Epiphany House Blessings

We celebrate the Light of the World shining among the nations at the Feast of the Epiphany. We also celebrate and invite the Light into our houses with a short service of blessing and the chalking of the door with the calendar year and the letters C, M, and B. These letters serve a dual purpose. First, they remind us of the Magi, Gentiles from the East who followed the light of a star to encounter the Light of the World. In holy legend, the names of these men from the east are recorded as Caspar, Malchior, and Balthazar and hence the initials CMB to remind us of the Light that draws us still. Second, the letters abbreviate the Latin, “Christus Mansionem Benedicat” or “Christ, bless this house.” Placing this marking our our door reminds us, as we enter and as we leave, of the blessing and presence of Christ…