BLESSING OF A WOMAN AFTER CHILDBIRTH

THE BLESSING OF A WOMAN AFTER CHILDBIRTH

The priest, vested in surplice and a white stole, and accompanied by an assistant carrying the holy water, goes to the church door, where the woman, kneeling and holding a lighted candle, awaits him. He sprinkles her with holy water and says:

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.

R. Who made heaven and earth.

Ant. This woman shall receive a blessing from the Lord and mercy from God who has saved her, for she is of the number of those who seek the Lord.

Psalm 23

The Lord owns earth, and all earth's fullness, the round world, and all its inhabitants.

Who else has built it out from the sea, poised it on the hidden streams?

Who dares climb the mountain of the Lord, and appear in his sanctuary?

The guileless in act, the pure in heart; one who never set his heart on lying tales, or swore treacherously to his neighbor.

His to receive a blessing from the Lord, mercy from God, his sure defender;

His the true breed that still looks, still longs for the presence of the God of Jacob.

Swing back, doors, higher yet; reach higher, immemorial gates, to let the King enter in triumph!

Who is this great King? Who but the Lord, mighty and strong, the Lord, mighty in battle?

Swing back, doors, higher yet; reach higher, immemorial gates, to let the King enter in triumph!

Who is this great King? It is the Lord of Armies that comes here on his way triumphant.

Glory be to the Father…

Ant. This woman shall receive a blessing from the Lord and mercy from God who has saved her, for she is of the number of those who seek the Lord.

Then he gives her to hold the end of his stole hanging from his left shoulder and leads her into the church, saying meanwhile:

Come into the temple of God. Adore the Son of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who has given to you the blessing of motherhood.

She kneels before the altar and prays, thanking God for all that he has done for her. The priest continues:

Our Father, as far as:

V. And lead us not into temptation.

R. But deliver us from evil.

V. Save thy servant.

R. Who puts her trust in thee, my God.

V. Send her help from thy holy place, O Lord.

R. And defend her out of Sion.

V. May the enemy have no advantage over her.

R. Nor the son of iniquity have power to hurt her.

V. Lord, hear my prayer.

R. And let my cry come to thee.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit

LET US PRAY: Almighty eternal God, when the Blessed Virgin Mary became a mother, thou didst change thereby the pangs of childbirth into joy. Look kindly, therefore, upon this happy woman, thy handmaid, who comes now to thy holy church to offer her thanks to thee. And when his life is ended may both she and her child prove worthy, through the merits and prayers of that same blessed Mary, to be given the joys of eternity. Through Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

Then the priest sprinkles her again with holy water and saying:

May the peace and blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, come down upon you and ever remain with you.

R. Amen.

BENEDICTIO MULIERIS POST PARTUM

The priest, vested in surplice and a white stole, and accompanied by an assistant carrying the holy water, goes to the church door, where the woman, kneeling and holding a lighted candle, awaits him. The Priest then sprinkles her with holy water and says:

V. Adiutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini.

R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.

Ant. Hæc accípiet benedictiónem a Dómino, et misericórdiam a Deo salútari suo: quia hæc est generátio quæréntium Dóminum.

Psalmus 23

Dómine est terra, et plenitúdo ejus; * orbis terrárum, et univérsi, qui hábitant in eo.

Quia ipse super mária fundávit eum: * et super flúmina præparávit eum.

Quis ascéndet in montem Dómini, * aut quis stabit in loco sancto ejus?

Innocens mánibus, et mundo corde, * qui non accépit in vano ánimam suam, nec jurávit in dolo próximo suo.

Hic accípiet benedictiónem a Dómino: *et misericórdiam a Deo salutári suo.

Hæc est generátio quæréntium eum, * quæréntium fáciem Dei Jacob.

Attóllite portas, príncipes, vestras, et elevámini portæ æternáles: * et introíbit Rex glóriæ.

Quis est iste Rex glóriæ ? *Dóminus fortis, et potens; Dóminus potens in prœlio.

Attóllite portas, príncipes, vestras, et elevámini portæ æternáles: * et introíbit Rex glóriæ.

Quis est iste Rex gloriæ? *Dóminus virtútum, ipse est Rex gloriæ.

Glória Patri.

Ant. Hæc accípiet benedictiónem a Dómino, et misericórdiam a Deo salútari suo: quia hæc est generátio quæréntium Dóminum.

Then he gives her to hold the end of his stole hanging from his left shoulder and leads her into the church, saying meanwhile:

Ingredere in templum Dei, adóra Fílium beátæ Maríæ Vírginis, qui tibi fecunditátem tríbuit prolis.

She kneels before the altar and prays, thanking God for all that he has done for her. The priest continues:

Kýrie, eléison.

Pater noster

silently until

V. Et ne nos indúcas in tentatiónem.

R. Sed líbera nos a malo.

V. Salvam fac ancíllam tuam, Dómine.

R. Deus meus, sperántem in te.

V. Mitte ei, Dómine, auxílium de sancto.

R. Et de Sion tuére eam.

V. Nihil profíciat inimícus in ea.

R. Et fílius iniquitátis non appónat nocére ei.

V. Dómine, exáudi oratiónem meam.

R. Et clamor meus ad te véniat.

V. Dóminus vobíscum.

R. Et cum spíritu tuo.

Orémus

Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui per beátæ Maríæ Vírginis partum fidélium pariéntium dolóres in gáudium vertísti: réspice propítius super hanc fámulam tuam, ad templum sanctum tuum pro gratiárum actióne lætam accedéntem, et præsta; ut post hanc vitam, ejúsdem beátæ Maríæ méritis et intercessióne, ad ætérnæ beatitúdinis gáudia cum prole sua perveníre mereátur. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum.

R. Amen.

The Priest then sprinkles her with holy water in the form of a Cross, saying:
Pax et benedíctio Dei omnipoténtis, Patris, et Fílii, et Spíritus Sancti, descéndat super te, et máneat semper.
R. Amen.

Sacramental Blessings - Priests Only