Holy water

Holy water is a sign of blessing. In the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Church, it serves to Tauferinnerung and blessing. Holy water is water, over which a prayer of blessing was spoken by the priest. Before the liturgical reform of the water has been added salt and chrism at the consecration, salt today it can be added. Holy water is one of the sacramentals ( effective healing characters) of the Church.

The use of sprinkling with holy water has its origins in the traditions of the ancient lustration. In the Roman prayer of blessing of the old rituals it is, by the use of holy water would " any hostility of the unclean spirit banished, expelled the terror of the poisonous snake and the helpful assistance of the Holy Spirit" summoned.

The symbolic meaning of the holy water is the water of all: life, cleaning, hazard and rescue. Through the prayer of blessing these meanings are associated with the passage of the Israelites through the Red Sea ( Exodus ) and the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan. So the company of holy water is used with the sign of the cross the believer upon entering the church to the memory of one's baptism.

Holy water is located in the holy water font at the entrance of every Catholic Church, sometimes in private rooms and on the tombs of the Catholic faithful. The faithful dive when entering and leaving the church hand briefly into the basin, identify themselves with the sign of the cross and speak softly the baptismal formula (Matt. 28:19 EU): In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

In the renewal of baptism in the Holy Mass, at the blessing of religious signs and memorabilia, objects, buildings and places (see Benediktionale ) and the ecclesiastical funeral is used holy water and sprinkled by the priest or deacon with a Aspergillum. This one acolyte goes with holy water as carrier, the holy water and Aspergillum holds.

Holy water can be taken by the faithful home and kept there throughout the year in stoup in the individual rooms; to such holy water containers found in southern Germany on graves. The self- sign of the cross with Easter water and the sprinkling of the graves is a blessing gesture. In some monastic orders, it is customary that the the Upper or sprinkled the Community after Compline with holy water. The in celebration of the Easter Vigil consecrated in its own rite baptismal water is also called " Easter water ".

About the liturgical context, there was also water on Easter Tradition: you drew spring water and washed or sprayed with it. Also, this water was called " Easter water ".