The Healing Spring is a feast dedicated to the Mother of God. This feast is celebrated every year on the first Friday after Easter.
Orthodox Christians celebrate on this day both Jesus Christ, the one who rose, but it is a holiday dedicated to the Mother of God. The name of the Healing Spring is closely related to several miracles performed at a spring near Constantinople.
“In the Synaxar of the day we are told: Friday in the Bright Week, the consecration of the Church of the Most Holy Lady of our Lady and the Mother of God, of the Life-bearing Spring, is celebrated.
It is also mentioned the miracles of the highest nature that were performed by the Mother of God in this holy place. The celebration dates back to the 5th century, commemorating a miracle near Constantinople. The Mother of God revealed to Emperor Leo the Great (457-474), a spring with healing water”, says the information published by the Archdiocese of Argeș and Muscel on the Facebook page.
The water consecration service is performed – Agheasma Mică
One of these miracles reminds of Leo the Great who, while walking through a forest in Constantinople, met an old blind man who asked him for water and to take him to the citadel, only Leon could not find a drop of water. He finally managed to help the blind man, after the Virgin Mary told the Byzantine emperor Leo I to take him to wash with water from a spring near Constantinople. Leon listened to her, found the spring from which he gave the blind old man to drink. He washed his face with water, and the blind man began to see. On becoming emperor, Leo built a church near that spring. Over time, numerous miracles took place in that church. On this day, in all churches and monasteries, after the Holy Liturgy, the water consecration service is performed – Agheasma Mică. In Istanbul (the ancient city of Constantinople), believers can worship in the Church of the Healing Spring. The current construction is from the 19th century and in the basement of the church is a chapel from the 5th century where there is a spring with healing water.
“Today, although located in the heart of Islam, the spring is sheltered between the high walls of a monastic complex, cared for by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. (…) The courtyard of the settlement is paved with large marble slabs, tombstones from the Greek graves in the city, desecrated and destroyed by the Ottoman Turks. They all lie like a sacrificial carpet under the tired feet of the pilgrims towards the entrance to the underground chapel that hides the healing spring. With each step on the steep and time-worn steps leading to the spring, the pilgrim descends into the history of the fifth century, when Emperor Leo the Great built the chapel. The spring is surrounded by an edifice made of white marble, guarded by an icon in which the Mother of God is represented with the Child in her arms, surrounded by angels, standing over a fountain. The emperor with his guard and the patriarch accompanied by other bishops are also represented, the soldier Leon and the blind man in the background, and at the base of the fountain, a paralytic receiving his healing. In the pool there are several golden fish swimming, which are said to have been there for hundreds of years, always being the same in number and the same size”, said those from the Archdiocese of Argeșului and Muscelului in the information published on the Facebook page.
Traditions and superstitions related to the Healing Spring
There are certain traditions and superstitions related to this holiday. Thus, it is said that it is good for all people to wash themselves with dew and drink aghiasma, in order to be safe from diseases and troubles.
According to Christian tradition, on this day holy water is thrown over the animals in the yard so that they are healthy.
Also, on this day people sprinkle holy water on gardens and orchards to protect them from hail.
For well diggers, this holiday in popular tradition is the most contentious day of the year because the waters are noisier and easier to find.
On this day, no washing, no ironing, and no cutting of clothes.
Descriptive photo. Photo source: Facebook Archdiocese of Arges and Muscel
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