The Tradition of House Blessings

Each year in January, following the Feast of Theophany, we Orthodox Christians open our homes and businesses to the Church to be blessed. Just as Christ blessed all of creation while being baptized in the Jordan River, He blesses us and our entire existence when the Priest enters our homes and businesses with Holy Water blessed in Church. The Blessing of Homes (and businesses) during the Theophany season is one of the many sacraments of the Orthodox Church where the Holy Trinity is present (in this case through Holy Water) to sanctify our time on the Earth.

Ever since God created humanity He has given us His creation to assist in growing closer to Him. Ever since God created the heavens and the Earth He has given us His creation in order for us to experience His love and grace. Ever since God created we have been struggling to understand His love for us and struggling to overcome our self-love by learning to surround our lives with God’s presence.

By inviting the Church to bless our homes and businesses, we are expanding that “sphere of God’s presence” to include our everyday functions of working, eating and even sleeping, with the hope that someday we will overcome our self-love and learn to love the Lord God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength. At least we can begin with our homes and businesses…