Blessing #
“And without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better.”
— Hebrews 7:7
The word “blessing” (благословение) is composed of two parts: “blago” (good) and “slovo” (word)—that is, speech, teaching, and in this case also consent or permission (for a particular “good”). Thus, in modern terms, a blessing is consent and authorization for a specific, God-pleasing and salvific action. And what deeds are truly pleasing to God and salvific for us—we must learn from God, the Source of every blessing, through Holy Scripture and Holy Tradition.
The first and universal blessing for mankind was given by God Himself shortly after the creation of the world and of the first human beings (Genesis 1:28). Later, after delivering His chosen people from Egyptian bondage and establishing the Old Testament Church, the Lord, through the prophet Moses, instructed how each faithful member of the Church was to be blessed: And the Lord spoke unto Moses, saying, Speak unto Aaron and unto his sons, saying, On this wise ye shall bless the children of Israel, saying unto them, The Lord bless thee, and keep thee: The Lord make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: The Lord lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace. And they shall put My name upon the children of Israel, and I (the Lord) will bless them (Numbers 6:22–27).
The Founder of the New Testament Church, the Son of God and Savior of the world, taught both by word and deed how the sons of the New Israel are to be blessed. Just before His Ascension into heaven, our Lord Jesus Christ lifted up His hands, and blessed them (Luke 24:50), blessing the believers who stood around Him. By this, He indicated that the holy apostles were also to bestow blessings upon the faithful; and from the apostles, this authority and grace were handed down to bishops and priests.
St. John Chrysostom calls the blessing of sacred ministers “a spiritual weapon that makes the Christian secure on every side…” (Works, Vol. III, p. 53). The hand of a bishop or priest, during the celebration of the greatest Mystery—the Holy Eucharist in the Divine Liturgy—calls down the Holy Ghost to transform bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ. That same hand brings a soul into eternal life through immersion in the font of Holy Baptism, and sends down God’s blessing in every place and at every time upon those who receive it worthily and reverently. Indeed, not only in weighty matters or dangerous undertakings has the blessing of clergy aided in success, but even in everyday affairs, it has sometimes revealed notable power. For example, St. Gregory the Dialogist relates that at one monastery, a building was being constructed. A very large stone needed to be lifted. A great number of laborers were summoned, but they were unable to move it. Then the abbot of the monastery, the venerable Benedict, was called. As soon as he offered a prayer and gave his blessing, the stone was lifted as though it had no weight at all (St. Gregory the Dialogist, Book 2, Chapter 9).
Some, following modern ways of thinking, might say that such power in a priest’s blessing belonged only to saints, not to ordinary, sinful pastors. To this we must reply: truly, priests are “subject to like passions as all men,” and for that very reason, every clergyman humbly prays for the Lord to cleanse his unworthiness as he performs the Holy Mysteries. And to those who doubt the power of a priest’s blessing, we should remember the Lord’s words: “Signs shall follow them that believe” (Mark 16:17). Therefore, those who ask for a blessing without faith may not always receive success in their undertakings. This is not because of the unworthiness of the priest, but because of the unbelief of the one who asks. For no matter the man, the priest is performing God’s work—a work for which he received divine authority in the Mystery of Holy Orders—and he is but the instrument of that grace.
Through the priestly—and above all, the episcopal—blessing, the Lord invisibly sends every good thing to those who sincerely and zealously ask for what is truly good (cf. James 4:3) and who receive it with faith. The Holy Fathers write that anyone who treats a priestly blessing with contempt is an unbeliever and denies Christ, who appoints the priests (St. Ignatius the God-bearer).
In the ancient Church, as history shows, Christians deeply valued the priest’s hand of blessing. They would bring their children to receive it, and would themselves reverently kiss the hand that blessed.
For in doing this, we are addressing God more than man—we ask, give thanks, and glorify Christ, who acts through the instrument of grace, the sacred minister. The book The Church’s Son, speaking of this act, gives the following counsel: “Receive his (i.e., the clergyman’s) blessing with reverence and joy… And when you receive it (i.e., the blessing), kiss his hand; and if he does not extend his hand for you to kiss, then ask and entreat him to allow you to kiss it” (Chapter 64).
