An important church holiday on January 18 is Epiphany Eve: history and traditions
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- An important church holiday on January 18 is Epiphany Eve: history and traditions
Every year on January 18, the Orthodox Church celebrates Epiphany Eve or Epiphany Eve, a special day on the eve of Epiphany. In 2026, it falls on a Sunday. Read about the spiritual significance, history and traditions of this important date in the Izvestia article.
Epiphany Eve – 2026: the history of the holiday
In the church calendar, January 18 is listed as the Evening of the Epiphany of the Lord, in everyday life this day is called Epiphany Eve. The celebration dates back to the first centuries of Christianity, when there was a single feast of Theophany, and believers simultaneously remembered the Birth of the Savior and His Baptism in the waters of the Jordan.
Around the 5th century, the tradition of worship changed, and Christmas and Epiphany became separate holidays. This is how Christmas and Epiphany Eve became fixed in the church calendar, and the period between them was popularly called Yuletide — "holy evenings." In the church's understanding, this is a time of special joy and gratitude for the coming of the Savior.
It was after his baptism in Jordan that, according to church tradition, Christ began his open ministry, preaching sermons. Therefore, the Evening of Epiphany is considered an important day of preparation, and it is accompanied by a strict one-day fast, but very demanding, emphasizing the special significance of evangelical events.
Fasting and worship on Epiphany Eve
On January 18, according to church tradition, believers abstain from eating until the candle is taken out after the liturgy and before the first taste of consecrated water. His task is not so much to physically refuse to eat, but rather to adjust himself internally — a person puts aside everyday worries, restrains emotions and pays more attention to prayer and reflection on his life.
The popular formula "until the first star" is often taken literally as a ban on eating until dark. In fact, a "star" in the church tradition refers to a candle that is placed in the center of the church during the service. This moment symbolically ends the fast and opens the way to a modest evening meal.
On Epiphany Eve, festive divine services are held in all Orthodox churches, Great Vespers is served during the day and the Great Consecration of Water is performed, and then the celebration continues with an All-Night Vigil. For believers, this is not just a "mandatory program", but an opportunity to celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord in the temple.
January 18 is usually celebrated in churches.:
- Great (Royal) Hours — a special divine service with the reading of psalms, prophecies and the Gospel of the Epiphany;
- Vespers with parodies — Old Testament texts anticipating the events of the New Testament;
- The Divine Liturgy, most often of St. Basil the Great.
If the Evening of Epiphany falls on a Saturday or Sunday, as in 2026, some of the services are postponed, the Great Hours are celebrated on the eve, on Friday, and the liturgy on Christmas Eve itself is not celebrated, only evening worship and the consecration of water are held in churches.
The central event of Epiphany Eve, the Great Consecration of Water, is held in memory of the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. After the service, the priest reads prayers, immerses the cross in water, blesses the water, asking God to grant it healing and strengthening powers. This rite is repeated on January 18 and 19, so the water consecrated on Christmas Eve and on the day of Theophany itself is considered to be the same in meaning and power.
Queues traditionally line up around temples for such water these days. She is popularly called by various names: saint, agiasm, Epiphany. It is carefully preserved throughout the year, sprinkled on the housing, taken in the morning, before meals, with a short prayer, asking for strengthening of the soul and body.
If there is a shortage of epiphany water, it is allowed to add a little ordinary water to it — according to church tradition, it is believed that in this case it retains its properties.
Prayer for receiving holy water
"O 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 my passions and infirmities through Your boundless mercy through the prayers of Your Most Pure Mother and all Your saints. Amen to that."
Bathing in the ice hole on Epiphany Eve
Bathing in the ice hole on Epiphany Eve and Epiphany Day is one of the most notable modern traditions. After the service, parishioners leave the church and head to the nearest reservoir or to a specially prepared font.
Believers scoop it into vessels, wash their faces and hands, and plunge into the jordan specially prepared for Epiphany bathing, often in the form of a cross, believing that the icy water "washes away" all the bad things, and bathing on Epiphany Eve and Epiphany itself brings a special inner composure, helps to experience the holiday more deeply.
Epiphany Eve – 2026: traditions of the holiday
Its popular name is closely connected with Epiphany Eve. In different localities, this day was called the Hungry Evening, the Nightingale, the Evening of the Epiphany, but the meaning remained the same — Yuletide is coming to an end, ahead of the Epiphany and Epiphany.
