Epiphany - 6 January 2022

We celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord with an online mass.

You can find the service HERE. (Link to come.)

You can find the leaflet HERE.

It is our custom every year to bless chalk with which you can mark the door of your house. Here’s how it works!

The Blessing of Chalk

Since the Middle Ages there has been a tradition that on the feast of the Epiphany blessed chalk is used to mark the entrance of homes with the initials of the Magi and the numerals of the new year, connected with crosses:

20 + C + M + B + 22

The initials remind us of the legendary names of the Magi – Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. This can also stand for the Latin motto: Christus mansionem benedicat, “May Christ bless this house.” In the Book of Exodus, the Israelites marked their doors with blood so that the Lord would pass over their homes; but in this ritual, we mark our doors with chalk as a sign that we have invited God’s presence and blessing into our homes.

It is traditional to write the inscription on the lintel, above the door, but it can be written anywhere near the entrance.

As you are writing, you may wish to pray one of more of the following prayers:

May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among us; and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet, that same Jesus who is Lord, forever and ever. Amen.

Lord God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only-begotten Son to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. Fill us with the light of Christ, that our concern for others may reflect your love. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord our God, bless this household. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness, and the keeping of your law. We give thanks to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.