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The Blessing of the Waters

CyprianCyprian Shipmate
edited January 2022 in Ecclesiantics
Do any of your churches practise this publicly for the feast of Theophany/the Baptism of the Lord? It is a prominent feature of various Orthodox church calendars. However, locally, most churches perform it on a small scale by blessing containers of holy water inside the church.

In my 16 years of being Orthodox I haven't known any of the local parishes to do this publicly. My former parish, over on the Wirral, once went to the sea front during my time there, and did a heavily foreshortened version of it, blessing the Irish sea. Otherwise, my experience of it has been quite limited.

I feel that it is a gift in the calendar, in that we are provided with a ready-made opportunity for public witness and preaching. So my little mission parish made a go of it yesterday, as we blessed the Manchester Ship Canal.

We followed this with a Memorial for all who have lost their lives in the waters of the canal, as the reports are far too frequent. Sadly, the news media reported that another body was removed from the water only today - a very tragic end to the worry of a family over the past month or so.

I know there is a well-established custom among the Anglican churches of St Magnus-the-Martyr, London Bridge, and Southwark Cathedral. Do any of your churches do something similar?

Comments

  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    I seem to remember the Greek Church in Brighton used to do it.
  • PomonaPomona Shipmate
    I wonder if any coastal Anglican churches do something like this for Sea Sunday. However, I don't think many Anglican churches would connect blessing external waters with baptism in that way.
  • Moderately 'low' Episcopals get a stressed look on the face if holy water is mentioned.(speaking from USA). Or, blessing river, bay, sea, lake and so on. Also, can anyone give me information about numbers or words chalked above the main doorway of the church? I'm curious.
  • Nick TamenNick Tamen Shipmate
    edited January 2022
    Also, can anyone give me information about numbers or words chalked above the main doorway of the church? I'm curious.
    It’s actually a house blessing, though it is sometimes done at churches, too. The numbers are the year, so 2022 this year. The letters are the initials of the names traditionally given the three magi, so Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar. Alternatively, the letters can be understood to stand for Christus mansionem benedicat—“May Christ bless this house.”

    The traditional form is:
    20+C+M+B+22.

  • I think the CMB thing is strictly western. I've never heard of Orthodoxen doing it.
  • mousethief wrote: »
    I think the CMB thing is strictly western. I've never heard of Orthodoxen doing it.
    I suspect you’re right that it’s strictly Western.

  • There is the blessing of the Thames courtesy the clergy of St Magnus the Martyr, London.

    Quite an occasion according to an old friend (MWer Ora pro nobis in days gone by) who attended last Sunday.
  • SpikeSpike Ecclesiantics & MW Host, Admin Emeritus
    Sojourner wrote: »
    There is the blessing of the Thames courtesy the clergy of St Magnus the Martyr, London.

    I seem to remember Southwark Cathedral doing something similar in the past as well.
  • EnochEnoch Shipmate
    edited January 2022
    Cyprian wrote: »
    ... I feel that it is a gift in the calendar, in that we are provided with a ready-made opportunity for public witness and preaching. So my little mission parish made a go of it yesterday, as we blessed the Manchester Ship Canal. ...
    Thank you for your link @Cyprian . Just
    two quick queries. Was this the first time you've done it and what were the British Legion doing there with their flags? Had you asked them or had they approached you?

  • CyprianCyprian Shipmate
    edited January 2022
    Enoch wrote: »
    Cyprian wrote: »
    ... I feel that it is a gift in the calendar, in that we are provided with a ready-made opportunity for public witness and preaching. So my little mission parish made a go of it yesterday, as we blessed the Manchester Ship Canal. ...
    Thank you for your link @Cyprian . Just
    two quick queries. Was this the first time you've done it and what were the British Legion doing there with their flags? Had you asked them or had they approached you?

    Thanks, Enoch.

    It was our first time doing anything like this. In truth we didn't know if anybody would turn up and whether the whole thing would turn out to be a terrible embarrassment. In any case, we were determined to do it for the sake of public witness.

    I've a friend in the Navy who also is very heavily involved in the Royal Naval Association. During lockdown, he wanted representatives of different Christian traditions to send video greetings for a Christmas video he was putting together for the isolated veterans, and I did a bit to help him with that.

