Happy Easter! At my parish, during the Great Vigil, we blessed the Baptismal Water in the old manner, a la the missal. Here is what was sung by candle-light, amid thick clouds of incense. It was downright emergent:
As the Procession approaches the font, the choir will sing the Canticle: Like as the hart desireth the water brooks.
Celebrant Almighty and everlasting god, mercifully look upon the devout prayer of this people called to a new birth, who, like the hart, seek the fountain of your waters: and mercifully grant that the thirst of their faith may, by the mystery of baptism, sanctify them in body and soul.
People Amen.
Celebrant Almighty and everlasting God, be preset at the mysteries, be present at the sacraments of your great goodness: and send forth the spirit of adoption for the regeneration of the new peoples whom the font of baptism brings forth unto you; that this office and ministry of your unworthy servants may be effectually fulfilled by your power. Through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God. Throughout all ages world without end. Amen.
Celebrant The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Celebrant Lift up your hearts.
People We lift them up unto the Lord.
Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
People It is right to give him thanks and praise.
Celebrant It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, O Lord, holy Father, almighty everlasting God: who by your invisible power wondrously gives effect to the work of your sacraments. And though we are unworthy to perform mysteries so great: yet you do not leave us destitute of the gifts of your grace, but mercifully incline your ears even unto these our supplications. O God, whose Spirit in the first beginnings of the world moved over the waters: that even then the nature of water might conceive the virtue of sanctification. O God, who washed away in the waters the iniquities of a sinful world, and even in the outpouring of the flood showed forth in a figure our regeneration: that by the mystery of this same element there should be an end to sin and likewise a beginning of virtue. Look, O Lord, upon the face of your Church, and multiply in her the power of your regeneration: for you make glad your city by the streams of your abundant grace, and open the fount of baptism throughout the whole world for the renewing of the nations: that by the command of your majesty she may receive from the Holy Spirit the grace of your only-begotten Son.
(Dividing the water in the form of a cross) May he, by the secret mingling of his divine power, make fruitful this water prepared for the regeneration of mankind: that having received sanctification and being born again a new creature, there may come forth an offspring of heaven from the spotless womb of this divine fountain; that all, whether sex divide them in body, or age in time, may alike be brought forth into one childhood by grace, their mother. Far hence, O Lord, at your command let every unclean spirit depart: far hence be all the wickedness of the craft of the devil. Let no power of the enemy here have place or portion: let it neither ensnare nor encompass us: let it not waylay us in secret: let it not taint us with corruption.
May this holy and undefiled creature be free from every assault of the enemy, and purified by the departure of all iniquity. May it be a living fountain of regenerative water, a purifying stream: that all who shall be washed in this laver of salvation may, by the operation of the Holy Spirit within them, obtain the grace of perfect purification.
(Making three crosses over the water) Wherefore I bless you, O creature of water, by the living + God, by the true + God, by the holy + God; by God who in the beginning through his word divided you from the dry land: whose Spirit moved over your surface (he scatters the water with his hand towards the four quarters of the world) who made you to flow from the fountain of paradise, and commanded you to water the whole earth with your four rivers; who in the desert bestowed upon you sweetness when you were bitter, that men might drink; and brought you forth from the rock for the thirsting people. I bless you also by Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, who in Cana of Galilee by a wondrous miracle changed you through his power into wine; who walked upon you with his feet; and was baptized in you by John in the Jordan; who brought you forth together with blood from his side; and commanded his disciples that believing, they should be baptized in you, saying, “Go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” Almighty God, mercifully assist our prayer who keep these your commandments: graciously breathe upon us. (He breathes three times on the water in the form of a cross) Bless with your word and power this element of water, that, as by nature it has power to cleanse and wash the body, so also it may be effectual for the purifying of the soul. (He lowers the Paschal Candle three times into the water.)
May the power of the Holy Spirit descend upon the fullness of this font.
May the power of the Holy Spirit descend upon the fullness of this font.
May the power of the Holy Spirit descend upon the fullness of this font and make the whole substance of this water to be fruitful unto regeneration. Here may the stains of every sin be blotted out; here may nature, created in your image, be restored to the honor of its first estate, that every man who comes to this sacrament of regeneration may be born again unto the new childhood of true innocence. Through Jesus Christ your Son, our Lord, who shall come to judge the quick and the dead, and the world by fire.
People Amen.
Celebrant (Pouring in the Oil of Catechumens) May this font be sanctified and made fruitful by the Oil of salvation, for such as shall be born again from it, unto life everlasting.
People Amen.
Celebrant (Pouring in the Chrism) May this inpouring of the Chrism of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Holy spirit, the Paraclete, be wrought in the name of the Holy Trinity.
People Amen.
Celebrant (Pouring in both Oils together) May this commingling of the Chrism of sanctification and of the Oil of unction, and of the water of baptism, be likewise wrought in the name of the father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
People Amen.
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