January 5 (Eastern Orthodox liturgics)

In the Eastern Orthodox Church, January 5 is a day with specific liturgical significance, being the eve of the Theophany (also known as Epiphany) and observed as a strict fast day. This day is usually called Paramony of Theophany.

On this day, the Royal Hours are read, consisting of special psalms, hymns, and scriptural readings pertaining to the feast. Vespers is served with the Divine Liturgy of Saint Basil the Great. Following the Liturgy, the Great Blessing of Water is performed, often in a prominent location such as a church courtyard or near a body of water. This water is blessed with prayers invoking the Holy Spirit and is considered to have special purifying and healing properties. It is distributed to the faithful, who drink it and often sprinkle it throughout their homes.

The fasting on January 5 is particularly strict, traditionally involving abstinence from meat, dairy products, fish, oil, and wine. The fast is often broken only after the Great Blessing of Water and the consumption of some of the blessed water.

The liturgical themes for January 5 focus on the anticipation of the manifestation of the Holy Trinity at the Baptism of Christ and the sanctification of creation through the blessing of the waters.