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Liturgy of Blessing of Pictures Depicting Jesus Christ and Blessed Virgin Mary
Czesław Krakowiak
Abstract
Piety of the faithful is not restricted only to participation in the Sunday Mass, Sacraments and Liturgy of the Hours. An important role for communal and individual piety is fulfilled by the images of Jesus Christ and His Mother, Blessed Virgin Mary. Before they become cult objects, these holy likenesses are blessed in accordance with a ritual formula prescribed by the Church. Through a blessing, such pictures do not receive a special power from God, but they become a sign which directs our thoughts and hearts towards God. Paintings depicting Jesus and Mother of God are blessed outside Mass or during Vespers. A presbyter or bishop can administer the blessing of paintings. The blessing prayer is preceded by the Liturgy of the Word, which includes a reading from the Bible, homily and the Universal Prayer. When pictures of Jesus Christ and Blessed Virgin Mary are being blessed, the Church asks God that a prayers before the pictures lead the faithful to follow in “Lord’s footsteps,” that is imitate Christ, and that by looking at the example set by Blessed Virgin Mary the faithful aspire to perfection thanks to Her intercession.
Keywords:
blessing, image, picture, painting, Jesus Christ, Blessed Virgin Mary, Holy Mass, VespersDetails
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.