The most important holiday on January 19th is Epiphany: history, traditions, prohibitions

Every year on January 19, believers celebrate one of the main church holidays – the Epiphany of the Lord. The celebration is connected with the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River by the prophet John the Baptist. In 2026, this day falls on a Monday. Read about its history, spiritual meaning, traditions and prohibitions in the Izvestia article.

Epiphany of the Lord – 2026: the history and spiritual significance of the holiday

Epiphany, or Epiphany, is one of the 12 main holidays of the Orthodox Church. It is based on an event described in several Gospels at once. After long wanderings and preaching in the desert, John the Baptist arrived at the banks of the Jordan, the river in whose waters the Jews performed religious ablutions. There, among the people who came to him with repentance, he accepted Jesus Christ and immersed Him in water, performing the sacrament of baptism (this word itself means "immersion in water" in Greek).

At the moment of baptism, an event occurred that became a key event for the Christian tradition. The sky seemed to open, the Holy Spirit descended on Christ in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father sounded over the Jordan: "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." There was an appearance to the world of the Most Holy Trinity — the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, which gave the holiday its second name "Epiphany". Immediately after this event, according to church tradition, Christ retired to the desert, where he fasted for 40 days and prepared for the beginning of his ministry.

Epiphany in 2026: the true story of the greatest holiday

The exact date was not recorded in the sources. However, when theologians carefully compared the events described in the first chapters of the Gospel of John, they came to the conclusion that it refers to about January 6 in the old style (January 19 in the new), when Jesus was about 30 years old.

Since the fourth century, the church has established a celebration on this day. Since then, believers around the world have been celebrating the Epiphany of the Lord on January 19, remembering the baptism of Jesus in the waters of the Jordan.

In theological texts, Epiphany is also called the Feast of Enlightenment. It is believed that the Jordan water became the boundary between the old and the new life — through immersion, Christ sanctified not only the river, but also all the water on earth, and with it, in a symbolic sense, the whole world.

Therefore, on January 19, the Great Consecration of Water, called the Great Agiasm, takes on special significance, a rite that repeats the prayerful remembrance of what happened on the Jordan.

Traditions of the Epiphany holiday

The celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord begins the day before, on the evening of January 18, on Epiphany Eve, and continues on January 19 with a solemn liturgy. On these two days, the Great Consecration of Water takes place in churches — first inside the church, then at springs, rivers and specially prepared fonts.

The Gospel story of the baptism of Christ is read in churches, and ancient hymns are sung, in which words about enlightenment, renewal, and purification are repeated. After the liturgy, the priest reads special prayers for the consecration of water and immerses the cross in it three times. It is believed that God gives her a special grace in return.

It is this consecrated water that becomes the main shrine of the holiday. It is called the Epiphany, or agiasm (translated from Greek — "shrine").

At home, Epiphany water is usually placed next to icons or in a secluded place. In the morning, before breakfast, believers drink a small amount, reciting a short prayer and meaningfully accepting the shrine as spiritual and physical support. For those who, for whatever reason, cannot come to the temple and receive communion, priests often advise them to take agiasm as a special consolation and reminder of the closeness of God.

Agiasm is sprinkled on homes, workrooms, cars, and household plots. Sometimes they wash their faces with it, apply it to sore spots, and give it to those who are seriously ill. At the same time, the Church emphasizes that it is not about a "magical remedy", but about a shrine that a person comes into contact with with faith and prayer.

Holy water for Epiphany 2026: when to collect and how to store

There is a tradition among the people of the holiday — Epiphany bathing. After the service, parishioners, together with the clergy, go to rivers, lakes or springs. A prayer service is held there, a cross is lowered into the water, and people collect the consecrated water already "in Jordan" — under the open sky. In large cities, such places are equipped in advance, decking and lighting are installed, doctors and rescuers are on duty, and information about officially authorized fonts is published through the media.

Although bathing is not considered a church sacrament or a "mandatory point" of the holiday, many believers plunge into icy water three times on January 18 and 19, thus joining the evangelical events, strengthening their character.

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."

What not to do on the feast of Epiphany

The church charter does not contain a detailed "list of prohibitions" for January 19, but over the centuries there have been general recommendations and unspoken taboos that help to spend the day in accordance with its meaning.

Epiphany in the church tradition is a day of prayer and a meeting with the great shrine, during this period one should not drink alcohol, arrange noisy feasts and festivities, especially in combination with bathing, it is dangerous for health. It is better to spend the day in a calm, family atmosphere, without making too much noise, to show attention to lonely relatives, neighbors, those who cannot come to the temple themselves, bring them some holy water, help with household chores.

You should also not treat Epiphany water and bathing as a talisman or a "universal remedy for all problems." This view shifts the focus from the main thing — participation in worship, repentance and gratitude to God.

What else you can't do on January 19th:

• Diving into icy water with chronic diseases of the heart, blood vessels, and respiratory system, without consulting a doctor, is life—threatening and has nothing to do with a reasonable Christian attitude to your body.;
• to engage in fortune—telling and turn to occult practices, perceiving this day as "especially strong" for mystical rituals - such practices contradict the spirit of the holiday, which is dedicated to trust in God.;
• to use Epiphany water as a talisman — agiasma is revered as a shrine, and not as a tool "for good luck", consumer attitude towards it contradicts the meaning of the holiday.;
• to throw consecrated water or prosphora into the trash, to pour agiasma into the sewer — the remains of shrines are traditionally poured into a clean place or "given" to the earth, for example, watering plants with them.
• swearing, clarifying relationships — harsh words and conflicts on this day are especially dissonant with its meaning, which is associated with reconciliation and inner renewal.;
• immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of everyday life if there is no urgent need — numerous small tasks should not replace prayer, church and time spent with family.

Folk signs for January 19th

In Russia, on January 19, they observed nature in order to make a forecast about what the summer would be like and whether the harvest would be good.:

• severe frost on Epiphany will lead to a good grain harvest;
• fog, cloudy sky and snow in large flakes — for a rich harvest and a "well-fed" year;
• Blue clouds at noon — wheat will grow well;
• There are bright stars in the sky — summer promises to be dry, and in autumn there will be a lot of mushrooms.;
• a clear and cold day leads to a dry, lean summer;
• A snowless Epiphany leads to a poor harvest.

Earlier, Izvestia reported on the history, spiritual significance and traditions of Epiphany Eve.