The Blessing of CandlesDe Benedictione Candelarum
Si candelarum benedictio et processio, ob defectum ministrorum sacrorum, forma solemni fieri nequeat, licet formam simplicem adhibere, etiam absque cantu, dummodo tres saltem ministrantes celebranti inserviant.
Celebrans indutus pluviali albo, vel sine Casula, cum ministris similiter indutis, procedit ad benedicendum Candelas, in medio ante Altare vel ad latus Epistolæ positas, et ipse ibidem stans versus ad Altare, dicit manibus junctis in tono feriali:
℣.Dóminus vobíscum.
℟.Et cum spíritu tuo.
Orémus. Domine sancte, Pater omnípotens, ætérne Deus, qui ómnia ex níhilo creásti, et jussu tuo per ópera apum hunc liquorem ad perfectionem cérei veníre fecísti: et qui hodiérna die petitiónem justi Simeónis implésti: te humíliter deprecámur; ut has candélas ad usus hóminum et sanitátem córporum et animárum, sive in terra sive in aquis, per invocatiónem tui sanctíssimi nóminis et per intercessiónem beátæ Maríæ semper Vírginis, cujus hódie festa devóte celebrántur, et per preces ómnium Sanctórum tuórum, bene ☩ dícere et sancti ☩ ficáre dignéris: et hujus plebis tuæ, quæ illas honorífice in mánibus desíderat portare teque cantando laudare, exáudias voces de cœlo sancto tuo et de sede majestátis tuæ: et propítius sis ómnibus clamántibus ad te, quos redemísti pretióso Sánguine Fílii tui: Qui tecum vivit et regnat in sǽcula sæculórum.
℟.Amen.
Orémus. Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui hodiérna die Unigénitum tuum ulnis sancti Simeónis in templo sancto tuo suscipiéndum præsentásti: tuam súpplices deprecámur cleméntiam; ut has candélas, quas nos fámuli tui, in tui nóminis magnificéntiam suscipiéntes, gestáre cúpimus luce accénsas, bene ☩ dícere et sancti ☩ ficáre atque lúmine supérnæ benedictiónis accéndere dignéris: quaténus eas tibi Dómino, Deo nostro, offeréndo digni, et sancto igne dulcíssimæ caritátis tuæ succénsi, in templo sancto glóriæ tuæ repræsentári mereámur. Per eundem Christum Dominum nostrum.
℟.Amen.
Orémus. Dómine Jesu Christe, lux vera, quæ illúminas omnem hóminem veniéntem in hunc mundum: effúnde bene ☩ dictiónem tuam super hos céreos, et sancti ☩ fica eos lúmine grátiæ tuæ, et concéde propítius; ut, sicut hæc luminária igne visíbili accénsa noctúrnas depéllunt ténebras; ita corda nostra invisíbili igne, id est, Sancti Spíritus splendóre illustráta, ómnium vitiórum cæcitáte cáreant: ut, purgáto mentis óculo, ea cérnere possímus, quæ tibi sunt plácita et nostræ salúti utília; quaténus post hujus sǽculi caliginósa discrímina ad lucem indeficiéntem perveníre mereámur. Per te, Christe Jesu, Salvátor mundi, qui in Trinitáte perfécta vivis et regnas Deus, in sǽcula sæculórum.
℟.Amen.
Orémus. Omnípotens sempitérne Deus, qui per Móysen fámulum tuum puríssimum ólei liquórem ad luminária ante conspéctum tuum júgiter concinnánda præparári jussísti: bene ☩ dictiónis tuæ grátiam super hos céreos benígnus infúnde; quaténus sic adminístrent lumen extérius, ut, te donánte, lumen Spíritus tui nostris non desit méntibus intérius. Per Christum Dominum nostrum.
℟.Amen.
Orémus. Dómine Jesu Christe, qui hodiérna die, in nostræ carnis substántia inter hómines appárens, a paréntibus in templo es præsentátus: quem Símeon venerábilis senex, lúmine Spíritus tui irradiátus, agnóvit, suscépit et benedíxit: præsta propítius; ut, ejúsdem Spíritus Sancti grátia illumináti atque edócti, te veráciter agnoscámus et fidéliter diligámus: Qui cum Deo Patre in unitáte ejúsdem Spíritus Sancti vivis et regnas Deus in sǽcula sæculórum.
