# Probaly a stupid question regarding Holy Water **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 12, 2004, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500 "2004-08-12T06:06:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![theckhd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/cdc98d/32.png) [@theckhd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/theckhd)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/21 "2004-08-12T23:09:58Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Of course, the trick is finding an undead creature to test this on. … but wait. If you set aside both vials of water specifically for that purpose, and if you assume that destroying the undead is considered a religious use (i.e. they were set aside for a religious purpose), wouldn’t they **both** be holy water?? Paradox! :eek: > [@curious\_kell](#): > > But I am a dork! And I used to play D&D (2nd edition)! Is that worse? That I’m not even a very good dork? Yes, you fail your test of dork-ness. You should upgrade to the latest version of D&D as soon as possible, because the only way to regain your dork status is by owning different versions of the Player’s Handbook simultaneously. Alternatively, you could abandon the pursuit of dork, and apply to the Geek’s Guild. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2004, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/22 "2004-08-13T00:32:33Z")
i have noticed a taste difference in holy water vs tap water. i figured it was due to the metal of the cross involved in blessing the water. it has a tinny, aluminium taste. i’ve only had contact with orthodox holy water and the priest dunks a rather large metal cross in to a (usually) metal vat filled with water 3 times. no whimpy little testing toe kind of thing. i’m talking big, sweeping, stirring, totally under the water dunking of the cross in a cross shaped motion; you hear a clunk every time the priest hits the sides of the vat. 12 clunks per vat. the fun comes in when the congregation swarms the vats will all manner of bottles and containers. on epiphany there is a blessing of the nearest body of water as well as the water in the vat in church. greeks are very into tossing the (large metal) cross into the water closely followed by boys diving to get the cross. orthodox in colder areas not so much, the cross would just slide on the ice. colder areas have ice crosses made with holy water (from last year) and perhaps some flowers. this gets tossed into or onto the very cold body of water. no one jumps in after it. the blessing isn’t to try to turn the body of water into holy water, but to ask for good fishing, good passages, etc on or under the water. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/23 "2004-08-15T20:57:26Z")
> [@spingears](#): > > It is a ritual thing. > > Two vials of water, one blessed and one not are impossible to differentiate in and of themselves. One or the other would have to be marked or placed in a special place or position to identify it. I didn’t just ask about water. I’ve seen priests ‘bless’ individuals as well as groups of people including entire congregations. If these people are not ‘set aside for a specific purpose’, then what exactly is being achieved here? What is the significance of these acts of blessing? I’m puzzled, because the answers given so far seem to indicate that in these circumstances (people, congregations, other things that are not set aside for some use) then the act of ‘blessing’ would be devoid of intent, effect, purpose or significance. I’ve also seen priests bless a garden fete, a patch of ground, a school bus and a ship. (Not making these up.) ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/24 "2004-08-15T21:38:21Z")
> [@ianzin](#): > > I didn’t just ask about water. I’ve seen priests ‘bless’ individuals as well as groups of people including entire congregations. If these people are not ‘set aside for a specific purpose’, then what exactly is being achieved here? What is the significance of these acts of blessing? I’m puzzled, because the answers given so far seem to indicate that in these circumstances (people, congregations, other things that are not set aside for some use) then the act of ‘blessing’ would be devoid of intent, effect, purpose or significance. I’ve also seen priests bless a garden fete, a patch of ground, a school bus and a ship. (Not making these up.) No, when a benediction (blessing) is pronounced over a person or object, the officiant asks God to impart His protection, guidance and inspiration to the people being blessed, or to the people making use of the object being blessed. In the movie M_A_S\*H, the brief scene in which we see the chaplain “Bless this Jeep”, he’s asking God to speed said vehicle and its occupants safely through their journeys, and that during those journeys its occupants may grow in the Faith. There is also the distinct, but to the outsider similar-looking, act of _consecration_, which is when someone or something IS being set aside for a sacramental or otherwise holy purpose and that something is now a holy item. You bless (say a benediction for) the opening of the new supermarket. You consecrate the new plot of land for the church’s graveyard. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/25 "2004-08-16T00:58:26Z")
> [@Catalyst](#): > > Oh, I suppose you know a better way to keep Dracula at bay? You’re mistaken, that would keep Dracula _away_ from the Bay. ---
**Author:** ![Tentacle\_Monster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba9def/32.png) [@Tentacle\_Monster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tentacle_Monster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 3:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/26 "2004-08-16T03:03:50Z")
Does holy water retain its holiness through phase-of-matter changes? If so, I’m going to go to the sauna and enjoy a holy steam. ---
**Author:** ![BobT](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e8cbc/32.png) [@BobT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobT)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/27 "2004-08-16T03:34:13Z")
At the church where I was an altar boy, the holy water had a separate set of pipes it came out of and its own special drain in the sacristy which was used for washing out chalices, ciboria, what not. ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/28 "2004-08-16T03:53:56Z")
> [@BobT](#): > > At the church where I was an altar boy, the holy water had a separate set of pipes it came out of . . . Most likely those pipes drew from a central reserve of water already blessed and set aside for the purpose. > [@BobT](#): > > . . . and its own special drain in the sacristy which was used for washing out chalices, ciboria, what not. Different thing entirely. Communions vessels are washed out with ordinary water, and the care in disposal has nothing to do with the water and everything to do with the traces of consecrated elements - bread and wine - which the water presumably contains. It would not be considered fitting to dispose of these into the the common sewer, which is where your regular drain goes, so a separate drain is often provided. This would usually go straight to a sink-hole in the earth. If you were disposing of holy water you would also use this drain, if available, but it’s no big deal. In fact, holy water is no big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Dignan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@Dignan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dignan)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/29 "2004-08-16T04:03:35Z")
I always thought holy water was made by boiling the hell out of it. ---
**Author:** ![bat312](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c77e96/32.png) [@bat312](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bat312)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/30 "2004-08-16T04:36:40Z")
Vampires and aliens do not like water in the first place, at least M. Nights. So that sez something about the holiness of all water, giver of life. However I am in need of holy beer. That way I could drink it at work for religious reasons. Could beer be blessed to become holy? Or what if I made beer using holy water would that count (Dracula)? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/31 "2004-08-16T05:57:09Z")
> [@bat312](#): > > Could beer be blessed to become holy? Couldn’t you just brew your own, starting with holy water? I know lots of people who drink beer religiously. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2004, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500/32 "2004-08-16T07:47:18Z")
You start with extra pure water (sometimes rain water). A small amount of blessed salt is added, and a teeny amount of annoited oil. During which there is a blessing ceremony. It would have a very slightly salty taste. If you dry it, it leaves a small encrustation of salt. AFAIK, in no step do they use 25#'s of powered silver… 😛 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/probaly-a-stupid-question-regarding-holy-water/259500.md?page=1)