    So, when he saw that I was planning this event, he rallied the troops, and supplied the bugler and standard bearers, which really added dignity to the occasion, especially to the Memorial Service that followed the blessing. He had hoped that some members of the Merchant Navy might be able to attend, given the place the canal has played in the life of Salford, Manchester, and beyond but it didn't work out on this occasion.

    All in all, for a first attempt, it didn't go too badly at all, and there were some people who really felt the need to reach out just when we were there.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    mousethief wrote: »
    I think the CMB thing is strictly western. I've never heard of Orthodoxen doing it.

    I've never heard of ANYONE doing it!
  • It is a custom observed among the Orthodox.

    "Orthodox" and "Western" are not mutually exclusive.

    It's just that it isn't a Byzantine custom.
  • Alan29 wrote: »
    mousethief wrote: »
    I think the CMB thing is strictly western. I've never heard of Orthodoxen doing it.

    I've never heard of ANYONE doing it!

    There's been something of a revival of the custom among Anglo-Catholic-ish folk in recent years.
  • Spike wrote: »
    Sojourner wrote: »
    There is the blessing of the Thames courtesy the clergy of St Magnus the Martyr, London.

    I seem to remember Southwark Cathedral doing something similar in the past as well.

    It's a joint occasion with the clergy and congregations of both churches (and this year, two bishops). Pictures on St Magnus the Martyr Facebook page.

  • 20 C+M+B 22 is a widespread custom in Central Europe. In the UK I have only seen it once over the door of an RC church in Edinburgh much frequented by people from various countries of Central Europe and also over the door of an Anglican church in Durham.
  • Alan29 wrote: »
    mousethief wrote: »
    I think the CMB thing is strictly western. I've never heard of Orthodoxen doing it.

    I've never heard of ANYONE doing it!
    It’s generally referred to, at least in my experience, as “chalking the door,” the writing being done with chalk.

    It seems to have gained popularity among Catholics, Episcopalians, United Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians (and maybe others) in the States over the last few decades. Both the main door to our (Presbyterian) church and the main “weekday” door have been chalked every year for a number of years now. A prayer for chalking the door is included in the PC(USA)’s Book of Common Worship, and pre-pandemic, our place provided copies of that prayer and small bags of chalks for people to take home with them.

  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    Thank you Nick.
  • angloidangloid Shipmate
    edited January 2022
    Spike wrote: »
    Sojourner wrote: »
    There is the blessing of the Thames courtesy the clergy of St Magnus the Martyr, London.

    I seem to remember Southwark Cathedral doing something similar in the past as well.

    It's a joint occasion with the clergy and congregations of both churches (and this year, two bishops). Search Facebook for pictures.

    [sorry for the repeated post: I thought one was lost and I couldn't work out how to delete the other]
  • North East QuineNorth East Quine Purgatory Host
    edited January 2022
    The late Rev. Graeme Longmuir used to bless the river Don at the start of the salmon fishing season in March. IIRC it involved pouring a dram of whisky into the river and the rest of the bottle being passed around.

    I think this ceremony came within the definition of "Celtic Christianity" though I may wrong.

    (I'm basing the assumption re "Celtic Christianity" on the fact that the Rev Longmuir was deeply knowledgeable about the early history of Christianity in the area, and the history of various ruined early chapels. He may well have based the blessing on some early tradition. )
  • KarlLBKarlLB Shipmate
    The late Rev. Graeme Longmuir used to bless the river Don at the start of the salmon fishing season in March. IIRC it involved pouring a dram of whisky into the river and the rest of the bottle being passed around.

    I think this ceremony came within the definition of "Celtic Christianity" though I may wrong.

    (I'm basing the assumption re "Celtic Christianity" on the fact that the Rev Longmuir was deeply knowledgeable about the early history of Christianity in the area, and the history of various ruined early chapels. He may well have based the blessing on some early tradition. )

    I have an image of Lord Summerisle breaking the ale barrels as a sacrifice to the gods of the sea...
  • The late Rev. Graeme Longmuir used to bless the river Don at the start of the salmon fishing season in March. IIRC it involved pouring a dram of whisky into the river and the rest of the bottle being passed around.

