THE BLESSING OF CANDLES
On the Feast of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr
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 God, so good towards us, who by thy Word alone didst create the world and all things in it; whose will it was that the same Word by whom all things were made should become incarnate to make mankind anew; who art great and whose greatness knows no bounds; who art to be feared and still art worthy of all praise; who canst do things past all our comprehension; the glorious martyr and bishop St. Blaise openly declared the faith he had from thee, and, fearless in the face of torture, happily won from thee the palm of martyrdom. Thou didst give him many graces in return; and among them one which was to be for him alone; that he might bring relief by thy power from all diseases of the throat. We beg thy majesty, therefore, not to regard our guilty lives but to be appeased by his merits and prayers, and in thy goodness to † bless and † sanctify this wax which thou hast created, and to infuse into thy grace; that through the merits of his sufferings all whose necks this wax shall touch may be freed, if they have faith in thee, from every disease of the throat. Healthy and happy again, may they thank thee in thy holy Church, and praise thy glorious Name, that Name which is blessed for ever. Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.
He sprinkles the candles with holy water.
Then the priest, holding two candles in the form of a cross touches each person in turn on the throat, beneath the chin, as they kneel before the altar, saying meanwhile:
Through the intercession of St. Blaise, Bishop and Martyr, may God keep you free from all harm to your throat, and from all other harm besides. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, † and of the Holy Spirit.
R. Amen.
BENEDICTIO CANDELARUM
in Festo S. Blasii Episcopi et Martyris
V. Adiutórium nostrum in nómine Dómine.
R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.
V. Dóminus vobíscum.
R. Et cum spíritu tuo.
Orémus.
Omnípotens et mitíssime Deus, qui ómnium mundi rerum diversitátes solo verbo creásti et ad hóminum reformatiónem illud idem Verbum, per quod facta sunt ómnia, incarnári voluísti: qui magnus es et imménsus, terríbilis atque laudábilis, ac fáciens mirabília: pro cujus fídei confessióne gloriósus Martyr et Póntifex Blásius, diversórum tormentórum génera non pavéscens, martýrii palmam felíciter est adéptus: quique eídem, inter céteras grátias, hanc prærogatívam contulísti, ut quoscúmque gútturis morbos tua virtúte curáret; majestátem tuam supplíciter exorámus,ut non inspéctu reátus nostri,sed ejus placátus méritis et précibus, hanc ceræ creatúram bene † dícere ac sancti † ficáre tua venerábili pietáte dignéris, tuam grátiam infúndendo; ut omnes, quorum colla per eam ex bona fide tacta fúerint, a quocúmque gútturis morbo, ipsíus passiónis méritis, liberéntur, et in Ecclésia sancta tua sani et hílares tibi gratiárum réferant actiónes, laudéntque nomen tuum gloriósum, quod est benedíctum in sǽcula sæculorum. Per Dóminum nostrum Jesum Christum Fílium tuum, qui tecum vivit et regnat in unitáte Spíritus Sancti Deus, per ómnia sǽcula sæculorum.
R. Amen.
He sprinkles the candles with holy water.
Then the priest, holding two candles in the form of a cross touches each person in turn on the throat, beneath the chin, as they kneel before the altar, saying meanwhile:
Per intercessiónem sancti Blásii, Epíscopi et Mártyris, líberet te Deus a malo gútturis,et a quólibet álio malo. In nómine Patris,et Fílii, † et Spíritus Sancti.
R. Amen.