Orthodox Christians in Russia mark the Eve of Theophany today on January 18, RIA Novosti informs. This is the day of strict fasting. The Eve of Theophany precedes one of the twelve greatest Christian feasts – The Theophany or the Twelfth Day. All parishes of Russian Orthodox Church hold services and bless the water.
Patriarch Kirill has headed church service in the Christ the Savior Cathedral today’s morning. The night service is planned in the Bogoyavlensky (Epiphany) Cathedral today’s evening.
One and a half million people are to join the ceremony in all regions of the country. More than three hundred grounds will be organized in Moscow and the Moscow region.
They say, usually frosts come to Russia at the Epiphany. Real frosts covered Siberia this year too. The temperature will go down below 50 degrees C for all of this week. Severe frosts have come to Yakutia towns. It is expected to be really cold in the Krasnoyarsk region, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Districts. It will be cold in the Tomsk region and in Irkutsk. The Theophany bathing was cancelled due to hard frosts in Norilsk as the temperature will fall 50 degrees below zero and there is high risk of freezing injuries. Snowstorm and strong blasts of wind will accompany the Theophany bathing in Moscow.
The word Eve is translated in Russian as Sochelnik and the word originated from the word Sochivo, which is traditional Russian food boiled of wheat, honey and raisin. Nowadays the wheat is usually substituted by rice.
Orthodox Church recollects how Jesus came to Jordan River to be baptized by John the Baptist on January 19 at the Day of Theophany.
In ancient times Christmas and Theophany were marked at the same day, now the days between these two dates are called the holy days.
In Russia, Greece and some other countries there is a tradition of bathing at night of the Theophany, when believers dive into the cold water of the ice holes for three times saying prayers.
Russkiy Mir
