The Royal Hours for the feast were served at 8 AM Thursday morning.  After a brief rest, there was the Meeting of the Bishop at 9:45, vesting, and then promptly the Vespers Liturgy of St. Basil was started.  During the Old Testament readings, the clergy chanted the praises antiphonally with the choir.  At the conclusion of the Liturgy, there was the Great Blessing of Water.  The clergy, followed by the faithful, processed to the bell tower for this ceremony.  Vladyka poured some water from the Jordan River into the fount.  As Vladyka lowered the Cross into the water of the baptistry fount, all the bells of the bell tower pealed.  Then all returned to the church as the bishop blessed with holy water the church, including the altar.  The liturgy concluded with the Many Years.

There is only one meal on this day in the monastery, in keeping with the strict fasting of the Eve.  Before the meal, priests went throughout all of the buildings of the monastery to bless all rooms with the new holy water.