Just a quick note to remind you that in the Rituale Romanum there is for the feast of the Assumption a special blessing of herbs and flowers.
Click HERE for more.
And the Assumption is, this year at least, a Holy Day of Obligation.
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“This blog is like a fusion of the Baroque ‘salon’ with its well-tuned harpsichord around which polite society gathered for entertainment and edification and, on the other hand, a Wild West “saloon” with its out-of-tune piano and swinging doors, where everyone has a gun and something to say. Nevertheless, we try to point our discussions back to what it is to be Catholic in this increasingly difficult age, to love God, and how to get to heaven.” – Fr. Z
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More importantly, it is the day of blessing the fishing fleets! http://youtu.be/3p8-xZMKYrY Still very much a tradition in the fishing towns in New England: Gloucester, Provincetown, New Bedford, etc.
[Very interesting! I would love photos. But, that isn’t really “more” important. We can have both.]
We must warn His Hermeneuticalist.
I have a pot of lemon thyme that will do nicely.
As is the custom at our parish, we will be bringing herbs (in particular, basil) to be blessed during the Divine Liturgy for the Feast of the Dormition. Tradition has it that when the Apostles opened the tomb so that St. Thomas (who was not present at her Domition) could venerate the Mother of Our Lord, they found not the body of the Mother of God but the winding sheet & the most beautiful & sweet-smelling flowers (many traditions say it was basil). Mary’s body had been taken up into the heavens by her Son. Flowers were blessed from the earliest times in both East & West. Over time, seeds & herbs used for medicinal purposes were also blessed, in commemoration of the many healings & blessings that were bestowed upon the pilgrims at Mary’s tomb. The Book of Needs (Trebnyk or Euchologian) contains several possible prayers to bless seed, herbs & flowers, one of which is below:
O Almighty, God from before all ages, by Your word alone You created out of nothingness the heavens, earth, sea and all things visible and invisible. You commanded that the earth bring forth plants and trees to serve both man and animal, each according to its need. In your infinite goodness You ordained that these plants serve not only as food but also as medicine for the sick body. We beseech You, bless this seed, these herbs and these flowers and bestow upon them Your blessing and endow them with Your power. Make them to serve man and animal alike as a defense against all sickness and every defilement, for You are our God, and we send up glory to You, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen.