# Holy water **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [August 30, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036 "2001-08-30T23:57:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Essy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea666f/32.png) [@Essy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Essy)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/1 "2001-08-30T23:57:24Z")
Once water has been appropriately blessed and made Holy, can it ever be desanctified or made un-holy? Essy * * * Say it with flowers. Send a triffid. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/2 "2001-08-31T01:04:36Z")
Well, some of the artifacts in _Advanced Dungeons & Dragons_ had the power to contaminate any holy water within 30 feet of them. Which could make some folks pretty upset. A one-ounce vial of holy water cost a whole 25 gold pieces. (And in 1st Edition AD&D, a gold piece weighed 1/10 of a pound!) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/3 "2001-08-31T01:49:39Z")
Well, once it evaporates, it’s de-sanctified. I’ve never heard of Catholic Holy Water being de-sanctified in bulk. If they have to get rid of it, they probably pour it down the same drain they use for the washings from the cruets at Mass. This goes to a special “trap” in the ground – sort of a Holy Waste Dump, as opposed to a Toxic Waste Dump. I’ve long been fascinated by the way things “Holy” are treated the same as things Radioactive. By the way, Essy – Love your sig. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/4 "2001-08-31T01:54:30Z")
If they have to get rid of it, they probably pour it down the same drain they use for the washings from the cruets at Mass. This goes to a special “trap” in the ground – sort of a Holy Waste Dump, as opposed to a Toxic Waste Dump. Is this true? Special Catholic plumbing? ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/5 "2001-08-31T03:43:04Z")
You know how they make Holy water in the first place, don’t you? Boil the hell out of it. ::d&r:: ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/6 "2001-08-31T03:55:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Is this true? Special Catholic plumbing? I can’t remember whether they still build this into churches, but it is no big deal. It is simply a drain pipe that goes directly into the ground (perhaps with some sand at the bottom to encourage leeching). The idea is simply to allow the bits of Host or dregs of sacramental wine to return to the earth rather than be mixed with sewage. It’s a sign of respect, but it does not require any elaborate purification rites that go on for days or anything. Think of the specifications for retiring a U.S. flag: it is to be burned with appropriate ceremony and the ashes buried, yet “burning the flag” or letting it drag on the ground are subjects for rioting. Respect is in the perception of the action, not in any objective reality. ---
**Author:** ![gazpacho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/6f9a4e/32.png) [@gazpacho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gazpacho)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/7 "2001-08-31T04:06:30Z")
Special Catholic Plumbing who’da thunk it. Learn something new every month or so. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/8 "2001-08-31T05:39:43Z")
All I know about holy water is IT BURNS, IT BURNS!!! ---
**Author:** ![Blackclaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e68b1a/32.png) [@Blackclaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackclaw)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/9 "2001-08-31T12:37:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*All I know about holy water is IT BURNS, IT BURNS!!! \*\* Thanks Gobear. I needed that chuckle. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/10 "2001-08-31T13:05:56Z")
If it passes through your kidneys & bladder, it’s de-sanctified. If it’s _not_ de-sanctified, \*\*I don’wanna be blessed!!! \*\* 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Amp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Amp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amp)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/11 "2001-08-31T13:18:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bosda Di’Chi of Tricor \* > \*\*If it passes through your kidneys & bladder, it’s de-sanctified. \*\* 😛 \*\* I thought Holy Water was not for drinking. It was to purify things and battle demons. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/12 "2001-08-31T13:41:03Z")
Dignan wrote: > [@](#): > > You know how they make Holy water in the first place, don’t you? > > Boil the hell out of it. Go bingle your bongle. (2 pt. reference) ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/13 "2001-08-31T13:49:05Z")
Actually, as a former Altar Boy (memorized the Mass in Latin and eveything), I _know_ how they make Holy Water. No boiling involved. The stuff that’s consecrated at Easter gets a lot of prayers said over it, gets the Paschal candle dipped into it, and _olea sancta_ – holy oil – poured into it. You probably don’t wanna drink this stuff. Just let the priest spinkle you with the _aspergillum_ and count yourself lucky. And blessed. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2001, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/holy-water/79036/14 "2001-08-31T13:56:47Z")
Amp wrote: > [@](#): > > I thought Holy Water was not for drinking. It was to purify things and battle demons. True, a vial of holy water **does** do 1d6+1 or 2d4 damage points to any undead or creature from the lower planes that it hits. For the bigger demons, though, this will hardly be enough damage to kill it. You’d be better off finding a bunch of foolhardy fighters or paladins (fighters can usually be tricked into fighting anything if you tell them how many experience points they can get, and paladins can **always** be browbeaten into “battling evil”). Arm them with +1 swords, and send them wading into battle against the invading demon hordes. And while the demons are distracted, you can loot their demon lairs for magic treasure.