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We had a discussion at church last night as to whether or not Holy Water Fonts and blessing yourself with holy water as you enter the church is a Byzantine custom. I've lived in numerous parts of the country and have attended or visited many Byzantine Churches, and all of them had a holy water font near the entrance of the church. I've always seen one, and always use it when I enter a church, and bless myself with holy water each time. Last night, another parishioner said this was a Latin tradition, and his former Byzantine church did not have one. So my question is: Is this a Byzantine custom or not?
Chirst is Baptized!
In the Jordan!
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It is a Latinization, plain and simple.
Christ is Born! Glorify Him!
Ung
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Ung,
Is the custom to "anoint one's self" with Holy Water a Latinization?
Ray
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No. But having fonts at the church doors is taken from the Latin Church tradition. Is it not better for Eastern Catholics to enter their churches and go to the tetrapod or analogia, kiss the icon and then make a profound bow/and Sign of the Cross?
Ung
Last edited by Ung-Certez; 01/06/08 12:13 PM.
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I drank of the newly blessed Holy Water today...Father set out some glasses on trays, which the altar boys held, for us to sip, if we were so inclined at the end of the service. I also brought some home to sip some every morning. Father said to make sure that we use it and not store it away in our icon corners as a relic!
One can also use it to bless their house as the priest does, by dipping a sprig of basil in it and sprinkling the house.
Once, I had just planted some very expensive new bushes which caught a disease which was supposedly unknown to its species. Before finding someone who could treat them, my mother sprinkled some left over holy water onto them...they lived and thrived.
Holy Water is for our sanctification, and is also efficacious in warding off demons.
Alice
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Welcome aboard, Marilyn!
Dave
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Holy Water is indeed given for our sanctification. Some prayer-books recommend drinking some Holy Water on a day when, for whatever reason, we are not to receive Holy Communion.
Many people (including clergy - we're people too!) keep a supply of Holy Water in the house for use when and as desired.
The custom found among Roman Catholics of the "Holy Water stoup" at the entrance of the church is a remnant of the custom of washing one's hands on entering any sacred place.
Fr. Serge
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Watch "Into Great Silence" for a funny scene where the monks discuss just dropping the whole hands washing thing altogether.
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Dear Friends,
The washing of one's hands before prayer or before entering a sacred place is an Eastern tradition which the RC's have maintained with the holy water fonts. A number of our UGCC parishes here have them and when they do, I anoint myself with the Holy Water before entering the Church of the Faithful.
As was mentioned, it is also important to go to the Tetrapod and venerate the icons there, making the bows and then, if possible, turning around and bowing to both sides toward the people assembled saying, "Forgive me a sinner, brothers and sisters."
And the Old Believers always have a supply of Holy Water on hand which they drink three times (and also partake of the Blessed Bread from the previous Divine Liturgy that is taken home and kept and consumed throughout the week).
Since 2002, following renovations in our home, we had rather noisy phenomena such as loud knocking (ten times in a row and in a series) and also the dragging of a bucket of cement back and forth on our garage door (although when I checked the bucket was always in the same place and did not move from it).
Both times I anointed our doorposts throughout our home with Holy Water and both times the noises stopped.
Holy Water is a sure defence against all manner of things and I was once counselled to anoint the pillow of a person who was very cruel toward his parents with Holy Water . . .
These are all wonderful thoughts, but Theophany isn't for a few more days . . . Christ is Born!
Alex
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Thanks Dave. I figured this might be a good source to get the answer about the Holy Water Font in Byzantine Churches. I guess my answer is Yes, they are in some churches, but it is a Latinized custom, adopted by many, but not necessarily a Byzantine tradition. Oh well, I'll just keep blessing myself...just in case.
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