Orthodox Christians have a custom of inviting a priest yearly to bless our homes! Ever wonder why? Or maybe you scheduled your first house blessing and you want to know what to expect! This blogpost is for you! I am pulling back the veil a little to share what to expect, how to prepare, and answering some frequently asked questions.

As someone who converted to Orthodox Christianity as an adult, I remember feeling really nervous for my first house blessing, unsure what to expect. I wanted to understand the proper etiquette so as to not embarrass myself. I promise, your priest loves you very much and you don’t need to worry too much about doing the wrong thing. He will be your guide. But as your sister in Christ, I also want to share some insight so you can feel confident and prepared as you can be for your house blessing!

The Scriptures teach us that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17). As Orthodox Christians, we recognize that Christ is already present within our dwelling place. By blessing our homes, we acknowledge that every aspect of our lives—no matter how ordinary, mundane, or personal—is a gift we present to God, and we are asking His blessings upon it. Through prayer and sprinkling Holy Water in our homes, we are asking the Lord to bless our dwelling place and bless those who dwell there within. It is common in the Orthodox Church to have our homes blessed annually in the days following Theophany (Epiphany), which are sometimes referred to as Theophany house blessings!

Why should we get our homes blessed?

This is a common question, so I wanted to address it firstly. The blessing of a home is an ancient Christian practice that helps us remember that our Christian life of faith and love is lived not only in Church on Sundays but also in the home daily. The words in the prayers during the house blessing ask the Lord defend and protect the home from discord and strife; to fortify and grant healing when we suffer any affliction at home; and to inspire the family to teach, model, and live Christian values. With these words, the blessing of the home hopes to bring calmness and serenity in the place where you live.

When the prayers are said, holy water is used to chase away all devilish thoughts and desires, to protect from harm, and to bring tranquility to the home. The prayer used in blessing the water says it this way: “Let this water serve thee, O God, in expelling demons and curing diseases. When it is sprinkled in the homes of the faithful, may they be cleansed and delivered from harm. Let these homes enjoy a spirit of goodness and an air of tranquility, freed from baneful and hidden snares.” The blessing of the home is not limited to the days after Theophany. The blessing should also be used whenever we move into a new home, or whenever there is external or internal strife in the home or family. Whether it is done annually or when there is a distressing time, the blessing of the home is another why of asking God’s grace to overcome sin, even in our homes. It’s all part of living as God’s people and being sustained by His mercy. (adapted from by Fr John Fenton).

How to Arrange a House Blessing:

When it comes to preparing for a house blessing, I wanted to share a few tips I’ve picked up along the way. My husband is an Orthodox priest, so we have the added blessing of having a direct source to the one who has blessed hundreds of homes throughout the years! First and foremost, you will need to be plugged into an Orthodox Church. House blessings are done by the Parish priests for their flock.

Here are some things to consider when preparing for a house blessing:

You’ll first need to schedule an appointment or invite your priest over! Every priest/parish has their own way of scheduling, whether that’s a sign up list, email, text. So find out from your priest what is the best way to schedule a house blessing. Priests typically bless homes right after Theophany but these can be scheduled throughout the year. Ideally we have our homes blessed once a year, or after we move in to a new home, or even after new construction. Make sure you provide your address and phone number!
If possible, have all the members of your home present for the house blessing. Keep this in mind when scheduling. Of course it’s not necessary that every one is present, but after the house is blessed, the priest will also bless all who live there as well.

Prepare the House:

Have a lit candle and an icon - this can be in an icon corner or even simply set up on your table. This is where the house blessing will begin. Which icon? Any will do, but typically one of Christ or the Theotokos. If available, you can also prepare a censer and incense.
Have a tidy home with a clear path to each room. This is to ensure there’s a clear path for the pries to walk through each room/hall with ease. Whatever rooms you wish to be blessed, just keep those doors open and the lights on. Remember to have all music, TV’s and electronics turned off and secure your pets. I don’t always get my home perfectly tidy, and since I am married to the Priest, I throw in a little “bless this mess” joke and it always gets a chuckle.

