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BLESSING OF HOMES
By LINDA M. LINONIS
CAMPBELL
The Rev. Andrew Nelko continues a long-standing tradition in the Orthodox Church, that is, the blessing of homes.
The pastor of St. John the Baptist Orthodox Church, 301 Struthers-Liberty Road, said the blessing of homes follows the blessing of water in Orthodox churches.
Members of the Eastern Orthodox Clergy Association of Mahoning Valley also conduct a Blessing of the Waters service for the community.
It takes place Jan. 6, Holy Theophany, the baptism of Jesus.
The Blessing of Waters service is conducted at Lake Glacier in Mill Creek MetroParks in Youngstown; the lake flows into the Mahoning River.
The idea is that the blessed water will flow through the Valley.
Clergy pray for health, healing and prosperity for Valley residents.
The church bulletin notes some facts about home blessings, which follow the Feast of Holy Theophany.
The First Great Sanctification of Water is performed on the eve of Theophany, Jan. 5.
That water is available to members to drink that day and throughout the year.
Water from the Second Great Sanctification, which is performed on Holy Theophany, is described as “Jordan Water” and used for house blessings.
Father Nelko said residents of the home prepare for the blessing by placing a cloth on a table and setting a bowl of holy water on it.
The family also will set up an icon, often one of the baptism of Jesus, and a candle.
The family also may provide a list of members to pray for, both living and the dead.
Many church members, the priest said, take holy water home from church for personal use. This includes blessing one’s self before prayer.
Also, holy water is consumed at the Christmas Eve meal, Father Nelko said.
The priest moves from room to room, blessing the house with holy water sprinkled by a special blessing brush.
Each person in the household also is blessed.
The blessing focuses on the health and salvation of the residents.
“We pray for the living and the departed,” Father Nelko said.
The prayer at the blessing refers to the Bible passage about the spirit descending as a dove upon Jesus and God declaring Jesus as His “beloved son.”
The prayer also makes reference to the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan by the forerunner, the prophet John.
The prayer asks God to give the residents prosperous and peaceful lives and calls on the Savior to bring salvation, safety, health and life everlasting to residents.
Usually, Father Nelko said, the head of the household carries the candle.
The priest said he will bless about 45 homes.