BLESSINGS OF HOMES, BUILDINGS, OR PLACES
Apartment| Archive| Blast Furnace| Bridal Chamber| Bridge| Cornerstone
Field/Mountain| Floods| Fountain| Harvest| Home| Home/Outside Easter
Hospital| Lime Kiln| Marble Factory| Mill| Oratory| Orchard| Printing
Radio Station| School| Sea| Seminary| Stable| Stone Quarries| Well

A CORNERSTONE

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, from whom every good thing takes its start and receives its steady and full growth; grant, we beg of You, that what we commence for the glory of Your name may be carried to completion by the ever-present aid of Your fatherly wisdom; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

PRIVATE OR DOMESTIC ORATORY

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, who sanctify the places dedicated to Your name, pour out Your grace on this house of prayer, that all who here call on Your name may experience Your kind assistance; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

APARTMENT OR A HOME

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord God almighty, bless this apartment (or home), that it be the shelter of health, purity, and self-control; that there prevail here a spirit of humility, goodness, mildness, obedience to the commandments, and gratitude to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. May this blessing remain on this place and on those who live here now and always.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

HOMES - OUTSIDE EASTERTIME

A pastor or another priest may wish to sprinkle with holy water a particular home or the homes of the faithful in general. On entering the home he says:

  • P: God's peace be in this home.
  • All: And in all who live here.

As he sprinkles the principal room he says:

Antiphon: Purify me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. (Ps. 50.1) Have mercy on me, God, in Your great kindness.

  • V. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.
  • All: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
  • P: Ant. Purify me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
  • P: Lord, heed my prayer.
  • All: And let my cry be heard by You.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in Your goodness send Your holy angel from heaven to watch over and protect all who live in this home, to be with them and give them comfort and encouragement; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

HOME

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God the Father almighty, we fervently implore You for the sake of this home and its occupants and possessions, that You may bless and sanctify them, enriching them by Your kindness in every way possible. Pour out on them, Lord, heavenly dew in good measure, as well as an abundance of earthly needs. Mercifully listen to their prayers, and grant that their desires be fulfilled. At our lowly coming be pleased to bless and sanctify this home, as You once were pleased to bless the home of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Within these walls let Your angels of light preside and stand watch over those who live here; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

BRIDAL CHAMBER

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord, bless this bridal chamber, that those who share it may abide in Your peace and conform themselves to Your will. And as they grow older may they know many happy years together, and come finally to Your heavenly kingdom; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

SCHOOL

On entering the school the priest sprinkles the rooms with holy water saying:

  • P: God's peace be in this school.
  • All: And in all who assemble here.
  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who bade Your apostles to pray that peace might come on any house they entered, we entreat You to bless by our ministry this building destined for the education of the young. Bestow Your peace and blessing on it in full measure, so that its teachers and pupils may experience Your saving grace, as did Zaccheus when You came into his home. Bid Your angels to keep guard here and to drive away all power of the enemy. Inspire the teachers with knowledge, wisdom, and holy fear. Foster their pupils with grace from on high, so that they may grasp, retain, and put into practice the lessons they are taught. May teachers and pupils alike so please You by a truly virtuous life that they may finally deserve to be received into Your everlasting home in heaven; through You, Jesus Christ, our Savior and our God, who live and reign forever and ever.

All: Amen.

ARCHIVE

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, who love truth and justice, pour out Your blessing on this archive constructed to preserve the records of past events and legal documents from destruction by man or time. Let it safely withstand fire and every peril. And let all who come here for research be intent on truth and justice, and grow in their love of You; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

SEMINARY

The rector of the seminary, or another priest appointed by the Ordinary to bless new seminary buildings (unless the Ordinary himself wishes to perform the rite), goes at the appointed time to the chapel of the seminary and vests there in surplice and white stole. He is assisted by two clerics, both wearing surplices, one of whom carries the aspersory, the other the Ritual. Kneeling at the altar he intones the "Veni Creator," which is then sung by the seminarians (for the music of this hymn see the music supplement). At the conclusion of the hymn the priest says:

  • P: Send forth Your Spirit and all things shall be recreated.
  • All: And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Let us pray.
God, who instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit, guide us by Your Spirit to desire only what is good and so always to find joy in His comfort.

