Christmas and Epiphany magic is the most powerful.

The "Gates of Heaven" stand open

No wonder, apparently, they say: “He who gets up early, God gives him.” Try to get up early on Epiphany morning and pray to heaven, asking a question or request. People who know assure that at this time the “gates of heaven” stand open and every word addressed to God flows freely through them. It is not for nothing that holy days are considered a time of spiritual communication between earth and heaven, people and God. And the great twelve-day feast of Epiphany, or the Baptism of the Lord, is full of miraculous signs and deeds.

On the eve of Epiphany, we turned to the rector of St. Nicholas Church with questions:

— Father Andrei, is it true that water is considered holy only on January 19 and that on this day it is blessed everywhere and can even be drawn from a water supply?

— Water is blessed everywhere from January 18 until the Feast of the Epiphany on January 27. In the village, water consecrated on January 19, as a rule, is enough for everyone. All water sources are blessed on this day through prayers. The water will have the same power as that consecrated in the Temple. This is true for those places where there is no clergy, no churches, no way to get to them, but people have faith. And if there is a Temple, but a person does not go there, preferring to take water from the pump, then here we are talking about the strength of his faith. The point of coming to the Temple is that the entire Church is praying for the consecration of water sources. We ask God for the water to become holy, so that it can be used “for bodily weakness and the attacks of the unclean.” You need to understand that water becomes holy after church prayer, and not because it was January 19th.

— Will a hole be cut this year – the Jordan – on any of the reservoirs in the region? Is it true that swimming in an ice hole washes away all sins from a person?

— Swimming in an ice hole is an old pious tradition, but it is not a church sacrament. Initially, this was the norm of church piety: to plunge into the ice hole three times, imitating the baptism of Christ. And remission of sins is possible only during confession in church, in the Sacrament of Repentance.

This year there will be no ice hole cut in our area; this event requires preparation. Anyone who wishes can take three buckets of water and pray: “In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen” pour them on yourself. You must understand that bathing is not hardening or health-improving, and certainly not hygiene procedures. It gives spiritual strength. Provided that a person has faith and strength. And then holy water will help a Christian who truly believes in the power of Divine grace.

Interviewed

Irina IVANOVA

Good news

We are pleased to announce that on the eve of the Nativity of Christ, the renovation of the premises of St. Nicholas Church, where classes are held, has been completed Sunday school. Last weekend guys junior group showed puppet show to everyone who wished to be a spectator. These are the first attempts of young artists and now we can hope that such meetings of young parishioners with adult audiences and peers will become regular. Repair work was carried out by RID-Stroy LLC (headed by D.I. Shabalin) from Izhevsk, which specializes in the repair of churches. The rector of St. Nicholas Church, Archpriest Andrei (Maltsev) expresses his deep gratitude and low bow to all the parishioners and residents of the village of Yar who assisted in raising funds.

The construction work of the St. Nicholas Church is coming to an end. They would not have been possible without donations from parishioners and all caring people. Special thanks to the heads of enterprises and organizations, as well as entrepreneurs: Pagin V.M., Prokazov P.A., Manakov B.G., Zuev A.A., Kapyrin V.F., Naimushina G.L., Prutyan G. S., Trefilov N.M., Bulatov I.G. and S.S. and others who, with their support, contribute to the development of the parish, and most of all V.A. Naimushin, who did a lot for the temple.

Irina KOUROVA

SERVICE SCHEDULE

15.00 – All-night vigil. Great consecration of water. Village Pudem.

8.00 – Confession. The village of Yar.

9.00 – Divine Liturgy. Upon completion - Great Blessing of Water. The village of Yar.

13.00 – Great Blessing of Water. Village Ukan.

15.00 - Upon completion - Great Blessing of Water. The village of Yar.

If necessary, the water will be blessed until the evening. St. Nicholas Church will be open until 21:00.

10.00 – Prayer service to Saint John the Baptist.

Gate for the king

“The first Christians gathered for prayer in private houses, and in the 4th century, when Christianity became the state religion, emperors gave Christians basilicas - the largest buildings in Roman cities, used for court hearings and trade. The royal gates in these buildings were called the main gates through which the emperor or bishop entered the temple,” explains Alexander Tkachenko. “The people entered the temple through the doors located along the perimeter of the basilica.” In the ancient Church, the main person performing divine services, as well as the head of the community, was the bishop. The service did not begin without the bishop - everyone was waiting for him in front of the church. The entrance into the temple of the bishop and the emperor, and after them of the entire people, was the most solemn moment at the beginning of the Liturgy.

