Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Thursday, 6 January 2022

Epiphany Water


As I was leaving Mass this evening in addition to seeing a basket full of blessed chalk I was reminded by a friend to take a phial of Epiphany Water from by the crib. This I did, carried it home and sprinkled it around and threw the last drops over myself.

There is an introduction to this particular type of Holy Water at Epiphany water is a powerful weapon against Satan and the full text of the blessing from the Roman Ritual as approved in 1890 can be found, with the rubrics, in translation at Liturgical Year : Prayers : Roman Ritual: Blessing of Water on Eve of Epiphany  Oh, for the days of such rigidity!

There is an article about its use in the Orthodox Church at THE SECRET OF THE Epiphany WATER: How and when is holy water used 

Which reminds me to wish a holy and joyful Christmas to my Orthodox friends for tomorrow and the ensuing season.


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