We beg You, Lord, let a breath of Your grace prompt our undertakings and guide them along their course, so that our least prayer and work may ever begin in You and end in You; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Then he receives the aspersory from the assistant and intones the Asperges (see The Sunday Blessing with Holy Water). The antiphon is continued by the seminarians (for the music see the music supplement), and is followed by psalm 50; and if time allows by part of psalm 118.

Meanwhile the priest, assisted by the cleric who carries the holy water stoup, goes around to all the rooms and other places of the seminary, sprinkling them with holy water in the usual way.

He then returns to the chapel and stands before the altar. Glory be to the Father is sung now, even though the psalm may not be finished. After this the priest says:

  • P: Lord, heed my prayer.
  • All: And let my cry be heard by You.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in Your goodness send Your holy angel from heaven to watch over and protect all who live in this seminary, to be with them and give them comfort and encouragement; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
God, who for the glory of Your majesty and the salvation of mankind appointed Your only-begotten Son as the eternal High Priest; grant that those whom You are pleased to select as the ministers and dispensers of Your mysteries may be filled with the spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and holy fear. Help them to put on Christ and to accept their sacred ministry with a pure heart and blameless conduct, and to persevere in it faithful until death.

God, who gave the Holy Spirit to the apostles while they were at prayer together with Mary, the Mother of Jesus; grant that, while we are preparing for our future ministry in this holy cenacle, we may render a faithful service to Your majesty under the protection of our Mother, Queen of the apostles, and thus be made ready to extend the glory of Your name by word and by example.

God, who made Your Church illustrious by the renowned learning of blessed Thomas, Your confessor, and extended her kingdom by his holy life; help us, we pray, to gain a higher understanding of his teaching and a fuller imitation of his integrity; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Then the priest takes a crucifix and hangs it in a suitable place, the seminary, one previously selected for this purpose. If the place is some distance from the chapel, the participants may go there in procession, singing the hymn, "Vexilla Regis".

As the priest hangs the crucifix in its place he says:

Lord, let the sign of our salvation dominate this building, and forbid entrance here to the avenging angel; in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

All: Amen.

Then standing before the cross he says:

Almighty everlasting God, who are in full command of all places under Your dominion, and without whose leave nothing occurs; shield this seminary from all harm, and let no evil power work havoc here. By the power of the holy cross and by the operation of the Holy Spirit may a worthy service be rendered to You in this place, and may a holy freedom abound; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Abide with us, O Lord our God, and be a constant help to those who take refuge in Your holy cross; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Making the sign of the cross with his right hand, the priest blesses the building and all who are present, saying:

May the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come on this seminary, on all who live here, teachers and students, and on us all, and remain forever.

All: Amen.

PRINTING-OFFICE AND PRINTING-PRESS

Standing at the entrance the priest says:

We beg You, Lord, let a breath of Your grace prompt our undertakings and guide them along their course, so that our least prayer and work may ever begin in You and end in You; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

As he goes into the building he says:

  • P: God's peace be in this establishment.
  • All: And in all who are employed here.

Then he says the antiphon "Purify me with hyssop," etc. (see The Sunday Blessing with Holy Water) as he sprinkles with holy water the various rooms of the printing-office, until he comes to the main part. He stops here and says:

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who said to Your apostles: "In whatever home you enter, greet it, saying, 'Peace be in this home'"; let this same peace, we pray, abide in this printing establishment and in all who transact business here. Be pleased, O Lord, to shield and to free all those who work here from every injury of body and soul. Fill the writers, managers, and employees with the spirit of wisdom, prudence, and strength, and instill in them a holy fear, so that they may faithfully observe the precepts of the Church, and thus use their vocation for Your glory and for the benefit of their fellowmen. Good Jesus, who are the way, the truth, and the life, bless this place, and grant, through the intercession of the glorious and immaculate Virgin Mary, Your Mother, that all who are employed here may happily attain the imperishable crown of glory. We ask this of You who are God, living and reigning forever and ever.

