The Orthodox Church celebrates on the Friday of Holy Week, the Healing Spring, a holiday dedicated to the Mother of God and in which the faithful come to the church to take holy water that can be drunk all year round, also known as Little Agheasma.
The Friday of Bright Week is also called the Fountain because legends say that the Mother of God made a fountain that was filled with life-giving water only on Good Friday.
The name Healing Spring refers to a series of miracles that were performed at a spring near Constantinople. Before becoming emperor, Leo the Great met an old blind man who asked him to give him water and lead him into the city. At that moment, however, the Mother of God said to him: “There is no need to strain, because the water is near. Go, Leone, deeper into the forest and, taking cloudy water with your hands, quench the blind man’s thirst with it and anoint his eyes with it to the dark ones”. That’s how the future emperor found a spring from which he gave the blind man a drink and washed his face. The water immediately healed the blind man, and Leon exclaimed, “Mother of God, you are here! I have found you.”
As an offering to this miracle, after he became emperor, Leon built a church near that spring, which received the patron saint “The Healing Spring”. Later, Emperor Justinian, suffering from a serious illness, was cured by drinking water from this spring. He built, as thanks, a church, but it was destroyed by the Turks in 1453. Resisting all vicissitudes, the Christian spring still exists today in Constantinople. And now, thousands of believers come to the spring to receive the help of the Mother of God.
The Feast of the Healing Spring was therefore generalized in the Orthodox Church during the 5th – 6th centuries. In all Orthodox churches and monasteries, after the celebration of the Holy Liturgy, the water consecration service is performed, according to an order appropriate to the Holy Week.
The Healing Spring – Traditions and customs
There are many traditions related to the Healing Spring, and following them would bring good luck.
In some areas of the country, young people have to swear loyalty and exchange objects of sentimental value. For example, a coil, a clay pot or a candle.
Twinning is another custom that is practiced. It is actually a covenant between girls or between boys, but mature people can also fulfill this covenant. According to tradition, the two people who have “bonded” must help each other until death.
Another tradition involves cheese pie. It is said that whoever consumes it on the first Friday after Easter will have good luck for the whole year and will be safe from trouble.
Bottles of bottled water or water in special containers are also offered at the Tâmduirii Spring. Thus, those who give, but also those who receive, according to tradition, are safe from diseases, writes crestinortodox.ro.
