page_title: Holy water in Eastern Christianity
section_title: Lesser Blessing of Waters
hierarchical_section_title: Holy water in Eastern Christianity / Lesser Blessing of Waters
caption_attribution_description: Fountain with Holy Water in Thessaloniki
context_page_description: Among Eastern Orthodox and Eastern-Rite Catholic Christians, holy water is used frequently in rites of blessing and exorcism, and the water for baptism is always sanctified with a special blessing.
  Throughout the centuries, there have been many springs of water that have been believed by members of the Orthodox Church to be miraculous. Some still flow to this day, such as the one at Pochaev Lavra in Ukraine, and the Life-Giving Spring of the Theotokos in Constantinople.
  Although Eastern Orthodox do not normally bless themselves with holy water upon entering a church like Catholics do, a quantity of holy water is typically kept in a font placed in the narthex of the church, where it is available for anyone who would like to take some of it home with them. It is customary for Orthodox to drink holy water, to use it in their cooking and to sprinkle their houses with it.
  Often, when objects are blessed in the church the blessing is completed by a triple sprinkling with holy water using the words, "This is blessed by the sprinkling of this holy water, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit."
context_section_description: The Lesser Blessing is called "lesser" not because it is shorter (in fact, it isn't), but because it does not have the same solemnity as the Great Blessing, and does not necessarily change the nature of the water.
  While much is the same, the rite begins with Psalm 142 (LXX) and the hymns to the Theophany of the Great Blessing are replaced in the Lesser Blessing with hymns to the Theotokos. The scriptural readings are different (Hebrews 2:11-18, John 5:1-4), and the special petitions at the Great Litany are different:
  That these waters may be sanctified by the power, and effectual operation, and descent of the Holy Spirit, let us pray to the Lord.
  That there may descend upon these waters the cleansing operation of the super-substantial Trinity, let us pray to the Lord.
  That this water may be unto the healing of souls and bodies, and unto the banishing of every hostile power, let us pray to the Lord.
  That the Lord our God will send down the blessing of Jordan, and sanctify these waters, let us pray to the Lord.
  For all those who entreat of God's aid and protection, let us pray to the Lord.
  That he will illumine us with the light of understanding, with the consubstantial Trinity, let us pray to the Lord.
  That the Lord our God will show us forth sons and heirs of his kingdom, through partaking of and sprinkling with these waters, let us pray to the Lord.
  Then the priest says a prayer very similar to the one used at Theophany, but when he immerses the hand cross into the water three times, instead of singing the troparion of Theophany, he sings the troparion of the Cross:
  Save, O Lord, Thy people and bless Thine inheritance, granting unto the faithful victory over enemies. And by the power of Thy Cross, do Thou preserve Thy commonwealth.
  The Lesser Blessing of Waters may be performed according to need. It is specifically called for on August 1 (the feast of the Procession of the Cross); on Bright Friday (Friday in Easter Week) which is the feast of the Theotokos of the "Life-giving Spring"; and on the Feast of Mid-Pentecost, when all of the fields are blessed. There is also a tradition of blessing Holy Water on the first day of each month.
  Though there is no special blessing said over it, the water used for the Washing of Feet on Maundy Thursday could be considered a form of holy water, in that the Bishop or Hegumen will bless the faithful with it at the end of the ceremony. Among the Coptics, this water is blessed with the cross before the Washing of Feet. The Coptics also sprinkle the faithful with holy water on Palm Sunday, and at the end of every Divine Liturgy.
caption: Fountain with Holy Water in Thessaloniki.
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