All: Amen.

Then he blesses the machines and instruments, saying:

Let us pray.
Lord God, the only source of knowledge, who were pleased so to enlighten men's resourcefulness that they have succeeded in inventing new kinds of printing-presses; put Your blessing, we beg You, on these presses (this press). By Your gracious help may we learn from the books here produced only such wisdom that comes from You and leads to You; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

They are sprinkled with holy water; after which the priest adds:

  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in Your goodness send Your holy angel from heaven to watch over and protect all who are employed here, to be with them and give them comfort and encouragement; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

If only the printing-office is to be blessed, one omits the second prayer along with the sprinkling of the machines and instruments. But if only the latter are to be blessed, one begins at the versicle "Our help," etc., says the second prayer, and sprinkles the instruments with holy water.

HOSPITAL OR SANATORIUM

The priest, vested in surplice and white stole, recites the following antiphon and psalm alternately with the bystanders:

P: Ant.: Christ cured all the sick. He took on Himself our infirmities and lightened the burden of our illnesses.

Psalm 6

After the psalm the above antiphon is repeated. Then the priest says:

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, who in a wonderful way created man and still more wonderfully renewed him; who were pleased to aid with many healing remedies the various infirmities that beset the human condition; mercifully pour out Your holy blessing on this hospital, so that the sick who come here may find in You a physician of body and soul, a kind and fatherly helper, and may be taken by You, after the course of this life, to the unending joys of the life to come; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, Savior and consoler of our weakness, who delivered Peter's mother-in-law and the ruler's son from a high fever; who restored strength to the paralytic, cleansed the lepers, healed the centurion's servant; who saved the woman suffering from hemorrhage, raised up the man lying helpless on his pallet at the pool of Bethsaida, went about the towns and villages healing all kinds of ailments; we entreat You to bless and sanctify this hospital, so that the sick confined here may be freed from their illness and restored in body and mind, and may rightly see fit to praise Your power until the end of their days; You who live and reign forever and ever.

All: Amen.

The priest sprinkles with holy water the main parts of the hospital after which he continues:

  • P: Lord, show us Your mercy.
  • All: And grant us Your salvation.
  • P: Lord, heed my prayer.
  • All: And let my cry be heard by You.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who drive out all sickness of body and soul, manifest Your mighty help to the sick, that by the work of Your mercy they may be restored to their duty of serving You.

We entreat You, Lord God, grant us, Your servants, the enjoyment of lasting health of body and mind; and by the glorious intercession of blessed Mary, ever a virgin, free us from present sorrow and give us everlasting joy.

God, who by the wondrous ministry of angels guard and govern us, appoint Your angel to stand watch over this hospital and to drive afar all the powers of evil. Let the sick confined here be shielded from fear and anxiety, and let them recover their former good health.

God, who in Your wondrous providence chose blessed Joseph as the spouse of Your holy Mother; grant, we pray, that we may deserve to have him for our advocate in heaven whom we venerate as our defender here on earth.

God, most merciful Father, who raised up St. Camillus and St. John of God, men imbued with deep compassion, to be comforters and nurses of the sick; by their merits and prayers be pleased to be present with Your healing power to the sick confined here. Free them of bodily ailments and relieve them of mental distress, so that, once restored to their former good health, they may always show You due gratitude for Your loving mercy; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

RADIO STATION

From the nearest church or from another place designated for the purpose the priest proceeds to the radio-station, chanting or reciting the Canticle of Zachary or the Canticle of the Three Youths. On arriving at the radio-station he intones the following antiphon and then says psalm 18:

