It is our cherished tradition to have our homes blessed with the water sanctified on Holy Theophany. Fr. Tom will be visiting parish homes from January 6 through the end of the month, leading a prayer service and blessing each house with this life-giving water.
Why We Bless Our Homes
We bless houses for the same reason we bless anything—to restore that particular thing to its correct purpose. When we bless something, we reclaim it for God and restore it as a means of communion with Him.
In Orthodox tradition, our Christian homes serve as what St. John Chrysostom beautifully called the "little church," where the life of Christ permeates our daily existence. Our homes aren't mere living spaces, but sacred places where we pray, seek Christ, attempt to grow in virtue, and struggle against the passions.
Through blessing, we return our living spaces to their divine purpose: becoming vessels of God's grace where our daily lives become prayer in action. The blessing reveals our kitchens as places of hospitality, our dining tables as spaces of Christian fellowship, and our living rooms as gathering places for spiritual conversation.
Water and Sanctification
When water is blessed at Theophany, something profound happens—it becomes even more truly what it was created to be: a means of giving Life. Nothing on earth can live without water. Christ's baptism in the Jordan blessed all waters, revealing their capacity to become channels of divine life. So, when water is blessed, it becomes more purely what God intended: a vehicle of life and His grace.
Father Alexander Elchaninov reminds us that this blessing operates not through mechanical action but through our free response to God. The sprinkling of holy water creates a space that's consecrated, but it requires our ongoing participation to maintain this sacred character.
The consecration of houses, objects, and so forth, is not magic, for Orthodoxy is a religion of complete freedom, and in such cases God's grace, descending on a house, awaits a movement of our heart going out to meet it. —Fr. Alexander Elchaninov
This cooperation with God's grace is why all members of the household should pray along with Fr. Tom if possible. Let us pray that God will continually fill us and our house with His presence!
What to Expect
The blessing itself follows an ancient pattern: the family processes with Fr. Tom through the house, chanting the Theophany troparion while he sprinkles each room with blessed water. At the end, Fr. Tom will bless each member of the household by sprinkling them with holy water as they approach to kiss the Cross.
Please prepare for Fr. Tom's visit by setting up a table in front of your principal icon corner where your family prayers are usually said. You'll need:
An icon of Christ
A bowl of water
A sprig of basil or a small branch.
Scheduling Your Blessing
Fr. Tom is available for home and business blessings throughout January. To schedule a visit, please email the office. In your request, please let him know your preference for morning, afternoon, or evening, and he will make every attempt to honor your request.