The rites for blessing of water belongs to several important blessings and liturgical functions. It’s part of preparation for baptism, the washing of the hands of the bishop at an hierarchical liturgy, and the consecration of a church building. The spiritual and liturgical meaning of water is worth our attention. This chapter is short. But it’s typological content is long and enriching to understand.
Metropolitan Hilarion discusses the great blessing of water the lesser blessing – two rites. The first is done before Theophany at least since the 6th c. during the Roman empire in the capitol city of Constantinople and Jerusalem, and the famous Barberini Euchologion gives witness to the blessing of water in the Orthodox Church as early as the 8th – 10th c. This rite of blessing water twice is from the Jerusalem Typicon. Some of the prayers read as follows. “The voice of the Lord upon the waters cries out, saying: Come, receive all of you the Spirit of wisdom …of Christ who is made manifest.” When Christ was baptized in the Jordan as a model for us, the prayers also teach us, “Today the nature of the waters is sanctified, and the Jordan is divided, and turns back the streams of its own waters, beholding the Master baptized.” The Son does what He sees His Father doing. “The waters saw Thee and were afraid.” Not only does creation seem to be rid of evil creatures in the waters, but it is the way in which God willed to be manifested as the Holy Trinity. The waters were used by the Holy Trinity from the inception of the world, the flood came as a cleansing of mankind, and the seas have been inhabited by Leviathan since the Fall of Adam. We know from these rites that the cross put in the waters is what makes it holy. Blessed water is a sacrament that Christians drink to heal the soul and body. What was meant for evil is turned into our sanctification.
The lesser blessing of water was done in Constantinople on the feast of the Procession of the Tree of the Precious and Life-Giving Cross of the Lord. Christ was submerged into the earth, and He came out alive and a conqueror of the waters that bring death. The adamant Egyptians died by the rivers collapsing onto them while the Hebrews escaped through the waters and lived. The Theotokos of Blachernae is a Church in Constantinople that contained a hagiasma or healing spring. Because of these powerful fountains there are early manuscripts that record the blessings for waters with beautiful troparia that speak of not only Christ but also the Theotokos giving us water for our purification. The great litany teaches that “the waves of sensual desires” are as dangerous as hurricanes. The blessed waters are meant for blessing homes, icons, and cars. It’s used for baptism and the recurring cleansing of “the defilement of passions.” We can see that Orthodox Christians are trying to consecrate the world around us. The next two chapters are about the Consecration of a Church and the Preparation and Consecration of Chrism.