The apostles and their disciples were given the responsibility to go out and preach the good news to all the homes they were welcomed into. This tradition is kept in the Armenian Church with the sacrament of a Home Blessing. Traditionally, a priest would visit the homes of his parishioners during the Christmas and Easter seasons to spread the good news of Christ's birth and resurrection.
At a Home Blessing, a hymn is sung and a Gospel reading is read after which the priest blesses bread, salt and water. These three items are blessed because they are not only required for life, but Christ refers to them specifically in His teachings. Christ refers to himself as the "bread of life" (John 6:35) and "spring of life" (John 4:14). Without these two physical items, food and water, we cannot live. Likewise, without Christ, we cannot live spiritually either. He also reminds us that we are the "salt of the earth" (Matthew 5:13) and as such, we must give flavor to the rest of the world.
Besides Christmas and Easter, a priest can perform a Home Blessing when a family moves to a new home. If you, or someone you know, would like their home blessed, please contact Fr. Ghevond.
