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Hello again I have another question...

Do Byzantine Priests bless sacramentals? If I were attending Divine Liturgy and afterwards asked the priest to bless a rosary, would that be "out of line"?

Thanks for the help
Danielle

Now that I think of it, Byzantines wouldn't refer to them as sacramentals would they? Since the "sacraments" are called "mysteries." Sorry for all of the newbie-ness and thank you for your patience :-D

Danielle,

Stop worrying about the use of Latin terminology - we know what you mean.

Can't see a problem with that [ the blessing of a Rosary I mean though someone else may give me my head in my hands for that ].

One day I asked a Ukrainian Priest [ through an interpreter ] to bless some Icons for me - and he did. After translation he told me that it was a joy and a pleasure to give this small service.

Angela

Slava Jesu Kristu,

I doubt any Eastern Priest would refuse to bless your Rosary. Technically, however, things are blessed at the alter. Icons, croses, prayer ropes, etc. are placed on the alter for the Liturgy that day. At the end, the priest will say the formal blessing for whatever it is and then you get it back. Now, a really traditional custom is to actually leave it on the alter for 40 days. I am not sure how often this is done, however.
Also, in my opinion, you really wouldn't use the term "sacramental" for any Byzantine Devotion. This I feel is do to the fact that most Eastern devotions are para-Liturgical. Therefor, even the devotion to the Jesus Prayer is used really as a substition for the Horologion or some other "inside the Church" kind of thing. But, then again, I don't think anyone would question what you meant. I have heard the term used by Eastern Priest (usually bi-ritual).

Dmitri

Dear Danielle,

Yes, a formal way to bless your rosary, crosses etc. would be to ask the Priest and he might place these on the Tetrapod altar that is before the iconostasis so they might remain there for the duration of the Divine Liturgy. At the end, there is the formal blessing with Holy Water.

But he could also opt to simply bless these with Holy Water in the sacristy etc.

During the Epiphany when the Priest goes around sprinkling everyone with Holy Water, I like to offer my sacramentals, such as prayer ropes, medals, icons, for blessing at that time and the Priests are only too happy to do it then too.

The Greek tradition of blessing of icons is to leave them in the Church for 40 days before they are blessed with Holy Chrism.

The Slavic tradition is to simply bless them with Holy Water, with or without the tradition of leaving them out during the space of a Divine Liturgy.

In fact, the real tradition is to leave them in Church for the full cycle of the Divine Office with Liturgy.

At the Orthodox Shrine of St Seraphim of Sarov, the monastic Father who manned the shrine would bless the articles people offered with his hand only.

Two pilgrims saw this as they approached in line and whispered to themselves, "What kind of blessing is this? You need Holy Water to bless things properly!"

As they approached the monk, they saw him frown at them. He then stooped down and brought up a bottle of Holy Water with which he blessed their devotionals.

They then realized that the Monk was a holy clairvoyant who perceived what they were thinking since there was no way he could have heard their whispering all the way back in the church!

Alex

The Greek osmosis method often does not involve any formal blessing, the presence of the item on the altar for the 40 days having effected the blessing in itself.

Spasi Khristos-
Mark, monk and sinner.

Bless me a sinner, FAther Mark!

Yes, the osmosis method . . .

That's why I like being with holy people!

Alex

I can imagine 2 babushkas saying that!!!!!!

Dear Brian,

With all their talent for quick-witted criticism, you'd wonder why more babushkas aren't employed as movie critics!

But they'd probably refuse to see "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" as a comedy . . .

Alex

Dear Brian,

Sorry for the double-click!

This is the first time it's happened to me in about 7,000 posts would you believe . . .

Alex

Hello:

I have a really hard time with "things" being "required" to be blessed.

A friend of mine, Xavieran Missionary priest, once gave me a rosary, and he said:

It is not blessed yet. You'll have to bless it yourself by praying with it.

Shalom,
Memo.

Dear Memo,

This is a fascinating point you raise!

On the one hand, I don't mind having devotionals blessed by priests or even by a Pope

But we ourselves may definitely bless things. As a matter of fact, we are called as Christians in virtue of our Royal Priesthood to call down blessings on ourselves and all of humanity and the world constantly.

A great formula for formal blessings by ourselves is this:

This (object, house, bed, desk etc.) is being blessed with the Sign of the Holy Cross + in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

During the Theophany/Epiphany period, we bless our homes with Holy Water etc.

Certainly by praying with something or using it in a holy purpose, we are blessing it too.

It is good to pray, when we can, with lighted candles, incense and with the use of Holy Water.

All of creation is sanctified in Christ and we are called to live a life that reflects His Eternal Epiclesis!

Alex

Is not the practice of having things blessed a reminder to us that with the advent of Christ all people and things are blessed as part of the new creation in Him? I believe it is also to make the object a channel of grace for us while we are using it.

BOB

For all you my Eastern brothers and sisters, how do you like this one?

This year our parish priest decided that we all ought to bless our homes ourselves rather than having a priest do it. So everyone who signed up got a sandwich bag with the blessing on a sheet of paper, a piece of chalk to mark a cross on the wall once we were done, a bottle of holy water, and a piece of incense to burn during the process (like one would get from a New Age "head shop"). A do-it-yourself blessing kit in a bag!

Danielle, it is appropriate to sanctify, refer and consecrate everything back its origin, to He who created it for our sanctification. That is "sacramental" in its fullest sense - the sanctification of all creation.

Man, do we ever have blessings in the Byzantine tradition...the full English version of the book of sacramental blessings performed by the priest (Trebnik/The Great Book of Needs) is four separate volumes!

Dear Bob,

Well, we Eastern laity have been blessing our homes etc. with holy water for a few centuries now.

Many of us have small censors at home as well and we may bless our children with them before they go to bed. We may burn incense during prayer and the like.

This doesn't mean priests should not be asked to bless our homes and this is done regularly and especially now during the Epiphany season.

The Old Believers have three times in the year when the priest visits to bless the home and see the faithful: Nativity, Epiphany and Pascha/Easter.

A priest should always be invited to bless a new home - an intercessory service is served to the Guardian Angel of the new home and to St Joseph.

Alex