Water in Christianity

In Christianity water plays an important role as well as in Islam and other religions. However there are a lot of differences between the ideas on the water in every religion.

In Christianity water is associated with the Holy water. In fact it is the water that was sanctified by a priest. It is sanctified with many purposes, and has a great number of supernatural powers. People believe it may heal people and help them during difficult moments of their life. It is also used to sanctify other objects: houses and apartments, people, cars, etc. This ceremony is held to protect these places from evil creatures that are afraid of holy water. Holy water is also used to bless people.

According to the Bible, there was water and darkness at first. And the God created the light and the land. The similar legend about creating the world is told in Islamic religion, saying that Allah created the world and people from the water.

In Orthodoxy, there are two kinds of sanctifying water. The first that is called The Great Blessing is held during the holiday called Epiphany. And the second kind of sanctifying is held during the year on great holidays or on petition of ordinary people.

The traditional way of blessing the water is putting the silver cross into the water and reading the pray. The Holy water is used during the baptism of children, when they are bathed in it, and during the baptism of adult only their forehead is washed.

In Catholic Church the sanctifying of water is made during the baptism, the great religious holidays, to bless the newly-built church, etc.

In Christianity water is pictured as the instrument of God to protect people and all creatures of the world from evil powers. That is why people drink water in the morning. In such way they protect themselves for the whole day.