BLESSING OF STATUES AND PICTURES OF ANY SAINT
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. In thy goodness, therefore, bless † and sanctify † this picture (statue) fashioned to honor and to recall thy blessed Apostle or Martyr or Bishop or Confessor or Virgin or Holy Woman N. to our minds; and grant to all who honor and invoke the aid of the glorious Apostle or Martyr or Bishop or Confessor or Virgin or Holy Woman 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 Saint and his (her) power with thee. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
He sprinkles the picture or statue with holy water.
SOLEMNIS BENEDICTIO IMAGINIS - Alius Sancti
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 beáti N., (Apóstoli tui, vel Mártyris, vel Pontíficis, vel Confessóris, vel beátæ N., Vírginis, vel Mártyris) adaptátam, bene † dícere, et sancti † ficáre dignéris: et præsta ut quicúmque coram illa gloriosum Apostolum, vel Mártyrem, vel Pontíficem, vel Confessórem tuum, vel gloriósam Vírginem, vel Mártyrem, vel Mulierem) 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.