Epiphany water is one of the main shrines for a Christian. It is consecrated twice a year - on Epiphany Christmas Eve and on the holiday itself. Believers believe that this water has special miraculous properties.
The feast of the Baptism of the Lord is celebrated in the Orthodox Church on January 19 in a new style. Accordingly, on the eve (the 18th), Epiphany services are held in Orthodox churches.
The water, called holy haghiasma, is consecrated at the end of the liturgy on Epiphany Christmas Eve, as well as after the service on the feast of Epiphany itself. A divine service for a great historic event usually begins on the night of January 19th. Therefore, on the day of Epiphany, the water usually begins to be consecrated at about 3 am. However, there is a practice of celebrating the Liturgy and the Great Blessing of Water on January 19 in the morning. In this case, the consecration of the water begins at about 11 o'clock in the morning. On Epiphany Eve, the consecration of water begins at about half past eleven on the 18th of January.
On the eve of Epiphany Christmas Eve, special tanks are installed in churches, which are filled with water for subsequent consecration. It is worth noting that the water on Christmas Eve is somewhat less, since the believers must disassemble it all immediately before the feast of Epiphany (the containers must be emptied).
The rite of the great consecration of water is contained in the liturgical books of the monthly and festive Menaion, as well as in the missal. The succession of the great consecration of water is one, therefore it cannot be said that the water of Christmas Eve and Epiphany is somehow different. The tradition of separating Epiphany and Epiphany water is incorrect.
After the end of the liturgy on Epiphany Christmas Eve and on the very day of the holiday, the clergy go to the center of the temple or a certain limit of the church to carry out the rite of the great consecration of Epiphany water. First, the choir sings certain festive stichera dedicated to the Baptism of Jesus Christ, and then the reader proclaims several parimias (excerpts from the Old Testament). Then comes the reading of a passage from the Apostle and the Gospel. Further, the priest pronounces the ectinia, which contains special petitions for the consecration of water. The priest reads prayers for the consecration of water, in which he invites the grace of the Holy Spirit to descend on the water to sanctify it. After that, with the singing of the troparion of Baptism, the priest lowers the cross into the water. The choir at this time sings the troparion "In the Jordan, the Lord who baptizes Thee."
In addition, there is a practice of adding water from the Jordan River to water tanks. The Gospel says that it was in the Jordan that the baptism of Jesus Christ took place.
After the completion of the consecration, believers collect holy water and go home.
