Benedictio Cretæ In Festo Epiphaniæ. Blessing Of Chalk On The Feast Of Epiphany.

Illustration: OK CASTLEBAR LTD

Benedictio Cretæ In Festo Epiphaniæ.

Versicle: Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini.

Response: Qui fecit cælum et terram.

Versicle: Dóminus vobíscum.

Response: Et cum spíritu tuo.

Béne † dic, Dómine Deus, creatúram istam cretæ: ut sit salutáris humáno géneri; et præsta per invocatiónem nóminis tui sanctíssimi, ut, quicúmque ex ea súmpserint, vel ea in domus suæ portis scrípserint nómina sanctórum tuórum Gásparis, Melchióris et Baltássar, per eórum intercessiónem et mérita, córporis sanitátem, et ánimæ tutélam percípiant.

Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Response: Amen.

Et aspergatur aqua benedicta.

Blessing of Chalk on Epiphany.

Versicle: Our help is in the name of The Lord.

Response: Who made Heaven and Earth.

Versicle: The Lord be with you.

Response: And with thy Spirit.

Bless, † O Lord God, this creature Chalk, to render it helpful to men. Grant that they who use it in Faith and with it inscribe upon the entrance of their homes the names of Thy Saints, Caspar, Melchior, and Baltassar, may, through their merits and intercession, enjoy health of body and protection of Soul.

Through Christ Our Lord.

Response: Amen.

It is sprinkled with Holy Water.

The following Text is from CATHOLIC CULTURE

It is Traditional for Parish Priests to Bless Chalk for each family, so that they may mark the names of the three Magi over their doors, in the Blessing of homes as a witness of their Faith and protection against evil.

The following Text is from

ORDER OF CARMELITES

Every year, The Carmelite Pre-Novitiate Community at Carith House, Chicago, Illinois, Bless their home on The Feast of The Epiphany (6 January).

We invite you to adopt this custom in your family. The family gathers to ask God’s Blessing on their home and on those who live in or visit the home. It is an invitation for Jesus to be a daily guest in our home, our comings and goings, our conversations, our work and play, our joys and sorrows.

A Traditional way of doing this is to use Chalk to 

write above the home’s entrance.

The letters C, M, B, have two meanings.

They are the initials of the Traditional names of the three Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthazar.

They also abbreviate the Latin words “Christus Mansionem Benedicat”: “May Christ Bless The House.”

The “ + ” signs represent The Cross

and “20” and “24” represent the year.