    I think this ceremony came within the definition of "Celtic Christianity" though I may wrong.

    (I'm basing the assumption re "Celtic Christianity" on the fact that the Rev Longmuir was deeply knowledgeable about the early history of Christianity in the area, and the history of various ruined early chapels. He may well have based the blessing on some early tradition. )

    I hope the whisky itself was duly blessed before being poured and shared...
    :wink:
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    edited January 2022

    (I'm basing the assumption re "Celtic Christianity" on the fact that the Rev Longmuir was deeply knowledgeable about the early history of Christianity in the area, and the history of various ruined early chapels. He may well have based the blessing on some early tradition. )

    I hope the whisky itself was duly blessed before being poured and shared...
    :wink:

    Well, yes, blessing is most definitely required especially with a less than top grade whisky.

    As to Mr Longmuir: was he knowledgeable of various ruined early chaplains as well?

  • Until the coming of the Plague, Ottawavians could hike over to the Québec side of the river for the blessing of the waters at the Museum of History--I am trying to remember if I posted a MW of this some years ago. The reconstructed historical chapel of Saint Onoforii is part of the Museum's exhibits (https://www.historymuseum.ca/blog/renewing-a-living-church/), and the local Ukrainian Orthodox and Ukrainian Catholics do a brief joint service indoors and then proceed to walk down to the Ottawa river where the rest of the rite takes place. IIRC it was a bit over half an hour.

    The service was wonderfully sung by the choir from the Ukrainian Catholic seminary, supported by singers from the Orthodox cathedral on Byron with lots of teenage and younger children of the Ukrainian Catholic seminarians (for over ten years now, Rome has withdrawn its old prohibition on the priesting in the Americas of married candidates) joining in the singing, or scampering about in the snow.

    A traditional foods bun fight took place after the service, with hot cider available afterward.

    The rivalry between the katoličeskii and the pravoslavnii is too well-documented for words, but disappears in this setting. I spotted a few fellow Anglicans in the crowd, one noting it was the first really happy service he had been to in years.
  • I've known Orthodox bless the waters in public places. The Greek Orthodox parish in Leeds used to it at the lake in Roundhay Park in Leeds, but I didn't see them do so when I lived in Leeds.

    Before I became Orthodox I attended a public blessing of the waters behind a pub in a village not far from here. It rather disconcerted a passing Methodist lady.

    I understand they've done the same thing at various water courses around the area but this year did it inside the church building because of the pandemic.
  • My parish is having another go at this next month, D.v.

    We didn't do it in January this year because I had some respiratory problems (since diagnosed and properly treated) and had had a visit to A&E, and I thought it best not to spend too long in single-figure temperatures for an extended period of time.

    We have moved to a different location since our last attempt and seem to have developed something of a local following. So we hope to bless the River Mersey this time. Yet again, nobody has been persuaded to dive into the water to retrieve the Cross, so it will be on a string again.

    Does anybody else have plans for this?
    Before I became Orthodox I attended a public blessing of the waters behind a pub in a village not far from here. It rather disconcerted a passing Methodist lady.

    The blessing or the pub?
  • As I recall, we Lutherans do not have a direct blessing of the waters, though there is a prayer inserted in the order of Baptism that can be called a blessing of the water (for the baptism). As for the blessing of the sea, or the lake, or a river, canal--I just don't recall one, though we do have an occasional rite for the blessing of those that work on the sea or related industries.
  • Gramps49 wrote: »
    As I recall, we Lutherans do not have a direct blessing of the waters, though there is a prayer inserted in the order of Baptism that can be called a blessing of the water (for the baptism). As for the blessing of the sea, or the lake, or a river, canal--I just don't recall one, though we do have an occasional rite for the blessing of those that work on the sea or related industries.

    Thank you for this. This is interesting. I know that the traditional Roman Rite has a form of blessing Epiphany water, although the Latin church has generally been quite reticent about the lavish use of water (see the form of baptism, for example, and any form of sprinkling the faithful, which is generally a token gesture rather than anything actually intended to bring them into contact with the water).

