On the Eve of the Theophany of Our Lord, the Church performs the Great blessing of water in remembrance of the Savior Who, with His Baptism, sanctified all bodies of water.

To prepare the people for this great event, the Holy Church, from the beginning of January, announces to its flock the wondrous hymns and prophetic words  “as the Master Who ‘rules the ungovernable waters of the heavens… is embraced by the flowing waters,’ as He Who adorns the heavens with clouds is adorned Himself with the waters of Jordan, as the Creator of man Himself is stripped bare to cover the nakedness of Adam, to vest him anew in the light garments of spiritual rebirth, and to warm by these garments the fallen human soul cooled from the winter of passions.”

On the Eve of the Baptism of the Lord, the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery held the ceremony of the Great Blessing of Water at the Transfiguration Cathedral. On this day, water vessels of various sizes holding Holy Water fill the central space of the nave.

The Rite of the Great Blessing of Water was performed by Rev. Fr. Vladimir Kargin, senior priest of the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery.

After the ceremony, the clergy accompanied by the choir singers signing the festive troparion walked around all monastery premises and blessed them with the Holy Water of Theophany.