AQUARIANS, a name given to various sects of Christians in the primitive church who substituted water for wine in the communion service. This they did on principles of abstinence and temperance, or because they thought it unlawful under any circumstances to eat flesh or drink wine. Epiphanius calls them Encratites, from their abstinence; Augustine, Aquarians, from their use of water; and Theo-doret, Hydroparastatoe, because they offered water instead of wine. Entirely distinct from those Aquarians upon principle, were others who used water at morning communion in order that they might not be discovered by the smell of wine.