  • P: Ant.: Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world their message.
  • Psalm 18
  • P: The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament proclaims His handiwork.
  • All: Day pours out the word to day, and night to night imparts knowledge;
  • P: Not a word nor a discourse whose voice is not heard;
  • All: Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world, their message.
  • P: He has pitched a tent there for the sun, which comes forth like the groom from his bridal chamber and, like a giant, joyfully runs its course.
  • All: At one end of the heavens it comes forth, and its course is to their other end; nothing escapes its heat.
  • P: The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul; the decree of the Lord is trustworthy, giving wisdom to the simple.
  • All: The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the command of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eye;
  • P: The fear of the Lord is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the Lord are true, all of them just;
  • All: They are more precious than gold, than a heap of purest gold; sweeter also than syrup or honey from the comb.
  • P: Though Your servant is careful of them, very diligent in keeping them.
  • All: Yet who can detect failings? Cleanse me from my unknown faults!
  • P: From wanton sin especially, restrain Your servant; Let it not rule over me.
  • All: Then shall I be blameless and innocent of serious sin.
  • P: Let the words of my mouth and the thought of my heart find favor before You, O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.
  • All: Glory be to the Father.
  • P: As it was in the beginning.
  • All: Ant.: Through all the earth their voice resounds, and to the ends of the world their message.

Then the priest says:

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, who ordered all things in creation in a marvelous way, determining even their measure, number, and weight; and who gave man a share in Your knowledge, thus enabling him to detect and control the latent forces with which You endowed the things of the universe; be pleased, we pray, to bless these instruments made for transmitting wavelengths of sound through the air, spreading out in all directions as instantaneously as lightning. Let them carry messages of aid in times of crises, of solace in times of distress, of advice in times of doubt, of light in times of darkness, and thus make known the glory of Your name more widely throughout the world that all its peoples may be gathered into the fellowship of Your love; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who created the world by Your Word, and decreed that all things be brought to a head in Him who was made flesh and who suffered for us; graciously grant that His Gospel may be preached to every creature on the wavelengths of sound, so that, aided by the prayers of the blessed Mary, Mother of God and ever a Virgin, and of St. Gabriel the Archangel, messenger of the heavenly mysteries, all peoples may be united in the body of Christ and be gladdened with the gift of His peace; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

The radio-station is sprinkled with holy water. And after the blessing the "Te Deum" is sung or recited, together with its versicles and oration (see Renewal of the Marriage Vows).

SEA

The priest intones the following antiphon, which is then followed by psalm 28:

P: Ant.: The voice of the Lord is over the waters, the God of glory thunders, the Lord, over vast waters.

Psalm 28

After the psalm the above antiphon is repeated. Then the priest continues:

Lord, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. Lord, have mercy. Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)

  • P: And lead us not into temptation.
  • All: But deliver us from evil.
  • P: All you fountains of waters, bless the Lord.
  • All: All you seas and waves, bless the Lord.
  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: Lord, heed my prayer.
  • All: And let my cry be heard by You.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, Father of incomprehensible majesty, whose invisible power can be glimpsed from Your visible creation; O God, whose Spirit hovered over the waters in the beginning of the world, grant to us, Your servants, that as often as we behold with our bodily eyes the mighty waters swelling out in billows on the heavenly horizon, we may be enraptured in contemplation of Your hidden mysteries. Let such a sight and the thoughts it arouses prompt us to invoke and to glorify with due praise Your holy name, and to render to You, to whose empire all creatures are subject, the homage of our minds in true humility and devotion; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Lord Jesus Christ, who once walked upon the waters, who uttered a word of command to the raging tempest of wind and sea and there came a great calm; let Your piteous glance fall on us, Your servants, who find ourselves surrounded by the many perils of this life; and grant that by the power of Your blessing poured out on these waters all wicked spirits may be repelled, the danger of the tempestuous winds may subside, and that all who are at voyage on the seas, through the intercession of the Immaculate Virgin, Your Mother, may safely reach their destination, and finally return unharmed to their homes. We ask this of You who live and reign forever and ever.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Lord, who said: "In the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread"; kindly heed our prayers and bestow Your blessing on this sea, so that all who are obliged to earn their daily bread for themselves and their families by traversing these waters may be enriched with Your bounty and offer You due gratitude for Your goodness; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

The sea is sprinkled with holy water.

