Questions

Question first appeared on September 30, 2001
Please explain the significance of blessing material objects: cars, houses, jewelry, etc.

Orthodox theology teaches that everything that God created is Agood,@ the material as well as the spiritual universe. Even though Satan, evil, death, disease, and corruption exist and impact God=s created universe, that does not affect the Agoodness@ of His creation.

The record of the Old Testament has many instances of Ablessing@ or Asanctifying@ individuals, material objects and possessions. AYou (God) visit the earth and water it, You greatly enrich it; the river of God is full of water; You provide their grain, for so You have prepared it.@ (Psalms 65:9) ASo you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.@ (Exodus 23:25)

Moses, following God=s instructions for the construction of the Tabernacle and all of the appointments therein, assembled it, and when the last part is in place, we read in Exodus, A...So Moses finished the work. Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.@ (Exodus 40:33,34)

The Orthodox Church continues to practice the blessing of many things. AThere are numerous services in the Orthodox Prayer Book woven around the priestly blessing for the purpose of protecting from evil persons, or for safeguarding homesteads and personal undertakings of a God-pleasing nature. At the time of the laying of the foundation stone for a church, school house, or other buildings of communal endeavor, the Church=s aid is sought by way of specific ceremonies of blessing.@ (Fr. Nicon Patrinacos, A Dictionary of Greek Orthodoxy)

We bless houses and automobiles for the purpose of asking protection of those who would dwell or travel in them, respectively. We do not ordinarily bless all Ajewelry,@ but only that which has Christian significance: crosses or images of saints, for instance.