Folk signs for January 18: what can and cannot be done

In Russia, signs and beliefs were given special importance. They were used to determine when to sow and harvest, when to prepare for winter, get married and go on a trip. Every day of the national calendar was full of rituals and superstitions. Izvestia tells about the signs for January 18 and the church holidays that fall on this date.

Folk signs for January 18, 2026

Epiphany Eve was celebrated in Russia on January 18. This day, also known as the Hungry Evening or the Evening of the Epiphany, marked the end of Yuletide and the preparation for the great feast of the Epiphany of the Lord. Before the holiday, the house and yard were cleaned, and after cleaning, they sprinkled holy water on the corners and painted crosses on the doors and windows to protect them from evil spirits.

During the day, the faithful adhered to strict fasting, not eating until the end of the liturgy and the great consecration of water. After the service, the whole family sat down at the table. The main dish was sochivo, a porridge made from grains with honey, nuts and dried fruits. Despite the fast, they tried to make the food plentiful, with an odd number of dishes, which promised prosperity next year. They especially honored the memory of the deceased, leaving a part of the dinner for them. In some regions, after a meal, spoons were put in a bowl and covered with bread — this ceremony, according to legend, "attracted" a rich harvest.

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On Epiphany Eve, the ancestors paid attention to various signs to find out what the weather would be like on Shrovetide. If it was warm on a holiday, they prepared for clear days and the absence of frost. If it was cold, they understood that it would not get warmer by Shrovetide.

Other signs of the day

• full moon — heavy flooding is expected in spring;
• It's been snowing all day for a good buckwheat harvest.;
• clear starry sky — 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;
• The first person I met on the street was a young man who wanted to succeed in business; the elderly man was going to have a financially difficult year.

What not to do on January 18

Epiphany Eve is a day of strict fasting and spiritual concentration, therefore, many church and national prohibitions are associated with it. On a holiday, you should not arrange noisy feasts and even more so drink alcohol — this is considered a violation of fasting.

What else can not be done on January 18

• guessing and resorting to occult practices is contrary to Orthodox norms.;
• to collect epiphany water with evil thoughts is to approach the shrine with reverence.;
• quarreling and swearing — the conflict will drag on;
• Crying for no reason and thinking about bad things can attract trouble.;
• To remember the dead once again, their souls may begin to disturb the living.;
• to borrow or lend money — a year will pass in need;
• to clean the house after sunset — you can "sweep" health and prosperity out of the house.

What is the church holiday on January 18?

The Orthodox Church celebrates Epiphany Eve, or Epiphany Eve, on January 18. This is a day of strict fasting and prayerful preparation for the great feast of the Baptism of the Lord, dedicated to the memory of the baptism of Christ in the waters of the Jordan River and the appearance of the Triune God.

The name "Christmas Eve" comes from the traditional lean dish sochiva (soaked wheat grains with honey, raisins and nuts). On the holiday, believers try to attend divine services and abstain from food until the evening Liturgy and the first taste of Epiphany water.

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The main event of the day is the great consecration of water. This water is called the great agiasm, it is considered a shrine, so believers treat it with special reverence, carefully storing it next to their home iconostasis throughout the year. Traditionally, it is taken on an empty stomach with prayer to heal the soul and body, and is also used to sprinkle homes. At the same time, the clergy emphasize that agiasm should not be perceived as a magical "cure for everything," since its grace-giving power comes from God. The rite of consecration is the same for Christmas Eve and the feast of Epiphany itself, so the water collected on these days is exactly the same.

Prayers for January 18

On Epiphany Eve, the troparion and kontakion of the feast are sung in churches. There is also a special prayer that believers recite before drinking the consecrated water.

Troparion of the Epiphany

"Sometimes you will return to the Jordan with the grace of Elisha, Elijah will ascend, and the waters of Sudu and Sudu will be divided, and his path will be dry and wet, in the image of a true Baptism, by which we pass through the procession of our current lives: Christ appeared in the Jordan, to sanctify the waters."

Kontakion of the Epiphany

"Having been in the streams of Jordan these days, the Lord cries out to John: Do not be afraid to baptize Me, for the coming of Adam the Primordial".

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."

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the signs of the national holiday of Zosima Pchelnik.