Holy Water

[louise jones]

My friend went to Ireland last week and brought back some holy water in bottles shaped like Virgin Mary. I am not Catholic and dont really understand the meaning of holy water. My friend gave me a bottle and I didnt really want to make myself look silly by asking what Im supposed to do with it! Can someone explain please.

[girlygirl2]

You can use it to do the sign of the cross with.

Say:-

"In the name of the Father (Touch your forehead) and of the Son (Touch your heart) and of the Holy Spirit (Touch your left shoulder, then your right) Amen" (Bring your hands together to look like a quick prayer movement)

This is done using your right hand normally....

My Nan does that as she leaves and enters the house....

Sometimes if someone is poorly, it has made someone better if it has been used.

Did she go to Knock in Ireland?

x

[girlygirl2]

http://www.knock-shrine.ie/

This might help

[Octavius]

Not being of a religious persuasion, one would wonder why your friend gave it to you. Also, as you are not of religious persuasion you are quite free to do whatever you like with it.

A catholic person may wish to keep the water which has been blessed by a Priest in order to use it to bless themselves or their home and recite a prayer. If I were you I would give it back to your friend and just say thanks, but politely explain that it is really not the type of thing for you and perhaps she could give it to someone who might find an appropriate use for it.

Whilst you could easily chuck it down the drain, drink it or wash out your nostrils with it, there really is no need to be disrespectful about it, so handing it back would seem the most appropriate thing for you to do.

[girlygirl2]

I wouldn't advise drinking it!

:O)

[CushtyFred]

Drink it or wash with it. It's probably only tap water in a bottle anyway.

[Skreecheeboy]

I'd drink it.

[naomi24]

I'd keep it - but only because it was a gift from a friend.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Pah - holy water is rubbish - only good for vampires. The stuff you want is Kaballah water - which despite being identical what we ordinary mortals call by the slightly shorter, but entirely accurate description 'water', is claimed to cleanse the lakes of Chernobyl of radiation to its power to cure cancer, AIDS, and SARS. And is remarkably expensive at �45 for 12 bottles.

Still, I suppose if I had a substance that was able to alter it's molecular properties so that every time a scientist conducted experiments and analysis it was able to transform itself into ordinary water, I'd probably charge a lot too...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml =/arts/2005/01/10/ftkab10.xml

[buzybee]

does it have a little blue crown as the lid??

[Rubyrose]

I agree with Naomi.. I'd only ever keep it because it was a gift and I'd respect that that is my friends belief but at the same time my friend would respect that that isn't my belief and she wouldn't give it to me! I'd probably just hand it back or do as Wardy says and find some vampires! Could be a laugh.

[Skreecheeboy]

Chuck Norris's tears can cure cancer but he's never shed any so we'll never be able to market it. Shame really.

[louise jones]

Thanks for your answers, yes my friend did go to Knock, yes it does have a blue crown as the lid.

I will keep it as it was a present from a lovely friend.

[fine,thanks]

mock not the holy water, one of these days it will come in handy.

[Lonnie]

I also would agree with naomi, I would think its probably genuine Holy Water, but as has been said, its a gift from a friend, and is probably just meant as a souvenir.

[buzybee]

I remember them, i used to use it as my Barbies granny when i was young!! Honest!

Cant believe their still around aint seen 'em in ages and i live in Ireland!

[Llamatron]

For what it's worth I'd also agree with Naomi.

Though I am curious as to why Girlygirl would not recommend drinking it.

[joko]

regarding wardys answer, empty it out and fill it with caustic soda and then find some you don't like and throw it on them - every one will be glad and you will be a hero as they were clearly an evil nightstalker all along and deserved it....

[joko]

well it depends how they become hly water as to wheter you should drinnk it - if they are filled from the tap and then a priest says a prayer over the box, then fine, but if they are filled from the font, that may have been sitting for days and had hands, flies etc dipped in it, then probably best not