The altar part of the temple did not take shape right away. At first it was separated from the main part by low partitions, then in some churches curtains appeared (katapetasmas from the Greek katapštasma), which were closed at certain moments of the liturgy, primarily during the consecration of the Gifts. “There is very little evidence of these veils in the first millennium,” says Alexander Tkachenko. — The life of St. Basil the Great tells that the saint introduced the use of curtains covering the Throne for reasons that were not at all theological: the deacon who served him often looked back at the women standing in the church. In the second millennium, the use of veils became widespread. They were often decorated with embroidery, images of saints, and the Mother of God.”

The name “Royal Doors” was transferred from the main entrance to the temple to the gates of the iconostasis also in the second millennium. “For the first time, the gates leading to the altar began to be given independent significance only in the 11th century,” says Alexander Tkachenko, “when one of the interpretations of the liturgy says that with the words “Doors! Doors!” It is not the gates of the temple that are closed, but the doors leading to the altar. The complete iconostasis as we know it - with the Royal Doors, rows of icons - was formed only in the 16th - 15th centuries.”

Historical and symbolic

When large church communities broke up into many parishes, the custom of waiting for a bishop disappeared. Priests began to serve in parish churches and could be in the altar from the beginning of the service. “Therefore, gradually (after the 8th – 9th centuries) the bishop’s entrance into the temple, and then into the altar, received new meaning: additional chants and prayers have appeared that accompany this entrance (today it is called the Small or the entrance with the Gospel). In ancient times, the Gospel was kept in a guarded and secret place. This was due to persecution and the danger of losing the Gospel Code. Bringing the Gospel for reading was a solemn moment. Now the Gospel is always kept on the Throne, and the Small Entrance connects both actions: the entry of the bishop (priest) into the temple and the bringing of the Gospel, which is taken from the Throne, carried out through the deacon’s gate and taken back through the Royal Gate.” The meaning of the Small Entrance is interpreted differently: according to the interpretations of some holy fathers, the Small Entrance symbolizes the Incarnation and the coming of the Savior into the world, according to others - the beginning of His public ministry and going out to preach.

Once again during the liturgy, a procession of clergy passes through the Royal Doors, when the Cherubic Hymn is sung and the Cup of wine, which will become the Blood of Christ, and the paten with the Lamb, which will become the Body of Christ, are brought out. This procession was called the Great Entrance. “The very first explanation of the Great Entrance dates back to the turn of the 4th – 5th centuries,” explains Alexander Tkachenko. —The authors of this time say that the procession signifies the carrying of the deceased Body of Christ taken from the Cross and His position in the tomb. After the Eucharistic prayers are read and the Gifts become the Body of Christ, they will signify the Resurrection of Christ, Christ will rise in the Holy Gifts. In the Byzantine tradition, the Great Entrance received a different interpretation. It is revealed in the Cherubic song that accompanies the procession. She tells us that the Great Entrance is a meeting of Christ the King, who is accompanied by Bodyguard Angels. And the Royal Doors can be called that not only because in ancient times the emperor entered through them, but because now Christ enters through them as the King of Glory, who goes to die on the cross for the sins of people out of love for man.”

Canon and creativity

Architect Andrei Anisimov talks about the traditions of designing the Royal Doors and the task of the architect: “The Royal Doors are the gates of Paradise, the Kingdom of Heaven. This is what we proceed from when creating them. The Royal Doors should be placed strictly in the center, along the axis of the temple (behind them should be the Throne, then the high place). The Royal Doors are usually the most decorated part of the iconostasis. Decorations can be very different: carving, gilding; Grapevines and paradise animals were carved on baroque iconostases. There are the Royal Doors, on which all the icons are placed in temple frames, crowned with numerous domes, which symbolizes the Heavenly City of Jerusalem.”

The Royal Doors, like a shrine, can move from one temple to another. “Sometimes you look, and the Royal Doors are not part of the general ensemble. Then it turns out that this is a gate of the 16th century, their Soviet era the grandmothers hid it before the closure or destruction of the temple, and now these gates are back in their place, and the iconostasis is new,” continues Andrei Anisimov.

