On Monday, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel officiated the Great Blessing of Waters service alongside Bishop Qais of Erzurum from the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East and Patriarchal Auxiliary Bishop Varlaam of Ploiești.
From the entrance to the Patriarchal Residence, His Beatitude addressed the faithful, speaking about the Lord’s Baptism and the sanctifying power of the Great Holy Water (Epiphany water). He emphasized that this moment in history signifies the sanctification and renewal of the entire world.
During the service, volunteers from the “Youth in Action” group distributed bottles of holy water to the faithful, with approximately 20,000 bottles prepared in advance.
The Holy Spirit and the Renewal of Creation
Patriarch Daniel reminded the faithful that Epiphany Water is “a sanctifier of soul and body, homes, households, and gardens,” as well as “a healer of spiritual and physical ailments” and “a protector against evil spirits, sinful passions, and difficult situations.”
Reflecting on the history of sanctification, His Beatitude explained:
“When the Savior became man, He took flesh from the womb of the Virgin through the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus, He first sanctified human nature—soul and body—from within humanity. When He was born in the cave of Bethlehem, He sanctified the earth itself from within, from the cave.”
“Today, at the Lord’s Baptism, we see and sing in our services that He sanctifies the waters of the Jordan and the nature of water itself, reminding us that at the beginning of creation, the Holy Spirit hovered over the waters.”
Quoting Genesis 1:2, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the waters,” the Patriarch emphasized the enduring connection between the Holy Spirit and water in creation.
“When Jesus, the Creator of the world, entered the waters of the Jordan, He sanctified them through His Baptism. Now, on the Lord’s Baptism, the Holy Spirit hovers above the waters to renew and regenerate creation.”
Baptism of Christians and the Romanian People
His Beatitude also highlighted that Christian baptism represents a spiritual rebirth, distinct from physical birth.
At the Feast of Theophany, celebrated on January 6, believers not only commemorate the Lord’s Baptism but also their own baptism and “the baptism of the Romanian people.”
“The Romanian people were not baptized by royal decree or at the command of a ruler but through a gradual process initiated by Saint Andrew the Apostle, whose image adorns the façade of the Patriarchal Palace. As we formed into a new people from Dacians and Romans, we were also Christianized.”
“The slow yet profound Christianization of the Romanian people preserved the apostolic faith through invasions and hostile powers,” he noted.
Final Blessing and Gratitude
Concluding his address, Patriarch Daniel prayed, “May God help us feel Christ’s love for us and respond with faith, love, and good deeds, for His glory and our salvation.”
He expressed gratitude to authorities for supporting the event’s organization and encouraged believers to consume Great Holy Water daily, before meals, for the next eight days.
The Patriarch also acknowledged with appreciation the contribution of the Afumați II Parish in Ilfov County for helping bottle the 20,000 containers of holy water distributed during the celebration.
For more pictures please visit our Photo Gallery section:
- The Lord’s Baptism at the Patriarchal Cathedral (2025)
- Great Blessing of Waters by Patriarch Daniel – 2025
Photo: Basilica.ro / Mircea Florescu
