Holy Water

[MadHatter]

Hi all,
Was wondering if holy water has to be exorcised and blessed and have exorcised and blessed salt added to it, or is it water that is simply blessed?

Also, what kind of salt can I get to have it exorcised and blessed?

Many thanks,
Hatter

 

[FrDavid96]

Hi all,
Was wondering if holy water has to be exorcised and blessed and have exorcised and blessed salt added to it, or is it water that is simply blessed?

Also, what kind of salt can I get to have it exorcised and blessed?

Many thanks,
Hatter

There are different rites available for proving Holy Water. It’s a matter of which blessing the priest chooses from among the different forms approved by the Church.

As for the salt, it doesn’t matter what kind (as long as it’s truly salt and not a salt-based flavoring). I usually recommend Kosher salt because it is not iodized and therefore a little less likely to corrode metal, such as a sprinkler or holy water bucket or other metals in church that might get sprinkled. That’s a practical issue which has nothing to do with the type of salt that may be used for the blessing. Personally, I like course grain salt because it’s easier to pinch. Again, practical, not spiritual. My personal favorite is course-grain, non-iodized sea salt.

 

[chataranga]

Greetings,
What would be the purpose of having salt in the holy water? Take care.

 

[FrDavid96]

Greetings,
What would be the purpose of having salt in the holy water? Take care.

It goes back to the Prophet Elisha who cast salt into the spoiled well at Jericho and the water became pure to drink. See 2Kings 2.

There are also other reasons: salt is a sign of purification, strength, preservation, etc. There’s all kind of spiritual symbolism to salt.

 

[chataranga]

I see. Thank you for the insight. I’m often curious about where things come from or how something comes into being. Very helpful-Blessings.

 

[gnosisofthomas]

Hi all,
Was wondering if holy water has to be exorcised and blessed and have exorcised and blessed salt added to it, or is it water that is simply blessed?

Also, what kind of salt can I get to have it exorcised and blessed?

Many thanks,
Hatter

The traditional Catholic rite involves exorcising and blessing salt and water, but I believe the modern ordinary form doesn’t use salt anymore. The Eastern Catholics and Orthodox tend not to use salt, as it’s common practice to drink a bit of holy water, which isn’t really done in the west.