heavenly Father to earth by the power of faith and prayer, and sent down the Comforter of the Spirit of truth. Who always abides in the Church of Christ, so that the Church, despite the inexhaustible seed of sin and impurity in the human heart, always has an inexhaustible source of sanctification and life. Keeping this commandment of the Lord, the Holy Church, with the Word of God, the sacraments and prayer, always sanctifies not only the person himself, but also everything that he uses in the world. By this the Church puts a limit to the spread of sinful impurities and prevents the multiplication of the disastrous consequences of our sins. The Church sanctifies the earth, asking God for the blessing of fertility, sanctifies the bread that serves us as food, and the water that quenches our thirst. Without blessing, without sanctification, could this perishable food and drink sustain our life? “It is not the generation of fruits that nourishes a man, but Your word preserves those who believe in You” (Wisdom 16:26). This already gives rise to the answer to the question why the Church sanctifies water. By consecrating water, the Church returns to the water element its primitive purity and holiness, and brings down to the water, through 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 do they bless water?

— Water occupies an important place in our daily life.
However, it also has a higher meaning: it is characterized by healing power, which is repeatedly stated in the Holy Scriptures. In New Testament times, water serves the spiritual rebirth of a person into a new, grace-filled life, cleansing from sins. In a conversation with Nicodemus, Christ the Savior says: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). At the beginning of His ministry, Christ Himself received Baptism from the prophet John the Baptist in the waters of the Jordan River. The chants of the service for this holiday say that the Lord “grants cleansing with water to the human race”; “Thou hast sanctified the streams of the Jordan, thou hast crushed the sinful power, O Christ our God...” — How is water blessed?
- Blessing of water can be small and great: the small is performed several times throughout the year (during prayers, the Sacrament of Baptism), and the great - only on the feast of the Epiphany (Epiphany).
The blessing of water is called great because of the special solemnity of the rite, imbued with the memory of the gospel event, which became not only the prototype of the mysterious washing of sins, but also the actual sanctification of the very nature of water through the immersion of God in the flesh. The Great Blessing of Water is performed according to the Charter at the end of the liturgy, after the prayer behind the pulpit, on the very day of Epiphany (January 6/19), as well as on the eve of Epiphany (January 5/18). On the very day of Epiphany, the blessing of water takes place with a solemn religious procession to the water sources, known as the “walk to the Jordan.” — Will unusual weather conditions in Russia affect the course of the Epiphany holiday and the blessing of the waters?
In any church holiday, it is necessary to distinguish between its meaning and the traditions that have developed around it.
The main thing in the feast of the Epiphany is the Epiphany, the Baptism of Christ by John the Baptist, the voice of God the Father from heaven “This is my beloved Son” and the Holy Spirit descending on Christ. The main thing for a Christian on this day is presence at church services, confession and Communion of the Holy Mysteries of Christ, and communion of baptismal water. The established traditions of swimming in cold ice holes are not directly related to the Feast of the Epiphany itself, are not mandatory and, most importantly, do not cleanse a person of sins, which, unfortunately, is discussed a lot in the media. Such traditions should not be treated as magical rites - the holiday of the Epiphany is celebrated by Orthodox Christians in hot Africa, America, and Australia. After all, the palm branches of the feast of the Lord’s entry into Jerusalem were replaced by willows in Russia, and the consecration of grapevines on the Transfiguration of the Lord was replaced by the blessing of the apple harvest. Also, on the day of the Epiphany of the Lord, all waters will be sanctified, regardless of their temperature. Archpriest Igor Pchelintsev, press secretary of the Nizhny Novgorod diocese
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How to use holy water?
— The use of holy water in the daily life of an Orthodox Christian is quite varied.
For example, it is consumed on an empty stomach in small quantities, usually together with a piece of prosphora (this especially applies to the great agiasma (water blessed on the eve and on the very day of the feast of the Epiphany of the Lord), they sprinkle their home. A special property of holy water is that, added even in a small amount to ordinary water, it imparts beneficial properties to it, therefore, in case of a shortage of holy water, it can be diluted with plain water. We must not forget that consecrated water is a church shrine, which has been touched by the grace of God, and which requires a reverent attitude It is customary to use holy water with the prayer: “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 mental and physical strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of passions and my infirmities, according to Thy boundless mercy, through the prayers of Thy Most Pure Mother and all Thy saints. Amen. " Although it is advisable - out of reverence for the shrine - to take Epiphany water on an empty stomach, but for a special need for God's help - in case of illnesses or attacks of evil forces - to drink it can and should be done without hesitation, at any time. With reverent attitude, holy water remains fresh and pleasant to the taste for a long time. It should be stored in a separate place, preferably next to the home iconostasis. — Is the water consecrated on the day of Epiphany and on Epiphany Christmas Eve different in its properties?
