Blessing the Houses
“Peace to this house! And to all its inhabitants! ”Says the greeting around the Epiphany, when Christian families hold a home dedication. The process of consecrating a house is simple: it basically consists of reading God’s word, praying together, sprinkling the place with holy water, and blessing the house and family. Following the celebration of the Epiphany on January 6, the dedication to the home is an exciting blessing for the family, renewing goodwill, unity and love. In this case, the priest writes the year of ordination, the first letters of the name of the three Wise Men of the East (Gáspár, Menyhért and Boldizsár) on the doorstep with the sacred chalk on the Epiphany, and draws a cross between the letters. It is customary to offer the priest and his companion food and drink.
