A Service for the Blessing of Homes for Laity
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, Fr. Antony will not be visiting homes for house blessings this year. However, you are encouraged to bless your own homes with your family using your Holy Water bottle from Theophany and the Service for the Blessing of Homes as follows.
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Following the Feast of Theophany (Epiphany) on January 6, the blessing given to water is carried to the homes of the faithful. By His baptism in the Jordan, Christ touched our lives and our whole world, and revealed His loving desire to make all things holy. At His baptism, the Holy Trinity was revealed to mankind – the Father spoke, the Son was made known, and the Spirit descended in the form of a dove, a sign of peace and forgiveness to all people. This is the blessing that is carried to our homes, a sign that our lives are precious to the Lord, that we are immersed in His love, and that the whole world is now filled with His love.
Do the service when all the members of the household are together and when no one feels rushed. If you do not have an icon corner on an eastern wall of your home, make one on a convenient table or shelf by putting on it the following objects: icons(s) and candles, a bowl of Holy Water blessed by the priest at Theophany, and something with which to sprinkle it (a branch, a bunch of parsley, etc.).
Head of Household: Through the prayers of our holy fathers, Lord Jesus Christ our God, have mercy upon us and save us.
People: Amen.
Holy God, Holy Mighty, Holy Immortal: have mercy on us. (3x)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
All-holy Trinity have mercy upon us.
Lord, cleanse us from our sins.
Master, pardon our iniquities.
Holy God, visit and heal our infirmities for thy name’s sake.
Lord have mercy. (3x)
Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit: both now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name;
Thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen.
People: Come, let us worship and fall down before God our King. Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ, our King and our God. Come, let us worship and fall down before Christ Himself, our King and our God.
Psalm 126
Reader 1: Except the Lord build the house, in vain do they labor that build it. Except the Lord guard the city, in vain does he watch that guards her; It is vain for you to rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of sorrow, for He gives sleep to His beloved. Lo, sons are the heritage of the Lord, the reward of the fruit of the womb. Like arrows in the hand of a mighty man, so are the sons of them that were outcasts. Blessed is he that shall fulfill his desires with them; they shall not be put to shame when they speak to their enemies in the gate.
Psalm 127
Reader 2: Blessed are all they that fear the Lord, that walk in His ways. Thou shalt eat the fruit of thy labors; blessed art thou, and well shall it be with thee. Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine on the sides of thy house. Thy children like young olive trees around about thy table. Behold, so shall the man be blessed that fears the Lord. The Lord bless thee out of Sion, and may thou see the good things of Jerusalem all the days of thy life. And may thou see thy children’s children; peace be upon Israel.
Psalm 132
Reader 3: Behold now, what is so good or joyous as for brethren to dwell together in unity? It is like the oil of myrrh upon the head, which runs downs upon the beard, upon the beard of Aaron, which runs down to the fringe of his garment. It is like the dew of Aermon, which comes down upon the mountains of Sion. For there the Lord commanded the blessing, life forevermore.
People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit: now and ever and unto ages of ages. Amen.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia; glory to Thee, O God. (3x) O our God and our Hope, glory to Thee!
Troparion of Theophany
The people chant the Troparion of Theophany.
Gospel Reading (Luke 19:1-10)
Gospel Reader: The reading is from the Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke the Evangelist.
People: Glory to Thee, O Lord. Glory to Thee.
Gospel Reader: At that time Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man named Zacchaeus: he was a chief tax collector, and rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not, on account of the crowd, because he was small of stature. So he ran on ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him, for he was to pass that way. And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down: for I must stay at your house today.” So he made haste and came down, and received him joyfully. And when they saw it they all murmured, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.” And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, “Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor: and if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.” And Jesus said to him, “today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man came to see and to save the lost.”
People: Glory to Thee, O Lord. Glory to Thee.
Head of Household: O God our Savior, the True Light, Who was baptized in the Jordan by the prophet John, and Who did deign to enter under the roof-tree of Zacchaeus, bringing salvation unto him and to his house: do Thou, the same Lord, keep safe also from harm those who dwell herein: grant them Thy blessing, purification and bodily health, and all their petitions that are unto salvation and Life everlasting: for blessed art Thou, as also Thy Father Who is from everlasting, and Thine All-Holy, Good and Life-Giving Spirit, both now and ever, and unto ages of ages.
People: Amen.
The head of household blesses the whole house with Holy Water while all present chant the Troparion of Theophany as many times as is necessary to complete the blessing.
Head of Household: Grant, O Lord, a prosperous and peaceful life, health and salvation and the furtherance of all good things to all thy servants (names are mentioned) who dwell herein, and grant us many years.
People: God, grant you many years! (3x)