– There is absolutely no difference!
Let's go back to the time of Patriarch Nikon: he specifically asked the Patriarch of Antioch whether it was necessary to consecrate the water on the very day of the Epiphany: after all, the day before, on Christmas Eve, the water had already been consecrated. And I received the answer that there would be no sin in that, it could be done again so that everyone could take water. But today they come for one kind of water, and the next day for another - they say, the water is stronger here. Why is she stronger? So we see that people do not even listen to the prayers that are read at the consecration. And they don’t know that the water is blessed by the same rite, the same prayers are read. Holy water is absolutely the same on both days - both on the day of Epiphany and on Epiphany Christmas Eve. Priest Mikhail Mikhailov
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Is it true that swimming in an ice hole at Epiphany cleanses all sins?
- This is wrong!
Swimming in an ice hole (Jordan) is a good old folk custom, which is not yet a church sacrament. Forgiveness of sins, reconciliation with God and His Church is possible only in the sacrament of repentance, during confession in church. — Does it happen that holy water “doesn’t help”?
Saint Theophan the Recluse writes: “All grace coming from God through the Holy Cross, holy icons, holy water, relics, consecrated bread (artos, antidor, prosphora), etc., including the Most Holy Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ, has power only for those who are worthy of this grace through prayers of repentance, repentance, humility, service to people, works of mercy and the manifestation of other Christian virtues.
But if they are not there, then this grace will not save, it does not act automatically, like a talisman, and is useless for the wicked and imaginary Christians (without virtues).” Miracles of healing still occur today, and they are countless. But only those who accept it with living faith in the promises of God and the power of prayer of the Holy Church, those who have a pure and sincere desire to change their lives, repentance, and salvation, are rewarded with the miraculous effects of holy water. God does not create miracles where people want to see them only out of curiosity, without a sincere intention to use them for their salvation. “An evil and adulterous generation,” the Savior said about his unbelieving contemporaries, “seeks a sign; and the sign will not be given to him.” In order for holy water to benefit us, we will take care of the purity of our souls and the high dignity of our thoughts and actions. — Is water really baptismal all week long?
- Epiphany water is such from the moment of its consecration and for a year, or two or more, until its reserves at home are exhausted.
Taken from the temple on any day, it never loses its holiness. Archimandrite Ambrose (Ermakov)
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Why can holy water spoil?
- That happens.
Water must be collected in clean containers in which the water should not spoil. Therefore, if we previously stored something in these bottles, if they are not very clean, there is no need to collect holy water in them. I remember in the summer one woman began to pour holy water into a beer bottle... Often parishioners like to make comments: for example, they began to explain to one of our priests that he blessed the water incorrectly - he did not reach the bottom of the tank... Because of this, they say, the water will not be sanctified... Well, should the priest be a diver? Or that the cross is not silver... There is no need to reach to the bottom and the cross can be wooden. There is no need to make a cult out of holy water, but you also need to treat it piously! One priest I know, in 1988, had a bottle of water that he had kept since 1953 or 1954... You need to treat water piously and carefully and lead a pious life yourself. Priest Mikhail Mikhailov
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Is it possible for unbaptized people to use holy water, oil blessed on the relics of saints and prosphora?
On the one hand, it is possible, because what harm could a person do if he drinks holy water, or anoints himself with oil, or eats prosphora?
But you just need to think about how this could be useful for him. If this is a certain approach of a person to the church fence, if he, not yet deciding to be baptized, say, having been a militant atheist in the past, now, through the prayers of his wife, mother, daughter or someone else close to him, no longer rejects at least these external as if signs of churchliness, then this is good and pedagogically it will lead him to what is more essential in our faith - to the worship of God in spirit and truth. And if such actions are perceived as a kind of magic, as a kind of “church medicine,” but at the same time the person does not at all strive to join the church, to become an Orthodox Christian, just reassure yourself that I am doing something like this and this will serve as something If it is a talisman, then there is no need to provoke this kind of consciousness. Based on these two possibilities, you decide, in relation to your specific situation, whether or not you need to offer church shrines to any of your loved ones. Archpriest Maxim Kozlov
Used materials from sites - Saratov diocese, Tatiana's Day, Pravoslavie.ru
Prayer for accepting 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 soul and my bodily strength, for the health of my soul and body, for the subjugation of my passions and infirmities, according to Thy infinite mercy, through the prayers of Thy Pure Mother and all Thy saints. Amen.

