How to bless your home on Epiphany 2025 – Catholic World Report

CNA Staff, January 5, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Have you ever walked past a door and seen what appear to be random letters and numbers written across the top? These letters and numbers actually have a great meaning.

Traditionally on Epiphany, Catholics bless their homes by writing the letters C, M and B and the number of the year on each side – so this year it would look like “20+C+M+B+25.”

The letters stand for the traditional names of the three Magi: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar. They also represent the Latin blessing “Christus mansionem benedicat,” which means “May Christ bless this house.”

Many Catholic parishes will give their parishioners a piece of chalk, a small bottle of holy water and the words for the house blessing so that each family can bless their home.

Epiphany, which is also known as “Little Christmas”, is the feast that celebrates the arrival of the three Magi who came to worship the baby Jesus shortly after his birth. It is traditionally celebrated on January 6. However, the Church in the United States celebrates it on the Sunday between January 2nd and January 8th. Many around the world celebrate this holiday with as much pomp and circumstance as Christmas, including the exchange of gifts.

Popular in Poland and other Slavic countries, the blessing has spread throughout the world and has become increasingly popular in the United States.

How do you bless your home?

Begin by having all family members gather outside the front door. Everyone makes the sign of the cross. A person will then read this prayer:

Leader: Peace be with this house.

All: And to everyone who lives here.

Leader: From the east the wise men came to Bethlehem to worship the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold to the great king, frankincense to the true God, and myrrh as a symbol of his burial.

(Go into your home and read Magnificatthe hymn sung by the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Gospel of Luke after being met by Elizabeth. During this, sprinkle the area you are in with holy water. When it’s done, pray 🙂

All: From the east the wise men came to Bethlehem to worship the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold to the great king, frankincense to the true God, and myrrh as a symbol of his burial.

Leader: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation,

All: But deliver us from evil.

Leader: All those from Saba shall come

All: Brings gold and incense.

Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer.

All: And let my cry come to you.

Leader: Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star on this day revealed thy only begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know thee by faith may also obtain the vision of thy glorious majesty. Through Christ Our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: Be enlightened, be enlightened, Jerusalem, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you – Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.

All: And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light, and kings in the splendor of thy resurrection, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.

Leader: Let us pray. Bless, Lord God Almighty, this home, that there may be in it health, purity, strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, fulfillment of your law, thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell therein. Through Christ Our Lord.

All: Amen.

After the prayers are recited, go around your home sprinkling each room with holy water. Then write the initials of Magi connected with crosses at the top of your front door. So this year’s numbers. The numbers will be split so they are on either side of the initials. You will write:

20 + C + M + B + 25

This is a special tradition at the beginning of each year, a way to invite God into your home and place your family under his protection.

This story was first published on January 6, 2022 and was updated on January 5, 2025.