Epiphany Blessing of the Home
Prayer:
On entering the home,
Leader (Priest, if present, or head of the family) : Peace be to this house.
All: And to all who dwell here.
All: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.
All: Our Father. . .
Leader: All they from Saba shall come
All: Bringing gold and frankincense.
Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come to You.
Leader: Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star did on this day manifest Your only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know You by faith may also attain the vision of Your glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Leader: Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for your light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you—Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.
All: And the Gentiles shall walk in your light and kings in the splendor of your rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
Leader: Let us pray.
Bless, + O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Your law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell and visit here Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
After the prayers of the blessing are recited, each room of the home may be sprinkled with holy water and incensed. The initials of the Magi (Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar) may be inscribed upon the doors with blessed chalk. (The initials, C, M, B, can also be interpreted as the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” which means “Christ bless this house”.) The numbers represent the year 2019.
Example: 20 + C + M + B + 19