As a rule, the four evangelists and the Annunciation are depicted on the Royal Doors. But within these topics, options are possible. “Only the Annunciation can be depicted in full size,” explains the architect. — If the gate is small, instead of the evangelists their animal symbols can be placed: an eagle (the symbol of the Apostle John the Theologian), a calf (the Apostle Luke), a lion (the Apostle Mark), an angel (the Apostle Matthew). If in the temple, in addition to the main altar, there are two more chapels, then on the central Royal Doors they can depict the Annunciation and the Evangelists, and in the side chapels - on one gate the Annunciation, and on the other - Saints John Chrysostom and Basil the Great - the authors of the rites of the Divine Liturgy.

An image of the Last Supper is most often placed above the gate, but there may be Christ giving communion to the apostles (“Eucharist”) or the Trinity. The iconography of the Royal Doors (Annunciation and Evangelists) shows us the path by which we can enter the Gates of Paradise - the path of salvation, which opens with the Good News of the birth of the Savior and is revealed in the Gospel.

When designing the Royal Doors, the architect has room for creativity. The royal doors, like iconostases, can be wooden, stone, marble, porcelain, or iron. “For the industrialist Demidov, the cheapest material was iron - he made iconostases from iron. In Gzhel there are porcelain iconostases. In Greece, where there is a lot of stone, the altar barrier is made of stone. In the Greek iconostasis, the Royal Doors are low, chest-deep, and the opening between the gates and the arch is large. With the Royal Doors closed, but with the curtain pulled back, you can see the Throne, the high place, what is happening in the altar, you can hear everything well.”

Why are the Royal Doors not always open?

According to the charter in Easter days- Bright Week - The Royal Doors are constantly open. This is a symbol of the fact that Christ, having suffered the death of the Cross, opened the entrance to Paradise for us. The altar symbolizes Paradise, and the rest of the temple symbolizes earth.

Now you can hear calls: let's serve as in the ancient Church, with the Royal Doors open, what should we hide from the believers? “This call has nothing to do with the scientific study of ancient worship,” comments Alexander Tkachenko. — In ancient times, at the doors to the main part of the temple there were special servants called ostarii (door keepers). They made sure that only those who would receive communion were present at the liturgy, the rest (catechumens and penitents, those who did not have the right to receive communion) were removed from the church at the deacon’s exclamation of “the catechumens, come out” (those who are catechumens, come out from the temple). And that is why in ancient times the problem of closing the Royal Doors and the altar did not exist. Subsequently, when the rank of catechumens disappeared and there were fewer communicants, the altar began to be closed from those in the church, in order to avoid profanation of the Sacrament.”

The opening or closing of the Royal Doors shows the most important points worship services. The words of the prayer that the priest says before entering through the Royal Doors into the altar at the end of the third antiphon also speak about reverence. It contains the words: “Blessed is the entrance of Thy saints.” According to one interpretation, the words of this prayer refer to the entrance to the Holy of Holies, since the altar part Christian temple symbolically relates to the Holy of Holies Jerusalem Temple, where no one except the high priest had the right to enter. Therefore, when the priest says: “Blessed is the entrance of Your saints,” this means “blessed is the entrance into the Holy of Holies,” that is, the path to heaven opened to us, according to the Apostle Paul, by the Lord Jesus Christ (see: Heb. 9:7- 28). But can we say that we are always ready for the journey to heaven? And if we answer honestly, it turns out that the open altar and Easter joy We can't do it all the time.

Behind us is a long series of holidays, and Orthodox Christians have one more ahead - Epiphany. It is believed that on the night of January 19 the sky opens and all prayers, requests, desires up there will be heard and, hopefully, fulfilled. How can one not believe such a seductive opportunity and make a cherished wish “at the bluest of midnight”!?

People look into the magical night sky on Epiphany Eve, which precedes the holiday. However, before appearing before him, you need to put a bowl of water on the table and say: “at night the water itself ripples”- this is a special sign. To check whether this is true or not, you need to neglect sleep and observe: if at the midnight hour the water in the bowl really begins to move, then you need to hurry to look at the “open heavens” and ask, ask for your most cherished. They say it will come true.

In general, many folk signs and beliefs are associated with Christmas Eve. But modern women“from the legends of deep antiquity” one can use only a few. In ancient times they loved to tell fortunes and they had conditions for this. Especially in villages. Girls collected clean snow from the stacks so that, after washing, they could whiten their skin and become even more attractive. This method is perhaps more accessible and simple for young ladies of our days. True, those Russian girls collected snow from the stacks, according to folk rules, but on magical Epiphany days, probably, any clean snow has power. Epiphany snow is considered healing, it was used to treat ailments, why not try washing with the stored snow for a while for us, our contemporaries?