In Russia, they prepared for this day in advance. Before the holiday, the houses were put in order, old and unnecessary things were thrown away, floors and dishes were thoroughly washed, windows were wiped, the stove was cleaned, the yard and outbuildings were cleaned.
It was believed that the house should be clean by this date. After cleaning, the housewives went around all the corners of the huts, sprinkled them with holy water, made the sign of the cross, and painted crosses on the doors and windows to protect them from evil spirits and ill-wishers.
At midnight, people went to the ponds to collect water and, if desired, plunge into the ice hole. It was believed that during these hours, water and snow have a special power, help to cope with bad habits, strengthen health and spirit. The snow was melted, washed with meltwater, and some of it was thrown into wells, believing that the water in them would not spoil. The women hoped that such a ceremony would help preserve beauty and youth.
Nowadays, Yuletide officially ends on January 17, but in the national calendar it was Epiphany Eve that was considered their end for a long time. On this occasion, carols were held in the villages, children and adults went outside at midnight to see the "yawning heavens" and make a wish — according to beliefs, it will surely come true if the request is pure and not harmful to other people.
Festive table on Epiphany Eve: sochivo, lenten dishes and memory of ancestors
The name "Christmas Eve" goes back to the main dish of the lenten table — sochiv. This special porridge was made from grain (more often wheat), adding other cereals if possible. Honey, nuts, raisins, and dried apples were generously added to it to give it a rich taste.
Despite the strict fast, the tables on Epiphany Eve were lavishly set — they were almost as solemn as the Christmas ones. The housewives prepared cabbage rolls with lean stuffing, pies with cabbage, berries, potatoes, mushrooms, pancakes and dumplings, and vegetable dishes.
It was important to observe the unspoken rule — an odd number of dishes. It was associated with good luck among the ancestors and inspired hope that the year would pass in prosperity. An even number of treats were associated with trouble and serious illnesses, so it was avoided.
A special place was occupied by the memory of the ancestors. According to popular beliefs, on Epiphany Eve, the souls of deceased relatives come to the house. Some of the food was set aside for them, a plate was placed on a separate table and a memorial candle was lit as a sign of gratitude and respect.
There was another tradition in Russia related to future prosperity – after a festive dinner, the peasants put all the spoons in one large bowl and covered them with bread. It was believed that such a ceremony "attracts" a rich harvest of wheat and other cereals.
The marriage proposal made on January 18 was considered a good sign. The ancestors believed that such a family would live peacefully, without jealousy and frequent quarrels.
Dreams that occurred on the night of January 18-19 were traditionally considered prophetic, and they were treated carefully.
What not to do on Epiphany Eve
Epiphany Eve is a day on which church and national prohibitions are closely intertwined, some of them based on the spiritual content of the holiday, some on ideas that have been established for centuries.
So, on January 18, one should not arrange noisy festivities and feasts with plentiful food and alcohol — Christmas Eve implies strict fasting and inner concentration.
The Church considers fortune-telling and the use of occult practices to be unacceptable on the eve of a big holiday. Also, you should not collect epiphany water with bad thoughts or "just in case." The shrine should be approached with reverence, and not as a "magical remedy for all ills."
What else you can't do on January 18:
- quarreling, swearing, provoking conflicts — insults and harsh words spoken on January 18 can "poison" a relationship for a long time;
- crying for no serious reason, constantly thinking about bad things — according to beliefs, it "attracts" troubles and increases feelings.
- There is no need to mention the names of deceased relatives in conversations – the souls of the deceased will come to the house and disturb the living.;
- Washing clothes is believed to be "all holy water" at this time, and it should not be desecrated.;
- to borrow money and borrow large sums — the whole year will be spent in need.;
- to clean up after sunset – you can "sweep" health and prosperity out of the house.
Folk signs for January 18
On January 18, the peasants carefully observed nature, trying to determine what kind of spring it would be, whether the harvest would be good:
- warm Epiphany Eve — for a soft, favorable Carnival;
- severe frost on January 18 — it will also be cold on Shrovetide;
- full moon on the night of Epiphany — heavy flooding is expected in spring;
- It's been snowing all day for a good buckwheat harvest.;
- The sky is clear, studded with stars, and there will be few mushrooms in summer, but plenty of peas.;
- Dogs bark loudly from morning to evening — there will be a lot of game in the forests in summer.
There were signs associated with luck and prosperity in Russia. If an elderly person is the first to meet on the street on Epiphany Eve, the year will be financially difficult, and a young guy or girl promises good luck in business and money.
Earlier, Izvestia told about an ancient tradition for good luck in the Old New Year.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
