Today, Serbian Orthodox Christians both in Serbia and abroad celebrate the significant Christian holiday of Epiphany, commemorating the Baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River.
On Epiphany, the days of non-baptism end, while in all churches and temples, water is blessed. This is a solemn ritual attended by many believers who take the blessed water, known as Epiphany Holy Water, back to their homes. This water is kept throughout the year as a great sanctity. It’s used on special occasions for health and happiness – unlike the water blessed for the patron saint’s day which is used to make the slava cake, or that blessed for Easter which is drunk in small amounts every morning. 
Many are uncertain about how long they can keep the Epiphany Holy Water and what to do with last year’s if it hasn’t been used.
Holy Water, especially that from Epiphany, can be stored indefinitely without losing its properties. Church books do not explicitly state what to do with old holy water. Some add a little of the new holy water to the old and continue to keep it, but a popular custom has developed where the old holy water, when the new arrives, is poured into a river, a well, or onto crops – somewhere where it won’t be stepped on.
Photo: Milan Brasanac