^ From the sermons of Schema-Archimandrite Kirill (Pavlov)

Metropolitan Alexy, who ruled the Church from 1354 to 1378... traveled to the Horde at the call of Khan Janibek, whose wife, Taidula, was seriously ill with her eyes and lost her sight. The Khan, having heard about the holy life of the Metropolitan, sent the prince a letter in which he demanded that Saint Alexy be sent to him to heal his wife. For failure to fulfill the request, the khan threatened to ruin the Russian land. Before setting off on the road, Saint Alexy, trusting in God’s help, decided to serve a farewell prayer service at the tomb of Saint Peter. And the Lord, not despising the prayers of the High Hierarch, revealed to him that He Himself would be with him and his trip would end successfully. During the prayer service in front of the relics of St. Peter, a candle lit itself, and, encouraged by the hope of God’s mercy, Metropolitan Alexy left for the Horde. Upon arrival there, he served a prayer service for the sick woman’s health and sprinkled her with holy water, after which she regained her sight.

***

In ancient times, a severe pestilence broke out in the capital of the Greek state, Constantinople, which claimed many human lives. After, at the request of the residents of the city, the Tree of the Holy Cross was carried through the streets of the capital for fifteen days with prayers and sprinkling of buildings and houses with holy water, the destructive disease stopped, and all Christians brought their deepest gratitude to the Lord Jesus Christ.

***

Seven versts from the city of Kaluga, in the village of Tinkovo, in the house of boyar Khitrov lived two girl servants. One day they happened to go up to the attic, where various old things lay. One of these girls, named Evdokia, was frivolous and impudent, laughed a lot and spoke obscene words; the other, on the contrary, calmed and restrained her friend from outrage. And so, while sorting out her things, this pious girl found a scroll of harsh linen. Having unfolded it, she saw a picturesque image of a Woman in a dark, as if monastic robe, reading a book with a reverent and tender face. Pointing to the Mother Superior (that’s what the girl called the Woman depicted on the canvas), she began to restrain Evdokia from impudent words with even greater force, but she not only did not calm down, but also spat on the image with the words: “That’s how I’m afraid of your Mother Superior!” At the same instant, she suddenly, as if struck by something, fell unconscious; her arms and legs curled up, her whole body went into complete relaxation; She lost both her sight and her tongue.

The frightened friend hastened to inform her master about this. Evdokia was found barely breathing, with foam on her lips, carried into a room and placed under the holy icons in anticipation of her death. However, a miracle happened. That night, the Mother of God appeared to her parents in a dream and said: “Your daughter, with her daring act in the person of the Woman depicted on the canvas, insulted not the nun, but Me, because the image she insulted is My image, through which, by the will of My Son and God I will intercede for your city. In the morning, announce this to the priests and, together with them, having prayed before the desecrated icon of My, sprinkle the paralytic with holy water, and she will receive healing.” The next morning, as soon as the prayer service was performed, the sick woman was truly healed and has since corrected her life.

^ From stories about schema-abbot Savva (Ostapenko)

“I knew Father Savva when he was still Nikolai Mikhailovich, long before he entered the monastery. He visited many churches, but most often he visited the church in the village of Leonov, where he read and sang.

One servant of God became very ill, she had terrible vomiting. One day she was going to see a doctor, but her friends took her to the temple. There, after the liturgy, a water-blessing prayer service was served, at which Nikolai Mikhailovich sang. After the prayer service, he gave her a glass of holy water, but she did not drink. Then Nikolai Mikhailovich told her:

- What are you afraid of, drink it - you won’t vomit.

He took one sip himself and gave it to her again. She drank. After that, she slept at home for a long time and woke up completely healthy.”

^ From the life of Paphnutius Borovsky

“A certain prince’s youth was overcome by illness and was approaching death. The mother of that boy sent with tears to the holy father to ask for his prayers to the Lord and His Most Pure Mother and holy water to sprinkle the child so that he would not die. The child-loving Paphnutius, having prayed to God and the Most Holy Theotokos and, having blessed the water, sent it to the grieving mother.

In addition, he ordered those sent, that after sprinkling with holy water, if the boy wants to eat, give him fresh fish, well boiled, since it is a custom for sick people who have received relief from illness to taste food. Those, surprised, shed tears at their father’s words, receiving hope that they would find the boy still alive. Soon the messenger returned with holy water, but the youth was ill and already approaching death. As soon as they sprinkled him with holy water, it was as if the disease had been taken out by hand, and the boy stood up cheerfully and joyfully, asking for food. And they gave it to him as the monk commanded.”