It is believed that the eve of Epiphany is a time of special rampant evil spirits. To protect yourself from it, mark a cross with charcoal or chalk on the doors of your house and buildings in the yard, if any, after which no evil spirits will dare to enter your possessions. Nowadays, you shouldn’t be ashamed of such a ritual, a lot of people know about it and use it willingly, so feel free to draw a cross with chalk on the doors of your home without thinking about how others will perceive it.

On Epiphany Christmas Eve, not only rituals and ritual actions were performed, it is a day of strict fasting. The housewives cooked luscious - lean porridge, vegetable pancakes, honey pancakes, kutya made from rice, raisins, honey, washed down with compote and tea.

The night when the sky opens

Believers at Epiphany procession they went to the river to the “Jordan” - a cross-shaped or round ice-hole cut out, where the great consecration of the water took place. Nowadays, this ritual has a noticeable increase in supporters - children, youth, women and men are interested in seeing with their own eyes the night miracles by the reservoir. The priest immerses it three times ice water cross, prayers are read. After everyone has filled their container with the blessed water, those who are strong in body and spirit bathe in the ice hole, bringing obvious pleasure not only to themselves, but also to curious spectators. Those who plunged into Epiphany river or lake water did not complain about the chilling cold; on the contrary, they spoke of the water as in the summer.

Great Orthodox holiday has two names - Baptism and Epiphany. Both on Epiphany Eve and on the holiday, the great consecration of water is performed in churches, and the water in its strength does not differ from water taken from a river ice hole. The queues at the temples, of course, are much longer than those that gather at the water bodies. If you won’t be able to visit the temple on these great days, don’t be upset. You can get regular water from a tap or other source, but be sure to Epiphany night, and use it as consecrated in the church.

True, one cannot consider her a saint. Epiphany water has special properties - it does not deteriorate for several years, it is used to consecrate the body, homes, and household items. It must be stored with reverence - in a special container, in a dark place, it is better to take it on an empty stomach and always with a prayer on your lips. When accepting or giving baptismal water, you should under no circumstances swear, quarrel, or use foul language. From such an attitude she becomes spoiled and loses her holiness. Blessed water counts the best medicine from spiritual and bodily ailments. That's just for women critical days it should not be taken but if a woman is sick, an exception to the rules is permissible, and let Epiphany water be a help!

Christmas (January 7) is the time of fulfillment of our hopes.
At 3am on Christmas Day the sky opens. If you have a desire, go outside at the right time and looking at the sky, pray to Heaven to help you. You can only ask for yourself and not make wishes that could harm someone (you shouldn’t make a wish for a specific man either, you don’t know what is for this person greater good)! Although I once asked for the healing of another person - and the Lord helped!
This night is truly magical - if you make a wish for Christmas while looking into the open sky, it will definitely come true!

Millions and millions of people lived on earth. But among them there was not one like Jesus Christ. Just think about it, because absolutely everyone remembers His birthday and everyone sincerely rejoices on this wonderful day, repeating with sincere love His name and the name of His Mother, who gave us eternal life and salvation through Her Son.
The one who washes himself this morning, having said three times before:
The Savior was born, the light of the world appeared.
I too (name) will be saved through Jesus Christ.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen, -
will gain not only mental, but also physical strength. Sick people, by doing this, recover.

According to a secret custom, on the second day of Christmas you need to go out into the street exactly at three o'clock in the morning, raise your hands to the sky and say:

Open up, holy sky,
Give me golden happiness.
How many clear stars do you have, my dear,
I wish (name) had so many happy tears.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

When the first star lights up in the sky, take incense, myrrh and a coin in your hands. Fold your hands across your chest in a prayer gesture, holding the above items between your palms. Looking at the sky, read the petition 4 times, turning to 4 cardinal directions:

“Lord Hosts, God the Father, help me, grant me to know prayer, to discover Your Kingdom within myself by the power of prayer! Your name Illuminate the light within you! Lord Jesus Christ, bless, help and resolve! Grant me to know prayer, to discover the kingdom of the Lord within myself! Life-giving God, help me, revive my prayer! My work and Word are in the name of the Lord!”

