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Jul 5th, 2025
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Joined: Nov 2001
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That's interesting - thanks - the couronne I 'sampled' had I understand 3 charms in it - one was certainly for the king . My heart one is ceramic and I saw from the shop where I think it was bought a selection of hearts from previous years . Mine went on a cord and was worn  Down in the Pyrenees where I was they were more of a solid Brioche type consistency - certainly not marzipan/frangipane but very very nice. Pity I wasn't there this year
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I am not sure and thought that only a priest can bless things, or is that practice of the west? Dandelion, Not sure what you're asking here. The tradition of the chalk being blessed is a western one, but is done by the priest (I know the blessing for it used to be in the Rituale, whether it still is, I don't know). The prayer is that Christ bless the house or that it be blessed through the intercession of the Holy Magi. The point made by Kolya, of blessings asked by parents or others for their loved ones, is common to nearly every tradition - but I'm still lost as to the relevance of the matter to this thread (which might just mean that I need more coffee  ) Many years, Neil The blessing is normally done by a priest, but if one's parish does not do this ritual, I see no reason why a layman can not say the prayer or at least sprinkle the chalk with water. It's a nice tradition to introduce or re-discover. John K
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Dear Friends,
Laity may give blessings, of course, and parents may bless their children (as we know, three fingers are used for such, with the index finger slightly raised).
However, in the East especially, laity must NEVER presume to perform sacramental blessings contained in the Euchologion/Trebnyk that ONLY priests and bishops may do.
Orthodox manuals sometimes contain stern warnings against this practice, saying that it is the sin of presumption on the part of laity to do so.
And the Reader's Services as well remove all the priestly prayers and blessings for laity and unordained monastics to use in participating in the Prayer of the Church.
Alex
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BTW, my brother's Pastor also follows this custom in a different town -- is this an Eastern custom, or just one that has been neglected in the West? According to my copy of Attwater's Catholic Encyclopedic Dictionary this custom originated in Poland. It probably made its way to America v�a Polish immigrants. Apparently it became popular enough that there is a formula for the blessing of chalk in the Rituale Romanum.
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Wow. I grew up RC and I never heard of such a custom before.
-- John
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Khrestos Razhdajet'sha Hello How often have we heard the phrase in English "God Bless You" or "Bless You" or as Tiny Tim said, God Bless us everyone". In this happy and holy season, I wish you all God's blessings for health happiness and prospertiy. "................may your fields grow abundent wheat, may you have clean water in your wells, and may your bread be abundant as is the butter and kubasa on your table,..... unto 100 years! Christ is Born/Krestos Razhdajet'sha! Kolya "GOD BLESS US EVERYONE"
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Khrestos Razhdajet'sha Hello How often have we heard the phrase in English "God Bless You" or "Bless You" or as Tiny Tim said, God Bless us everyone". In this happy and holy season, I wish you all God's blessings for health happiness and prospertiy. "................may your fields grow abundent wheat, may you have clean water in your wells, and may your bread be abundant as is the butter and kubasa on your table,..... unto 100 years! Christ is Born/Krestos Razhdajet'sha! Kolya "GOD BLESS US EVERYONE" Amen!
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I haven't seen it with chalk, but I've seen at least a couple of RC parishes distribute cards with this written on it at the beginning of the uyear to put above doorways.
hawk
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I haven't seen it with chalk, but I've seen at least a couple of RC parishes distribute cards with this written on it at the beginning of the year to put above doorways. Now I'm curious if anyone knows where this custom came from. I had only heard of it this year and on the East Coast. My family back in Los Angeles was baffled when I mentioned it though they are familiar with "Epiphany water" and have heard of the chalk before.
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Now I'm curious if anyone knows where this custom came from. It's very common among Germans and I understand that it's not unknown among the Polish Many years, Neil
"One day all our ethnic traits ... will have disappeared. Time itself is seeing to this. And so we can not think of our communities as ethnic parishes, ... unless we wish to assure the death of our community."
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It's very well known among the Poles. I was raised a Polish RC and we did it each year till I was about 10 or so when a new pastor came in and discontinued blessing chalk and incense on Epiphany. Most Polish parishes I knew of did it. And the service for blessing chalk and how to inscribe your door lintel was always in the Polish missalette published at Orchard Lake.
John K
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It is very common among Roman Catholic Slovaks and is still practiced here in Canada.
Kolya
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Well, you people are just "chalk full" of wonderful information!
I'll mark my door in chalk too!
Also, what about the practice of blessed Salt among RC's? What do you do with it?
Alex
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Put it on your food at Pascha!
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Well, you people are just "chalk full" of wonderful information!
I'll mark my door in chalk too!
Also, what about the practice of blessed Salt among RC's? What do you do with it?
Alex Alex, Many times it is sprinkled about like Holy Water. Eric
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