Blessings and Benedictions
A blessing asks God's favor over a person, a place, or an occasion. These cover homes, meals, journeys, children, new beginnings and endings.
Many are short enough to speak aloud over someone in the moment, which is how blessings were always meant to be used.
46 prayers
- A Blessing for a New Home
Adapted from the ancient Visita quaesumus collect used at Compline and in the Roman Ritual's blessing of a house, and preserved in the Book…
- A Prayer for a Newborn Child
A prayer of thanksgiving and blessing at a birth, closing with the Aaronic Blessing of Numbers 6. Christians have blessed newborns from the…
- A Prayer for a Wedding Day
A nuptial blessing in the tradition of the Roman Rite and the Book of Common Prayer marriage service, both of which frame marriage as a…
- A Prayer for the Protection of the Home
A contemporary prayer of household protection, closing with Psalm 4:8. The blessing of a dwelling is one of the oldest Christian domestic…
- Benediction of Hebrews
A benediction from Hebrews 13:20-21 asking God to complete His good work in those He blesses.
- Benediction of Jude
The closing doxology of the Letter of Jude, prayed as a benediction of preservation and praise.
- Blessing for a Birthday
A blessing of thanksgiving for another year of life and a prayer for the year to come.
- Blessing for a Wedding Anniversary
A blessing for a married couple giving thanks for the years past and asking grace for the years ahead.
- Blessing of a Boat and Those at Sea
A blessing for fishing and sailing vessels and for all who work or travel upon the sea.
- Blessing of a Christmas Crib
The blessing of the Christmas crib from the Book of Blessings, said in churches and homes when the nativity scene is set up — a custom…
- Blessing of a Christmas Tree
A household blessing of the Christmas tree and its lights as a sign of Christ the Light.
- Blessing of a Garden
A blessing over a garden, asking fruitfulness of the soil and peace for those who tend it.
- Blessing of a Grave
A blessing for a grave or burial place, prayed at the committal of the dead.
- Blessing of a Home
The blessing of a house, used in Catholic, Orthodox and Anglican practice when a family moves in and at Epiphany, when the door is marked…
- Blessing of a Rosary
A blessing for rosary beads and for those who pray the mysteries with them.
- Blessing of a Sick Person
A blessing prayed at the bedside of the sick, asking healing, comfort, and peace.
- Blessing of a Vehicle
A blessing for cars and other means of transport, asking safe travel for all who use them.
- Blessing of a Workplace
A blessing for an office, shop, farm, or business and for all who work there.
- Blessing of an Expectant Mother
A blessing for a mother during pregnancy, asking protection for her and for her unborn child.
- Blessing of Animals and Pets
A blessing for pets, working animals, and livestock, traditionally prayed on the feast of St. Francis.
- Blessing of Candles (Candlemas)
The Candlemas blessing of candles on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
- Blessing of Children
A parent's or minister's blessing over children, echoing Christ's blessing of the little ones.
- Blessing of Fields and Crops
A Rogation-tide blessing over farmland and crops for a fruitful harvest.
- Blessing of Religious Articles
A blessing for crosses, medals, rosaries, icons, and other devotional articles.
- Blessing of Students and Teachers
A blessing for the beginning of a school term, for students, teachers, and schools.
- Blessing of the Advent Wreath
The blessing of the Advent wreath and its candles at the beginning of the Advent season.
- Blessing of the Easter Food Basket
The traditional Paschal blessing of bread, eggs, and meats prepared for Easter Sunday.
- Blessing of the Harvest
A thanksgiving blessing over the gathered harvest and the food set on the table.
- Blessing of Throats on the Feast of St. Blaise
St. Blaise was a bishop of Sebaste in Armenia martyred around 316; tradition holds that on his way to execution he healed a boy choking on…
- Blessing of Water
A blessing of water for sprinkling homes and persons, drawn from the Church's ancient rite.
- Epiphany Home Blessing (Blessing of Chalk)
The Epiphany blessing of chalk used to mark the doorway of a home for the new year.
- Grace After Meals
The traditional Catholic table blessing said at the end of a meal, paired with the Grace Before Meals. Its second half turns the household…
- Into Thy Hands (St. Edmund of Abingdon)
A morning commendation by St. Edmund of Abingdon, Archbishop of Canterbury (d. 1240), preserved in medieval English primers and still…
- Perimeter Prayer
A prayer for the home, drawn from the ancient Christian practice of blessing a dwelling and marking its boundaries — a custom preserved in…
- Prayer Before a Journey
The traditional blessing for travellers from the Roman Ritual, prayed before setting out on a long journey or a pilgrimage. It is one of…
- Prayer for the Use of Holy Water and Blessed Salt
Holy water and blessed salt are sacramentals — objects blessed by the Church to dispose the faithful to receive grace — and their use in…
- Psalm 134 — Bless Ye the Lord, All Ye Servants of the Lord
The last Song of Ascents, and the shortest night prayer in scripture: three verses for those who stand by night in the house of the Lord.…
- Solemn Trinitarian Blessing
The solemn blessing pronounced over the assembly at the close of Christian worship.
- Solomon's Prayer at the Dedication of the Temple
Kneeling with hands spread to heaven, Solomon admits that the heaven of heavens cannot contain God, let alone the house he has built, and…
- The Aaronic Blessing
Given to Moses for Aaron and his sons in Numbers 6:24–26, this is the oldest blessing text in continuous liturgical use. A silver amulet…
- The Blessing of Saint Clare
The final blessing of St. Clare of Assisi, given to her sisters before her death in 1253.
- The Common Table Prayer
The best-known table grace in Lutheran and wider German-American Protestant households, appearing in print by the eighteenth century and…
- The Doxology (Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow)
Written by Anglican bishop Thomas Ken in 1674 as the closing verse of his morning and evening hymns for the scholars of Winchester College.…
- The Grace (Apostolic Benediction)
The Trinitarian benediction of 2 Corinthians 13:14, used to close Christian worship across traditions.
- The Irish Blessing
A traditional Gaelic blessing invoking God's protection and companionship until we meet again.
- The Nuptial Blessing
The solemn blessing pronounced over a bride and groom in the Christian marriage rite.