^ Archimandrite Elijah (Reizmir)

We can quench our spiritual thirst by drinking natural water, but sanctified through the sacred rites of the Church, which is still performed today. The whole Church will pray to the Heavenly Father that He will sanctify nature through the influx of the Holy Spirit. The water will truly be sanctified by grace. And whoever drinks consecrated water with faith, quenching his bodily thirst, will invisibly water his soul with the grace of the Holy Spirit.

^ Hieromonk Seraphim (Paramanov)

Holy water occupied a large place in Russian everyday life. This can also be shown by the example of the life of St. Macarius, Metropolitan of Moscow, canonized in 1988. In 1528, while still Archbishop of Novgorod, he sent Hieromonk Elijah to the northern reaches of his diocese to preach the Gospel. At the same time, he commands to destroy pagan temples and sprinkle everything with holy water. In 1551, when various diseases were discovered in the Sviyazhsk garrison near Kazan, and carnal sins also spread, he sent a priest there with an accusatory message, calling everyone to repentance, and commanded everyone to be sprinkled with holy water.

The Monk Seraphim of Sarov, after the confession of the pilgrims, always gave them to drink from the cup of holy Epiphany water. The Monk Ambrose of Optina sent a bottle of holy water to a terminally ill patient - and the incurable disease, to the amazement of the doctors, went away. Elder Hieroschemamonk Seraphim Vyritsky always advised sprinkling food and the food itself with Jordanian (baptismal) water, which, in his words, “itself illuminates everything.” When someone was very sick, Elder Seraphim gave his blessing to take a tablespoon of consecrated water every hour. The elder said that there is no stronger medicine than holy water and blessed oil. The Monk Kuksha advised consecrating all new things and products with holy water, and sprinkling the cell (room) before going to bed. In the morning, leaving his cell, he always sprinkled himself with holy water.

Epiphany water sanctifies, heals, and imparts the special grace of God to every person who partakes of it with faith.

^ Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko

Holy water implies peace and tranquility in the soul. And honesty and purity of intentions. If we take at least a glass of holy water, we can dilute thirty liters with it. And all the water will become holy and beneficial for our soul. If only they took this water and used it with humility and reverence.

But water will not benefit a non-church person, a sinner, and will even lead to condemnation.

Please note that the information presented on the site is for informational and educational purposes only and is not intended for self-diagnosis and self-medication. The selection and prescription of medications, treatment methods, as well as monitoring their use can only be carried out by the attending physician. Be sure to consult a specialist.

Church misconceptions

• Many believe that bathing in the Epiphany Jordan can cleanse the soul of sins. This is incorrect; remission of sins is accomplished only through the Sacrament of repentance (confession) in an Orthodox church.
• The water collected in the church on the day of the Epiphany is Epiphany water for a year, two, three, and so on, until its reserves run out. People make the mistake of thinking that her holiness “lasts” only a week.
• There is no difference whether the water is collected on Christmas Eve or on the day of Epiphany. In terms of its qualities, it is absolutely the same. It is consecrated with the same rite, but many people do not even bother to listen to the prayers. Some near-religious people, for example, come today for water, and tomorrow they repeat the same thing, being confident that “tomorrow’s” water is stronger than “today’s”.
• The Great Agiasma can be used by both Orthodox Christians and non-Orthodox Christians. It is important that they accept it fearing and reverently, with sincere prayer on their lips.
• It is believed that water collected from a tap or in a reservoir on the feast of the Epiphany is blessed. But it will be like this only for those who have strong faith in Christ. But it’s better, of course, to get water from the church. Indeed, within its holy walls, during the festive service, the unity of Christian prayers takes place. It happens that a person is not able 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 the water is sanctified. Therefore, it is unreasonable to collect consecrated water after prayers and on the feast of Epiphany in whole buckets and canisters, because “a drop sanctifies the sea.”
• It is considered a myth that if an unbaptized person comes to church on the feast of the Epiphany and attends the entire service from beginning to end, then he is already considered baptized and has the right to wear a cross and participate in other church sacraments.
• It happens that holy water spoils, becomes cloudy, changes color, and gives off a rotten smell. In this case, it is necessary to pour it into a place that cannot be trampled underfoot, for example, under a tree, in a flower pot or in a pond. The vessel in which it was stored should no longer be used for domestic purposes.
• It is incorrect to say that a person who takes holy water daily and according to all the rules need not proceed to the Sacrament of Communion. 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 is excommunicated from Communion for some time, that is, penance is imposed on him.

Blessing of water