Holy Names over the door

Epiphanytide House Blessing was a new experience for us and we were not quite sure what to expect.  Fr Mawdsley arrived with a crate containing a thurible, charcoal, incense, a lighter, a bottle of holy water, a sprinkler and blessed chalk.  He gave us a sheet containing the words of the blessing so we could follow and join in where appropriate.  Most of this was in Latin.  Having vested in surplice and stole and after an antiphon and the Magnificat, Fr Mawdsley asked me to led him round each room (including the bathrooms) with Martin, my husband, following him with the thurible.  Each room, and the garden, was sprinkled three times with holy water, and incensed three times.  The Pater Noster, some responses and the Collect for the day were said. The lintel of the front door was marked with blessed chalk:  20 + C + M + B + 18, standing for the century, the initials of the Three Magi, and the year, with the words:  “I place the marks of their holy names over the door of this home to remain there as a constant reminder to us and to all who enter here that this house is truly a house of the Lord”.

It is lovely that our house has been blessed this Epiphanytide and I would thoroughly recommend it – further home blessings are taking place on Fr Mawdsley’s next visit to Bedford on 20/21 January and there is still time to sign the sheet.

by fsspuk