The Orthodox Christians who follow the Julian calendar observe Epiphany Eve or the Twelfth Night on January 18. The Diving Liturgy held in churches in the morning is followed by the blessing of water, which is believed to have healing powers. The parishioners are invited to church to take blessed water.

Contacted by IPN for details, Octavian Moşin, bishop of the Meeting of God Church of the State University, said Epiphany is a good occasion for re-baptizing, reassessment and re-awakening.

On the eve of Epiphany and on Epiphany, churches celebrate the Great Blessing of Waters. During the rest of the year, there is held the Lesser Blessing of Waters.

The Christians come with clean containers and receive blessed water that is used to splash the grains, orchards and homes and even to drink. “This water is intended for blessing homes, lightening up, healing disease and surely for blessing our lives,” stated Octavian Moşin.

Octavian Moşin said in many villages the priests today go to homes to bless them, visit the sick ones who could not go to church to take blessed water and tellsthem about the manifestation of Jesus to the world as the Son of God.

Epiphany is celebrated on January 19. Usually called the Feast of Theophany, it is one of the Great Feasts of the liturgical year. The row of winter feasts is closed by the Feast of Saint John the Baptist observed on January 20.