What to expect:

If you have never had a house blessed before, let me share a general overview of what to expect:

At the scheduled time, the Priest will arrive at your home.
Greet him, and ask for a blessing upon his arrival. Typically this is done by cupping your hands right over left on top of the other and saying “Father Bless” and he will offer you his hand to kiss.
Have a lit candle and icon ready, either in your family prayer corner or in a prominent place. Typically this is where the house blessing with begin. He will typically bring holy water and a way to disperse it. I usually have Holy Water out as well, just in case.
During the blessing, the priest will offer a prayer service in front of the icon corner (or again, in front of the designated icon/candle).
At the appointed time, he will gesture for you to lead him through the house. Usually, the head of the house will lead the priest throughout the home, bringing him to each room. Some might even hold the candle with them as they process. Lead him to each room, and the rest of the family can follow. To prepare, make sure each door is already opened and ready to go with the lights on.
He will sprinkle each room with holy water (usually in the form of a cross) while singing the Troparion the Theophany. You can familiarize yourself with it and join in and sing too!
Once the house has been blessed, he will bless each person present by sprinkling holy water on you! Some priests will have you prepare a list of family members to pray for as well.
When he leaves, you can ask for a blessing in the same manner in which you greeted him - initiate by saying “Father Bless” and cupping your hands open right over left and once he places his hand in your hands, kiss his hand.
It is customary to offer the Priest a gift. See note below under on FAQ.
Always check with your priest prior to make sure you have everything needed for your house blessing, as these vary between local customs.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Do I need to feed the Priest? Unless you’ve discussed it in advanced, you don’t necessarily need to have a meal or snacks for the priest. Of course, just as any guest you welcome into your home, you can certainly be hospitable. Offering snacks is a kind gesture, but there’s a likely chance he has many other house blessings to get to! This varies by day and community. So be sure to communicate in advance if he has time to stay for coffee or meal (a very fine thing to do)! If you’d like to send him home with something, have it packed up and ready to go. That would be a kind gesture! For some parishioners, they invite the whole family over for dinner, which we really appreciate too! It’s so nice to be able to spend time together as a Church family and house blessings can be a sweet excuse for that!

Should I offer a gift? Yes, It is customary to offer a gift to the Priest- although I say this hesitantly because it is not required. He will not expect it, as Priests serve their flock out of an abundant love without expecting anything in return. Priests are always happy to be invited into your home and work tirelessly for their flock, so don’t feel pressure. Anything done is love is very good! When I was newly baptized Christian, I asked our Deacon if I should offer a gift to the priest for our house blessing and he responded so practically and straightforward, and I appreciated that! He said “Yes! Usually $50-$100, but anything you give in love is wonderful.” That answer was so helpful to me! So I am passing it along to you! In the least, we should communicate our thanks and gratitude in as far as we are able. The priest cares for us and we care for him. We belong to each other. It’s as simple as that!
How often are homes blessed? There’s no straight answer for this one! Typically, homes are blessed annually following Theophany (Epiphany), but they can be blessed at any time. For example, if you move into a new home, or have some new construction, or when there is a distressing time; invite your priest over to bless your home!
What if there are non-Orthodox family members, can we still get a house blessing? Yes, that is not an issue. Do prepare them in advance so they know what to expect. They can participate by following the Priest around the home as he blesses each room. Just make sure all electronics (TV’s, music, etc) are turned off. Think of it as a mini service in your home. All members present should act accordingly.
How clean does the house need to be? This one made me laugh - as it was asked many times. As a mother of 4 children, I know how easy it is for the house to unravel. Tidy is good, doesn’t have to be clean and sparkly. There needs to be clear path to each room, so you and the Priest can easily walk through each room. So tidy is the goal. We make sure each room is presentable. My goal is always have the beds made, floors picked up, and everything is in it’s place.

You can see an example of a house blessing in my video on Instagram

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Final Thoughts

No matter where we live, we always make sure to have our homes blessed, and each year after Theophany (January 6th), we make it a priority to schedule a house blessing. Just like our Churches are blessed with Holy Water each year at Theophany (see Theophany blogpost for more on this topic), so it is with our homes! Whatever the Church does, we mirror that work within the walls of our home.

Our homes, our dwelling place, is our training ground for the Christian life. House blessings are a gift that the Church offers us. It is a safe haven where we encounter Christ daily through prayer and through our love and sacrifice for those within our homes; the very people God has placed in our lives for our salvation. Our homes are where we struggle to acquire the virtues of the Christian life. How much more fitting would it be to invite the Lord’s blessing over our homes; within the very walls that we are “working out our faith with fear and trembling” (Philipians 2:12)?

Blessed Theophany to you all, and if you have any further questions, feel free to write them in the comment section below and I will do my best to answer them!