Sprinkling holy water when entering/leaving the church

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Kathrin

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A friend told me this years ago: That everytime you sprinkle holy water (after crossing yourself with it at church), it means you are giving the suls in purgatory something to drink.
Has anyone else ever heard this, and of yes, is it a common tradition to do it?
I have been doing it but I wonder if I am almost the only one?🙂

Kathrin
 
Kathrin said:
A friend told me this years ago: That everytime you sprinkle holy water (after crossing yourself with it at church), it means you are giving the suls in purgatory something to drink.
Has anyone else ever heard this, and of yes, is it a common tradition to do it?
I have been doing it but I wonder if I am almost the only one?🙂

Kathrin
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I’ve never heard of this either.
 
I know I am not going to get this story 100% right, but a friend of mine from Ireland said her mother does this. I think she said it was a blessing for all the unborn babies (especially from abortions).
 
the actual intended reason for blessing ourselves with holy water as we enter the church is as a reminder of our baptism, and the reality of the sacrament, that we enter the church through baptism, are cleansed and saved through baptism, and die to sin and rise to new life in baptism, and that we are about to celebrate the saving event which makes this sacrament reality.
 
It could be a pious reminder to pray for the holy souls, but we must remember that it is not literally true. Until the final judgement, the souls of the faithful departed are separated from their bodies, and a drink of water cannot help them. Our prayers, of course, will.

Betsy
 
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