BLESSING OF STATUES AND PICTURES OF OUR LADY

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

R. Who made heaven and earth.

V. The Lord be with you.

R. And with your spirit.

Let us pray: Almighty eternal God, thou hast allowed pictures and statues of thy Saints to be painted and carved, so that as often as we look upon them with our bodily eyes, we may recall with our more inward eyes their deeds and their sanctity and learn to imitate them, therefore, bless † in thy goodness, and sanctify † this picture (statue) fashioned to honor and to recall the ever blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of our Lord Jesus Christ, to our minds; and grant to all who honor and invoke the aid of the ever blessed Virgin with this picture (statue) before their eyes, that they may obtain grace from thee in this life and everlasting glory in the next, by the merits of that same ever blessed Virgin and her power with thee. Through the same Christ our Lord.

R. Amen.

He sprinkles the picture or statue with holy water.

BENEDICTIO IMAGINIS - B. Mariae Virginis

The blessing may be given privately by any priest without asking leave of the Bishop.

V. Adiutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini.

R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.

V. Dóminus vobíscum.

R. Et cum spíritu tuo.

Orémus.

Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui Sanctórum tuórum imágines (sive effigies) sculpi aut pingi non réprobas, ut quóties illas óculis córporis intuémur tóties eórum actus et sanctitátem ad imitándum memóriæ óculis meditémur: hanc quǽsumus, imáginem (seu sculptúram) in honórem et memóriam beatíssimæ Vírginis Maríæ, matris Dómini nostri Jesu Christi, adaptátam, bene † dícere, et sancti † ficáre dignéris: et præsta ut quicúmque coram illa beátissimum Vírginem suppliciter cólere et honoráre studúerit, illíus méritis et obténtu a te grátiam in præsenti et ætérnam glóriam obtineat in futúrum. Per (eúmdem) Christum Dóminum nostrum.

R. Amen.

He sprinkles the picture or the statue with Holy Water.