℟.Amen.
Finitis Orationibus, celebrans ponit incensum in thuríbulum: deinde ter aspergit candelas aqua benedícta, dicendo Antiphonam “Aspérges me”, sine cantu et sine Psalmo: et ter adolet incenso.
If the blessing of candles and the procession cannot take place in the solemn form, because of the absence of sacred ministers, it is lawful to use the simple form, even without chant, provided that at least three servers assist the celebrant.
The celebrant vests in a white cope or without the chasuble, and goes with the ministers who are similarly vested to bless the candles, which are placed in the center before the altar or on the epistle side. Standing and facing the altar, the priest chants without inflection, with his hands joined:
℣.The Lord be with you.
℟.And with thy spirit.
Let us pray. O holy Lord, Father almighty, everlasting God, who hast cre-ated all things out of nothing, and by Thy command hast caused this liquid to become perfect wax by the labor of bees: and this day didst fulfill the petition of the righteous man Simeon: we humbly entreat Thee, that by the invocation of Thy most holy Name and through the intercession of blessed Mary ever Virgin whose feast is today devoutly observed, and by the prayers of all Thy Saints, Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless ☩ and sanctify ☩ these candles for the service of men and for the health of their bodies and souls, whether on land or on sea: and that Thou wouldst hear from Thy holy heaven and from the throne of Thy Majesty the voice of this Thy people, who desire to carry them in their hands in Thy honor, and to praise Thee with hymns; and that Thou wouldst be propitious to all that call upon Thee, whom thou has redeemed with the precious Blood of Thy Son:
Who livest and reignest with God the Father…
Let us pray. O almighty and everlasting God, who on this day didst present Thine only-begotten Son in Thy holy temple to be received in the arms of holy Simeon: we humbly entreat Thy clemency, that Thou wouldst vouchsafe to bless ☩ and sanctify ☩ and to kindle with the light of Thy heavenly benediction these candles, which we, Thy servants, desire to receive and to bear lighted in the honor of Thy Name: that, by offering them to Thee our Lord God, being worthily inflamed with the holy fire of Thy most sweet charity, we may deserve to be presented in the holy temple of Thy glory.
Through the same Christ our Lord…
Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, the true Light who enlightenest every man that cometh into this world: pour forth Thy blessing ☩ upon these candles, and sanctify ☩ them with the light of Thy grace, and mercifully grant, that as these lights enkindled with visible fire dispel the darkness of night, so our hearts illumined by invisible fire, that is, by the splendor of the Holy Spirit, may be free from the blindness of all vice, that the eye of our mind being cleansed, we may be able to discern what is pleasing to Thee and profitable to our salvation; so that after the perilous darkness of this life we may deserve to attain to neverfailing light: through Thee, O Christ Jesus, Saviour of the world, who in the perfect Trinity, livest and reignest, God, world without end.
℟.: Amen.
Let us pray. O almighty and everlasting God, who by Thy servant Moses didst command the purest oil to be prepared for lamps to burn continuously before Thee: vouchsafe to pour forth the grace of Thy blessing ☩ upon these candles: that they may so afford us light outwardly that by Thy gift, the gift of Thy Spirit may never be wanting inwardly to our minds.
Through our Lord…
Let us pray. O Lord Jesus Christ, who appearing on this day among men in the substance of our flesh, wast presented by Thy parents in the temple: whom the venerable and aged Simeon, illuminated by the light of Thy Spirit, recognized, received into his arms, and blessed: mercifully grant that, enlightened and taught by the grace of the same Holy Ghost, we may truly acknowledge Thee and faithfully love Thee; Who with God the Father in the unity of the same Holy Ghost livest and reignest, God, world without end.
℟.: Amen.
The celebrant sprinkles the candles three times with holy water, saying the anthem Asperges me, and also incensing them thrice.