Holy Water and Its Use in the Church

The use of holy water dates to the early Christian era, but prior to the 5 the century, there is no specific documentation. Since Jewish law employed water for ritual purification, it is safe to assume that Christians adopted its use quite early. Jesus Himself was baptized with water.  One of the earliest liturgical documents by a 4th century Bishop refers to the blessing of holy water, invoking His Name upon it, and granting that it may have the powers to heal fevers and other maladies by drinking or anointing, and that all evil spirits shall be put to flight. St. Epiphanius blessed water with the Sign of the Cross and used it successfully to expel a demon. Later documents are filled with accounts of cures obtained by drinking water blessed in the Name of Jesus Christ.  In the 9th century, Pope Leo VI decreed that on each Sunday priests would bless holy water and deliver Asperges. He also encouraged the faithful to carry some away in a clean vessel to bless their homes, fields and cattle.  The most commonly used holy water is found in vessels called stoups just inside the door of every Church. This water can be found in urns and Easter water is blessed at the Vigil Mass on Holy Saturday with a ritual that involves dipping the Paschal candle three times. It is also available for personal use, although not many parishes encourage the faithful to utilize it. Not long ago, it was a pious custom for Catholic homes to send the young people of the family to Church to obtain this water as a sign of joyous renewal on Easter Sunday.  A procession throughout the house and gardens is led by the male head of the household, or if a family is so blessed, by a member of the clergy, invoking a blessing.


Source:  Catholichomeandgarden.com.  "Holy Water."  Accessed March 7, 2011.  http://www.catholichomeandgarden.com/Holy%20Water.pdf 


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