FIELDS, MOUNTAIN-MEADOWS OR PASTURES

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, from whom every good has its beginning and from whom it receives its increase, we beg You to hear our prayers, so that what we begin for Your honor and glory may be brought to a happy ending by the gift of Your eternal wisdom; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who conferred on Your priests above all others so great a grace, that whatever they do worthily and exactly in Your name, is regarded as being done by You; we pray that in Your kindness You may be present wherever we are present and may bless Yourwhatever we bless. And at our lowly coming, through the merits and prayers of Your saints, may demons flee and the angel of peace be at hand; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Now the Litany of the Saints is said; all kneel during the litany. After the following invocation has been said: That You deliver our souls and the souls of our brethren, relatives, and benefactors from everlasting damnation, etc., the priest rises and says:

  • P: That You bless these fields (or acres, or these mountain-meadows, or pastures, or meadows).
  • All: We beg You to hear us.
  • P: That You bless and consecrate these fields (or acres, or these mountain-meadows, or pastures, or meadows).
  • All: We beg You to hear us.
  • P: That You bless and consecrate and protect from diabolical destruction these fields (or acres, or these mountain-meadows, or pastures, or meadows).
  • All: We beg You to hear us.
  • P: That You mercifully ward off and dispel from this place all lightning, hail-storm, destructive tempests, and harmful floods.
  • All: We beg You to hear us.

Then the litany is resumed to the end; after which the priest says Our Father (the rest inaudibly until:)

  • P: And lead us not into temptation.
  • All: But deliver us from evil.
  • P: Send forth Your Spirit and all things shall be recreated.
  • All: And You shall renew the face of the earth.
  • P: The Lord shall manifest His goodness.
  • All: And the earth shall yield her fruit.
  • P: Lord, heed my prayer.
  • All: And let my cry be heard by You.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty God, we humbly appeal to Your kindness, asking that You pour out the dew of Your blessing on these fields (or acres, or mountain-meadows, or pastures, or meadows), which it has pleased You to nurture with favorable weather. Grant to Your people a spirit of constant gratitude for Your gifts. Wipe out any infertility from this land, thus filling the hungry with an abundance of good things, so that the poor and the needy may praise Your wondrous name forever and ever.

All: Amen.

The fields are sprinkled with holy water.

ORCHARDS AND VINEYARDS

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty God, we appeal to Your kindness, asking that You pour out the dew of Your blessing on these budding creatures of yours, which it has pleased You to nurture with rain and mild breezes, and that You bring the fruits of Your earth to a ripe harvest. Grant to Your people a spirit of constant gratitude for Your gifts. And from a fertile earth all the hungry with an abundance of good things, so that the poor and needy may praise Your wondrous name forever and ever.

All: Amen.

They are sprinkled with holy water.

GRANARY OR THE HARVEST

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord God almighty, who never fail to bestow on men an abundance of heavenly gifts, as well as the rich fruits of the earth; we give thanks to You in Your glory for this harvest of grain, and beg You again to bless the harvest which we have received from Your bounty, to preserve it and to shield it from harm. Grant also that, having had our desire for earthly needs filled, we may bask under Your protection, praise Your kindness and mercy without ceasing, and make use of temporal goods in such a way as not to lose everlasting goods; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

They are sprinkled with holy water.

MILL

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, who in punishment for sin declared to man: "In the sweat of your brow you shall eat your bread"; bestow Your blessing on this mill which has been built to produce flour, and thus supply bread for our nourishment. May it please You to appoint Your angel of light to stand watch over it; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

STABLE

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord God almighty, who willed that Your only-begotten Son, our Redeemer, be born in a stable, and lie in a manger between two beasts of burden; we beg You to bless this stable and to defend it from all spite and wickedness of the devil. Let it be a healthful shelter for horses, cattle, and other animals, safe from every kind of assault. And as the ox knows his master and the ass the manger of his Lord, so grant that Your servants, made in Your image and only a little lower than the angels, to whom You have subjected all sheep and oxen and cattle of the fields, may not be like senseless beasts, like the horse or the mule who are without understanding. But let them acknowledge You alone as God and the source of all good. Let them faithfully persevere in Your service, show You gratitude for favors received, and thus merit greater benefits in future; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

The stable and animals are sprinkled with holy water.