The fruit of a blessing depends more on the one who asks for it—on their faith and worthiness—than on the one who bestows it.
For knowledge and as a reminder, it must be said that men who refuse to wear beards, all who smoke tobacco and other soul-harming substances, those who defile their tongues with foul curses and rotten, corrupting speech (Ephesians 4:29), and others who are bound by shameful habits which disgrace the Christian name; likewise women and maidens in a state of impurity (i.e., menstruation), and all females (except young girls) who appear with uncovered heads—such persons ought not to ask for a blessing, nor ought pastors to bestow it upon them if they dare to demand it. Otherwise, the power given by God to pastors for the building up of the Holy Church (2 Corinthians 10:8) is misused to destroy the saving order she preserves.
A most instructive account is found in the Life of the Holy Hieromartyr, Archpriest Avvakum. The archpriest himself recounts that the nobleman Vasily Petrovich Sheremetev, sailing down the Volga River to Kazan to assume his governorship, summoned Avvakum aboard his ship and commanded him to bless his son “the beard-shaver.” But the zealous defender of ancient piety, seeing a lustful appearance, refused to give his blessing. The enraged nobleman ordered the archpriest thrown into the Volga and, “after many insults, they shoved him off the ship.” Thus did the holy martyr Avvakum guard the gift of God’s grace, so as not to, in the words of the Holy Gospel, “give that which is holy unto the dogs,” nor “cast pearls before swine” (Matthew 7:6).
Thus, even from this brief historical account and theological explanation, it is clear that receiving the blessing of God through a true pastor of Christ’s Church is a sacred, deeply significant, and salvific act for every faithful Christian.
In practice, it is performed as follows: without making the sign of the cross, one bows to the clergyman down to the ground and says, “Forgive me, holy master, and bless me” (if it is a bishop); or if it is a priest, one says, “Forgive me, honorable father, and bless me.” The pastor replies, “God forgive you.” Then the one seeking the blessing says his name. After this, the one giving the blessing makes the sign of the cross over him and says the prayer: “The blessing of the Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ be upon the servant of God (or: the handmaiden of God, naming the name), always, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages.” The one receiving the blessing replies: “Amen,” and kisses the hand of the one who gave it. Then the one who gave the blessing says: “Christ is among us,” and the recipient replies, “He is and shall be,” kisses his right shoulder, and again, without crossing himself, makes a deep bow to the ground.
Let us offer, for spiritual benefit, a few words also on the customary manner of greeting Christian pastors. Instead of the ordinary “Hello” or “Good day,” when meeting a bishop or priest (even over the telephone—regardless of who initiates the call), the junior in rank should begin by saying: “Forgive me, holy master (or: honorable father), and bless me.” To this, the senior replies: “God forgive you; God bless you” (if he has the dignity of the priesthood). Only then should they proceed to the main part of their conversation.
At parting, not only with clergy but with all Christians, one should avoid the modern and commonplace “Goodbye,” and instead use the expression sanctified by the spirit of the Gospel: “Forgive me, for the sake of Christ.” The proper response is: “God forgive you. And you, forgive me.” These words should not be spoken carelessly or as a mere formality, but from the heart. For we are asking to be forgiven for anything by which we may have grieved our neighbor, whether knowingly or unknowingly, and we in turn forgive him sincerely, praying with peace and love that the Lord may also forgive and have mercy on him.
It is also proper to ask forgiveness and a blessing from bishops and priests in written correspondence. Even the Apostle Paul concluded all his epistles with a blessing, invoking the grace of God upon all those whom he had instructed in the Christian faith and virtue.
Thus, forgiveness and blessing imparted by sacred ministers is not merely a formal rite, but a spiritual gift from above, from God Himself, which bishops and priests merely transmit. And all of us, as Christians, must regard this gift with the utmost seriousness, reverence, and responsibility. Only then will the blessing of God be active and salvific in our lives. And then, according to the words of the Apostle Paul, “the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen” (Hebrews 13:20–21).