Vehicle blessing
The vehicle blessing is a blessing of the Catholic and Orthodox Churches . Vehicles or aircraft (airplanes, balloons) are blessed with it in order to ask God for protection and salvation for their use. The vehicles that the Church blesses include ships, new railroad lines and their vehicles, motorcycles, and bicycles.
The blessing is donated by the priest or deacon through the blessing prayer from the Benedictine , the vehicles are also often sprinkled with holy water and, especially in the Orthodox Church, also incensated . The blessing can be for a single vehicle or airplane. However, once a year it is common for new vehicles in particular to be blessed as part of a church service .
During the blessing, the vehicles can be placed under a patron saint . Frequently chosen patrons are St. Christophorus , one of the fourteen helpers in need , the patron saint of travelers, and, especially for fire engines, St. Florian . From the patronage of St. Christophorus derives the common Christophorus medals and plaques that are attached to cars. St. Christophorus is also called upon as an emergency helper against an unprepared death. In addition, the radio call sign for rescue helicopters in Germany begins with "Christoph", in Austria that of the ÖAMTC helicopter.
literature
- Liturgical Institutes Salzburg, Trier, Zurich; [Ed.]: Benediktionale , study edition for the Catholic dioceses of the German-speaking area 14th, ed. 455 S. Herder 2004 ISBN 3-451-17984-9
- Johanna Rahner : Introduction to Catholic Dogmatics, Darmstadt 2008, ISBN 3534200632
- Gerhard Ludwig Müller: Catholic Dogmatics: For Study and Practice of Theology, Freiburg 2005, ISBN 3451286521
Individual evidence
- ^ Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1671