Close your eyes, you will see yourself standing between the turns of a shining spiral that is sent into the sky. Whether you feel it or not, the pure spirits of the righteous will stand around you.
Then say three times to yourself, or better yet out loud, the words of the Great Invocation:

"AUM! AUM! AUM!
From the ocean of invisible Light in the mind of the Almighty, let Light spill into the minds of people. Let the Light come to Earth!
From the kingdom of incomprehensible Love in the Heart of the Almighty, let love flow into the hearts of people. May the Savior Christ descend to Earth!
From the source, where the Will of the Most High is known, let the goal direct small human wills to what the Universal Teachers consciously serve!
From the source called the Human race, may the Plan of Love and Light be realized! And may he close the door leading to evil! And may Light, and Love, and Power restore the Plan of the Almighty on Earth!
AUM! AUM! AUM!"

Listen carefully to your feelings, to the thoughts that come to your mind.

These may be the words of a prayer you know or lines that are addressed specifically to you. But, one way or another, any of your prayers will already have great strength. Subsequently, you can turn to the Cosmos for help, advice, information, entering the Cosmic Channel of the Savior Christ by pronouncing the Great Call.

For wishes to come true, they must be made correctly. Psychic and clairvoyant Elena Yasevich will tell you how to do this so that all your dreams come true.

Elena Yasevich is known and loved by many. She went through the “Battle of Psychics” and established herself as a specialist in the field of esotericism, a wide variety of rites and rituals. She often shares simple, but in effective ways make life better. For example, boost your energy with regular kitchen cooking or get rid of problems during a suitable lunar phase.

Elena Yasevich also has advice that tells how to make wishes not into the void, wondering whether it will come true or not, but directly into the Universe. Moreover, she did not invent this trick herself: it is many centuries old, and the clairvoyant simply talks about this method, because it can save someone’s dream and change the future.

Time for open skies

Sometimes, just one minute a day, Heaven hears us especially clearly. What you wish for at such a time will surely come true, you just need to clearly formulate everything you want within one minute, when the countdown begins. The masters of numerology calculated this minute, or the shamans and magicians guessed it intuitively; now it is no longer possible to recognize it. But the technique itself is known, and it works.

Calculate minute open skies Just. You need to look at the calendar to remember the date. The number will tell you at what hour you need to be ready, and the month will tell you what minute to wait.

For example, July 1 is coming soon. Many will probably want to start life anew from the first day of the new summer month. The minute of open skies on this day will come at night, at 01:07 local time. When this time appears on the clock, the most important thing remains: imagine your dream vividly and in detail, literally bring it into reality in your mind, and then ask heaven for help and support. And they will come to meet you.

Since there are only 24 hours in a day, after the 24th of each month the calculation changes slightly. Now the day of the month will show the hour, and the current date will indicate the minute. For example, today, on the day of publication of our article, on the calendar June 29, 06/29. The minute of open skies occurs at 06:29. Almost half past six, which is a bit early, of course, but many early risers will be able to use this method of Elena Yasevich.

Well, if today you have already missed your happy moment of fulfillment of your desires, do not rush to worry. Calculate it for tomorrow. Or even mark out a wish calendar for yourself so that you can devote just a little time to what you want every day. You can also check with to find out which days are more favorable to dream, and on which days it is necessary to reinforce your wish with action.

Personal mantra

There is another great way to attract good luck, which Elena Yasevich talks about. Many of us use mantras or affirmations. The former are usually a set of sounds that connect us with the Universe in a special way, and the latter are settings that change consciousness itself. Elena Yasevich suggests combining this technique.

First you need to clearly formulate your desire. For example, “I’ll be at sea this summer.” Then it is important to believe in it. At this stage, many people break their connection with the Universe, since it is difficult to convince themselves and overcome skepticism. And it is necessary! Otherwise, your desire is not charged for fulfillment. Therefore, the clairvoyant advises: break it into syllables differently, creating your own mantra. For example, BUD UNAM ORE ETH IM LET OM. This breaks down into syllables and plays very well important role: turns your thought into a mantra and at the same time helps to distract from skepticism without depriving your words of the essence. Try repeating this mantra in the morning, energizing yourself for success.

Make your wishes boldly, and they will definitely come true. The world tends to meet us halfway when we open up to it. For the rest, you can simply rely on the laws of the Universe. Good luck, use this daily ritual from Elena Yasevich and don't forget to press the buttons and

29.06.2016 02:58

Elena Yasevich is a famous psychic and master of bioenergy practices. Her 10 rules of life will help you...