Water is one of the basic goods of human beings, but it is also a gift to nature since plants and land need to be watered. In the context of the church, there is a type of water that has special symbolism as a purity value. It is the holy water that is blessed by the priest. It is located in the baptismal font at the entrance to the church, where parishioners can make the sign of the cross with holy water by placing their fingertips in the font. Holy water has a special symbolism also in the baptism of a baby, as a symbol of welcome to the great family of the church.
Purity symbol
Has a symbol of purification through which man becomes aware of goodness. This water can have many practical uses in the daily lives of believers. For example, its most direct use has to do with itself in seeking its own blessing. Furthermore, many people have the habit of blessing the place where they live as a symbol of happiness and prosperity. In this case, it consists of taking care of the spiritual side of the home and providing an environment of good deeds, good feelings and joy in living.
Furthermore, on Santo Antão’s day, it is tradition in many parishes to bless the animals with holy water. Remembering that on the day of San Blas many churches perform the blessing of food.
What is holy water for?
Water is a medium that is related to an important blessing and that has religious significance. The priest uses holy water to bless the sick, people who show their stoicism by overcoming pain and suffering as a result of a specific illness . It is part of the value of the sacraments in the Catholic Church. More specifically, it has a special meaning in the sacrament of baptism.
It is even a symbol of forgiveness for the person who repented of their sins. Holy water represents the value of human hope, even though despite its mistakes, it is open to the gift of divine forgiveness.