FOUNTAIN

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord, we humbly appeal to Your kindness, asking that You sanctify this fountain of water with a blessing from on high, thus making it a wholesome water for our daily use. May it please You to keep it pure and free of every diabolical defilement, so that all who draw water from it or drink of it may delight in its strengthening and health-giving quality, and give thanks to You, the Lord and Savior of all; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

WELL

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord God almighty, who so disposed matters that water comes forth from the depths of this well by means of its pipes; grant, we pray, that with Your help and by this blessing imparted through our ministry all diabolical wiles and cunning may be dispelled, and the water of this well may always remain pure and wholesome; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

BRIDGE

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord, heed our prayers, and be pleased to bless this bridge and all who pass over it, that they may ever find in You a safeguard amidst the joys and sorrows of this fickle world; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Let us pray.
Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in Your goodness send Your holy angel from heaven to watch over, protect, and support this bridge and all who pass over it; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

LIME-KILN

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, to whom all creatures owe their origin and are made subject to man's use by an admirable arrangement of Your kindness; who in times past prescribed that Your altar be made of stones and smoothly joined together with lime, so that the words of Deuteronomy could be inscribed thereon as a reminder of Your commandments; we humbly beg You to bless this lime-kiln, and to dispel from it all harmful tricks of the devil. Let it be productive and serve its purpose well, with its fires exerting their full force, so that the workmen may receive by Your bounty a good quality of lime. And let them in turn likewise receive an increase of Your saving grace; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

BLAST-FURNACE

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, to whom all creatures owe their origin and are made subject to man's use by an admirable arrangement of Your kindness; who in one moment shielded the three youths in the fiery furnace by mitigating the heat of its flames, and in another moment again enkindled them to destroy those evil men who had cast the saintly youths therein; we humbly beg You to bless this furnace, and to dispel from it all harmful tricks of the devil. Let it be productive and serve its purpose well, with its fires exerting their full force, so that the workmen may receive a good quality of metal (or a goodly number of brick). And let them in turn likewise receive an increase of Your saving grace; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

STONE-QUARRIES

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Almighty everlasting God, the Creator and dispenser of all good things, who for our use planted innumerable riches in the bowels of the earth, to be dug out by the industry of man; be pleased, we pray, to pour out Your blessing on these stone-quarries, so that they may not be ruined, and that all who work in them may be safeguarded from accidents; through Christ our Lord.

The place is sprinkled with holy water.

MARBLE-FACTORY

  • P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
  • All: Who made heaven and earth.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
Lord God almighty, who by the coming of Your only begotten Son sanctified all things for Your faithful, we beg You to bless and prosper this marble-factory, and to protect Your servants who work here from every kind of adversity. Grant also that they may so pursue their work as to have it be a means of their salvation, meriting to be living and chosen stones in the everlasting dwelling of Your majesty; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

It is sprinkled with holy water.

WARD OFF FLOODS

The priest, vested in surplice and stole, accompanied by the people, carries a relic of the True Cross to the river or stream, and there devoutly reads at each of four different spots one of the introductions to the four Gospels. After each Gospel he adds the following verses and prayers:

  • P: Help us, O God, our Savior.
  • All: And deliver us for Your name's sake.
  • P: Save Your servants.
  • All: Who trust in You, my God.
  • P: Deal not with us, Lord, as our sins deserve.
  • All: Nor take vengeance on us for our transgressions.
  • P: Lord, send us aid from Your holy place.
  • All: And watch over us from Sion.
  • P: Lord, heed my prayer.
  • All: And let my cry be heard by You.
  • P: The Lord be with you.
  • All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray.
God, who give saving grace even to the wicked land who do not will the death of the sinner, we humbly appeal to You in glory, asking that You protect with Your heavenly aid Your trusting servants from all perils of flood. Let them find in You a constant safeguard, so that they may always serve You and never be separated from You through any temptation; through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

And may the blessing of almighty God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, come upon these waters and keep them always under control.

All: Amen.