CAPG's Blog 

"The Holy See sanctioned a special solemn“ Benedictio Aquae in Vigilia Epiphaniae Domini ", with a separate formula duly approved (6 December, 1890). This blessing is found in the recent typical edition of the Roman Ritual.

 It consists of the Litany of the Saints, chanted kneeling, ending with Pater noster ... et ne nos inducas, etc. Then follow three Psalms, "Afferte Domino, filii Dei” (28), “Deus noster refugium” (45), and “ Laudate Dominum " (146). Next the celebrant chants the Exorcism, concluding with “Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus Dominus Deus Sabaoth ". After this the chanters take up the antiphon “ Hodie caelesti sponso juncta est Ecclesia”, followed by the canticles Benedictus and Magnificat.

The celebrant now chants Dominus vobiscum and the oration taken from the office of the Epiphany, “ Deus qui hodierna die Unigenitum tuum Gentibus stella duce revelasti ”, after which the Ordo ad faciendam A quam benedictam used for Sunday, given in the ritual and missal, is carried out in full with the exorcism and blessing of the salt and water. It may prevent confusion to note here that the exorcism which the celebrant chants at the beginning of the ceremony is the one found in the Appendix of the Roman Ritual under the title “Exorcismus in satanam et angelos apostaticos ” which was issued by Leo XIII. In the present ceremony it begins with the words " Exorcizamus te". The function ends with the Te Deum; after which the people take some of the blessed water for their homes and the sick.

The significance of this blessing is that it marks the opening of the Epiphany cycle in the ecclesiastical year, and offers an opportunity to explain the continual care of the Church for her children in the daily course of their lives and for the sick. It is in this way that the sacramental channels flowing from the Tabernacle in our churches are utilized. Our Catholic people thus find a way to keep faith in the mysteries of religion, and to make holiday for the Lord as readily as they will for the civic festivals which a secular sense of gratitude inspires.

- Some Catholic families are accustomed to mark the doors of their houses for the feast of the Epiphany with the letters C. M. B., and a cross between each of the letters, which stand for the supposed names of the three Wise Men from the East. These people ask the priest to bless the doors with holy water, after which they invite guests to a feast, the priest being supposed to stay with them as at a wedding or christening. Is there any sanction for this?

Resp. An old custom exists of blessing a piece or pieces of chalk which are afterward used to mark the doors of houses with the initials of the three holy Kings from the East, Caspar, Melchior, Balthasar, who are supposed to bring a special blessing on the inhabitants. A formula for this is found in the Roman Ritual (Benedictio Cretae in Festo Epiphaniae)."

Source:The American Ecclesiastical Review.