Gold, frankincense and myrrh were blessed at St Anne’s Parish in Belmont on January 6 as the Latin Mass community celebrated the feast of the Epiphany.
Chalk was also blessed and distributed to parishioners to use for the traditional blessing of homes.
As part of the blessing, the initials of the three Magi – Caspar, Melchior and Balthasar – are inscribed over all the doors in the house as a witness of the family’s faith and for protection from evil.
The letters ‘CMB’ also stand for the Latin phrase Christus mansionem benedicat which means ‘May Christ bless this house’.
The blessing can be performed by either a priest or the father of the family.
Perth’s Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate also blessed chalk for the feast day, using it to mark the doorways of each room in the friary.
“The friars process to each room with holy water, incense and the [image of the] Infant Jesus, singing hymns,” Fr Joseph Michael McShane FFI said.
The prayer of blessing petitions God for “health, purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the fulfilment of the law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit”.
The Maji’s initials are connected with symbols of the cross, and the inscription also includes the year’s numbers so that it reads: 20 + C + M + B + 14.
It is believed the ancient custom can be traced as far back as the Middle Ages. “It reminds us throughout the year of the joy of Christmas but also to adore [Christ] in our hearts at all times,” Fr Joseph said.
The Franciscan friars also observed the custom of selecting a protector patron saint for the coming year on the feast of the Epiphany.
Fr Joseph told The Record that every year the friars each receive a Franciscan saint, a male saint, a female saint, a Blessed, a Marian title, a virtue and a quote to live by.
Members of the laity, however, receive just one saint according to their gender.
“Before the actual drawing of the names of saints from the bowls, the Veni Creator Spiritus is chanted as well as other prayers,” Fr Joseph said. “It is truly then that the Holy Spirit has chosen the particular saint so that we may learn by their example and virtues they practised.”
The only requirement for those who take on a protector saint is that they pray three Glory Be’s, adding “My protector patron saint, pray for me” each day of the year. Fr Joseph mentioned the custom on Facebook recently, and said about 60 people have since requested that a protector saint be selected for them for 2014.
The Franciscan priest said there were several stories of spiritual protection that demonstrated the efficacy of the custom.