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Theophany House Blessings
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Theophany house blessings : 6 Things to Know
1. Houses are traditionally blessed with "Theophany water" each year. A house can be blessed at any time, but the usual season for yearly blessings is from Theophany until the beginning of the Great Fast.
2. “Theophany water" is just water that has been blessed with the Great Blessing of the Waters service on Theophany. Another name for this water is simply "Holy Water". The water blessed in for instance, August is no more and no less "holy" than the water blessed on Theophany.
3. Water is blessed using the “Great Blessing of the Waters” service two distinct times during Theophany: after Vespers on the Eve of Theophany and after the Divine Liturgy on Theophany. The blessings are identical, and the water is identical.
4. In many places, it is traditional to bless water in lakes or rivers, frozen or flowing. The priests often go to such a place, and bless the water (if frozen, after a hole has been cut in the ice). Many people will take a dip in the water after it is blessed.
5. When a home is blessed, the priest brings everything needed for the blessing: a blessing cross, holy water and sprinkler.
Some families supply a bowl, candles and the family Theophany icon.
The family should provide the priest with a list of all family members, living and deceased that they would like remembered in the prayers.
The bowl and icon should be placed on a clean table with a cloth on it, preferably near the family icon corner and the candles lit.
The priest will bless all rooms of the house. In homes with children, it is always good for the little ones to carry a candle or the blessing cross and "lead" the priest throughout the house. An elder member of the house may also do this.6. The basic order for a simple home blessing is as follows.
a. The bowl of water, icon and lit candles are placed on a clean table. If there is a censer, it may be lit.
b. The priest begins the service with a blessing and the Trisagion prayers (O heavenly King through the "Our Father") with all praying together.
c. After this the entire home is blessed, with the family walking with the priest holding candles and the Theophany icon while the Theophany Troparion is repeated.
d. Upon finishing blessing the house, the family gathers again at the table, and a short litany is said for the welfare of the family. The priest should have been provided a list of all family members, including those who are ill.
e. After this a short prayer, and the service is ended.
f. It is entirely appropriate that the deceased loved ones of the family be commemorated from a list provided to the priest.If you would like to schedule your home to be blessed, please contact me by email at: [email protected] or by mobile (text or voice) at 713-256-8953
Please let me know when you have time so that we can easily schedule a visit with the blessing of your home.
Fr. Elias