Illuminated Friday – The Healing Spring is the fifth day of the week after Easter, also known as Illuminated Week. The Holy Fathers of the Church teach us what we are not allowed to do today, on the great feast of the Healing Spring, in order to have luck and be safe from evil.
According to popular belief, during Bright Week, from Resurrection to Thomas Sunday, Heaven is open. Thus, the believers who depart from among us will walk at the right hand of the Heavenly Father. Friday of Light Week is called Dear Friday or Fântâniţa. It is the celebration of the Healing Spring.
Good Friday is in direct contrast to Black Friday or Good Friday, from before Easter. The legends say that the Mother of God built a well that had water only on Good Friday, because that water was life-giving.
The faithful come to the church on this day to take part in the water consecration service, also known as the Little Aghiasma, which can be drunk all year round, unlike the Epiphany water, which has a more restrictive ritual of use.
The holiday takes its name from a miracle performed by the Mother of God through the water of a spring with healing power, discovered, through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, by Leo I (457 – 474), shortly before becoming emperor.
Along with the Savior, who shows himself this week as source of life and Resurrectionthe Mother of God appears as protector of life and “Source of healings“. In some parts of the country, priests go and sprinkle the houses of believers with this holy water.
On the day of the Healing Spring, young teenagers in certain areas of the country used to make the juvenile covenant – in the house, in the gardens or around a flowering tree.
“Related” persons, cousins, sisters, brothers, brothers-in-law met annually or after marriage, at Pentecost. After the conclusion of the covenant, they behaved towards each other as true brothers and sisters. In the popular tradition, it is believed that the sick who observe the ritual and drink holy water from the day of the feast in the morning, before breakfast, become stronger.
All the rooms in the house are sprinkled with Little Agheasma. It is also said among the people that, on Good Friday, the waters are noisier and more turbulent. That’s why the sound of water helps well diggers find a water source more easily.
Also on the day of the Healing Spring, the householders throw holy water over the cattle, so that they are healthy and work hard at agricultural work. The gardens and orchards are also sprinkled with holy water on the day of the holiday, for a fruitful year. At the same time, people believe that this ritual protects crops from damage caused by hail.
On Good Friday, women should not wash or iron or cut clothes, because it is said that work done on the holy day will not be useful and will never be finished.
Also among those who believe in superstitions, it is said that if someone has the courage, on the day of the Healing Spring, to leave a cup or a bowl of water under a walnut or an elder tree, and later finds soil at the bottom of that bowl, it means that he has many days to live.
Over time, the water of this spring would have cured many diseases and cured various wounds and sufferings, according to realitatea.net
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