The Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar observe the Eve of Epiphany on January 18. The Diving Liturgy in churches is followed by the blessing of water, which is believed to have healing powers. Priest Andrei Pirgaru of the Church “Saint Martyr Dumitru” of Chetrosu village of Anenii Noi district has told IPN that the Eve of Epiphany is one of the most important Christian feasts.
According to the priest, church says that Jesus Christ started to preach when he turned 30, after he was baptized by John the Baptist, son of Zaharia, in the River Jordan. The gospel says Jesus was praying when Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him. The spirit descended in the “bodily form” of a dove. A voice said “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased”.
“On the eve of Epiphany, churches celebrate the Great Blessing of Waters. During the rest of the year, there is held the Lesser Blessing of Waters. The Christians come with clean containers and receive this blessed holy water that is used to splash the grains, orchards and homes and even to drink. On this day before Epiphany, one should fast strictly,” said Andrei Pirgaru.
Contacted by IPN, Natalia Gradinaru, head of the General Ethnography Problems Division of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova, said that by tradition, the next day after the Divine Liturgy the priest blesses water from the well that is the closest to the church. They still use to go to the river or lake after the Divine Liturgy to make a cross from ice, which the priest throws into the water. The men swim to look for it and the one who finds it is the luckiest and healthiest all year round.
According to Natalia Gradinaru, on the Eve of Epiphany the priest goes from home to home to splash these with holy water. In the past, the newly married women on this day were accepted into the group of married women after they were splashed with holy water and these then sat at a table and amused themselves.
The researcher noted there is another tradition saying that during two weeks after the Eve of Epiphany no laundry should be done as the water is blessed. No homework is done on Epiphany. There is also the tradition of shaping a cross above the door.
