Holy water is water that has been
blessed by a priest or bishop. It is kept in the baptismal font and is used in
baptism as a sign of cleansing and new life –
new life as a follower of Jesus and a member of the Church family. An earlier post included information about the holy water stoup, today we talk about a vessel used to sprinkle water during a service, see the Bishop at the Easter vigil and Pope Francis 1 below.
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| Aspersory and Aspergillium |
This holy water is
also used by the priest to sprinkle the people before the beginning of Mass. He
will have a pail-like vessel called an "aspersory" to
hold the holy water, and into this he will dip a stick called an "aspergillum"
(or an "aspergill"). The aspergillum has holes in it to catch droplets of the
water, and the priest's swinging it toward the congregation causes the drops of
water to fly out. This blessing of the congregation before Mass is called
"Aspérges" and the accompanying, chanted words come from Psalm 50:
Aspérges me, Domine, hyssopo, et
mundabor: lavabis me, et super nivem dealbador. Miserére mei, Deus, secundum
magnam misericordiam tuam
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Thou
shalt sprinke me, O Lord, with hyssop and I shall be cleansed; Thou shalt wash
me, and I shall become whiter than snow. Have mercy on me, O God, according to
Thy great mercy
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| Pope Francis 1 sprinkling with an aspergillium |
