January 5, 2020

Dear St. Martin of Tours Parishioners,

We celebrate Epiphany Sunday.  In accordance with an ancient tradition, we will be providing you will blessed chalk so that you may bless your homes for the New Year.

This year’s chalk blessing, which you can write over the main door of your home will look like this:

20 + C + M + B + 20

The traditional markings of “CMB” refer to the names of the three Wise Men who visited the Holy Family at the Nativity: Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar who gave the infant Jesus gold, frankincense and myrrh.

“CMB” is also an abbreviation of the Latin Christus mansionem benedicat – “May Christ bless this home.” The numbers preceding and following symbolize the year, with crosses in between.

Here is the order of blessing:

Leader: Peace be to this house.

All: And to all who dwell herein.

Leader: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.

All: Our Father...

Leader: Bless, O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

The lintel of the front doors is marked with the blessed chalk: