Today we had the blessing of Epiphany water after the Sunday morning Missa Cantata at Our Lady of the Rosary, Blackfen.
Fr. Finigan always blesses holy water for the parish with the traditional prayers - first exorcising the salt, then blessing it, then exorcising the water and blessing it, and finally mixing the two and blessing that. But the blessing of Epiphany water is rather impressive - a super-charged blessing, with knobs on.
First of all we chanted the Litany of Saints, then a few psalms (Psalms 28, 45 and 146, with antiphons) and then Fr. Finigan chanted the exorcism against Satan and the apostatic angels - and there's no messing about. The devil is given very firm marching orders. He is commanded to depart, and with each prayer I felt that the big guns were being lined up - Almighty God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the majesty of Christ, the sacred mystery of the cross, the mysteries of the Christian faith, the Virgin Mary, the faith of the apostles, the blood of the martyrs and the devout intercession of all holy men and women.
Begone Satan, you father and teacher of lies and enemy of mankind. Give place to Christ, in whom you found none of your works: give place to the one, holy, Catholic and apostolic Church, which Christ himself purchased with his blood. May you be brought low under God's mighty hand. May you tremble and flee as we call upon the holy and awesome name of Jesus, before whom hell quakes, and to whom the virtues, powers and dominations are subject...Then the Benedictus was chanted, the exorcism and blessing of the salt and water carried out, and finally the Te Deum was sung.
And, at the end of it, we were encouraged to get some of the Epiphany water to take home. Holy water to really "kick ass," if you will forgive the expression! More photos can be seen on Flickr. (I also see that Fr. Z has posted his thoughts on Epiphany water.)
Tomorrow night we are having a Missa Cantata for the Epiphany itself, and there will be chalk blessed and distributed. Great stuff - I love sacramentals!!
7 comments:
As the rite contains an exorcism should the cope not be purple?
Unfortunately, I couldn't get to the Epiphany Mass today, having caught a vile cold by clicking on to your blog . . . . .
Vetusta - I did wonder about this, but the rubrics say a white cope. It's possibly because of a link with the blessing of Baptismal water at the Easter Vigil (at least that's what I think Fr. Finigan said!)
"KICK ASS".
Is that from The Vulgate ?
If the rubrics are from the newer liturgical books perhaps Bugnini's invented liturgical rule about only one sort of vestments in any liturgical celebration is in play. The Easter Vigil is now conducted entirely in white chasuble; it used to be purple cope for the vigil part and white chasuble for the Mass.
Vetusta - no idea. All I know is the Ordo (pre- 1962) and Missal (according to the MC) both stated white cope.
We had the blessing of Epiphany water at Saint Jude Parish of Pharr, Texas. Took two gallons home to be distributed among my friends and relations who have never heard of it. I testify to the efficacy of the prayers over the water and salt and promote its use to anyone who tells me of problems at home, at work or personal.
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