    I wonder whether any churches originating in the Latin church might have retained some form of the blessing of the waters.
  • Cyprian wrote: »
    We have moved to a different location since our last attempt and seem to have developed something of a local following. So we hope to bless the River Mersey this time.
    Let me know when you do it and I'll make sure to visit the sanctified waters when they make their way down river. I'm not going to dive in though!
  • angloid wrote: »
    Cyprian wrote: »
    We have moved to a different location since our last attempt and seem to have developed something of a local following. So we hope to bless the River Mersey this time.
    Let me know when you do it and I'll make sure to visit the sanctified waters when they make their way down river. I'm not going to dive in though!

    :joy: You disappoint me!

    Weather permitting, it will be 1pm this coming Sunday in South Manchester. I don't know how long it will take for the blessed water to find its way downstream. Perhaps we could add some food colouring at the same time as the blessing, so you'll know. :wink:
  • I think you should get the glow in the dark stuff.
  • I think you should get the glow in the dark stuff.

    I think the rubrics could be suitably adapted.
  • "Lord Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world...."
  • Goodness me ... that was a post of mine from a long time ago you resurrected, @Cyprian.

    Cast your bread upon the waters ...

    It was the blessing of the waters that discombobulated the passing Methodist.

    I don't know if there are any plans to do an outside blessing of the waters this time but it'll be happening inside our church building on the day.
  • Alan29Alan29 Shipmate
    If memory serves me right, there used to be an annual blessing of the sea at Brighton conducted by an Orthodox priest. This would have been in the 1960s.
  • Yes, I seem to remember something about that too.
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate
    Alan29 wrote: »
    If memory serves me right, there used to be an annual blessing of the sea at Brighton conducted by an Orthodox priest. This would have been in the 1960s.

    The priest of an Orthodox parish here, near to the Harbour or Botany Bay, would bless the fleet annually. It made a useful filler on the TV news sessions. I don't know if the service still takes place, but probably it does.
  • Gee D wrote: »
    Alan29 wrote: »
    If memory serves me right, there used to be an annual blessing of the sea at Brighton conducted by an Orthodox priest. This would have been in the 1960s.

    The priest of an Orthodox parish here, near to the Harbour or Botany Bay, would bless the fleet annually. It made a useful filler on the TV news sessions. I don't know if the service still takes place, but probably it does.

    It certainly takes place in Newcastle, where it is held at the Bogey Hole. Young men from the local Greek community compete to retrieve the cross cast into the waters by the local Orthodox priest.
  • Alan29 wrote: »
    If memory serves me right, there used to be an annual blessing of the sea at Brighton conducted by an Orthodox priest. This would have been in the 1960s.

    There is an annual blessing of the sea at Margate, usually by a visiting Greek Bishop and attended by numerous civic dignitaries from East Kent, There is a report of last year;s event here: https://www.thyateira.org.uk/news/events/blessing-of-the-seas-in-margate/
  • 'On Margate Sands I can connect ...'
  • PuzzledChristianPuzzledChristian Shipmate Posts: 18
    Spending Christmas with my mother at Primrose Hill London I attended the Christmas Day service at the very high Anglo Catholic church St Marks. (went overboard with candles and incense). Interesting to see two future services' details listed in service booklet. The Epiphany service will conclude with champagne. Of relevance to this thread they follow this one day later with at the Feast of Jesus Baptism service which includes with a blessing of the Regents Canal waters which flow past next to this church.
  • CyprianCyprian Shipmate
    We did it.

    There are some photographs and a couple of videos.

    It was a good occasion, but I think we missed an opportunity for public witness. I'm told that the path behind me was well trafficked by people who stopped and looked curious, but perhaps didn't realise they were welcome to join us (a problem we didn't have last time we did this at a different location). Perhaps an A-board on the path next year would be a good idea.
  • angloidangloid Shipmate
    Splendid!
  • Gee DGee D Shipmate

    It certainly takes place in Newcastle, where it is held at the Bogey Hole. Young men from the local Greek community compete to retrieve the cross cast into the waters by the local Orthodox priest.

    Thank you, it's a good tradition to continue.
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