With Epiphany comes the tradition of marking the entry door to your home with blessed chalk. Typically your parish will have some blessed chalk available, or you can bring some and have your priest bless it.
The initials C+M+B are surrounded by the current year, for example, this year it is 20 C+M+B 23.
The initials have 2 different meanings,
1) The names of the 3 Wisemen: Caspar, Malchior, and Balthazar.
2) In Latin the phrase, Christus mansionem benedicat: “May Christ bless the house.”
The plus signs (+) represent the Cross.
The tradition is centuries old (still looking for a more precise date) and has its roots in Exodus where it is prefigured by the marking of the doors by the Israelites while they were in captivity in Egypt. In the prefigurement, they were passed over by the Angel of Death (Passover) and in the modern tradition we pray for blessings on our home and all who enter it.
The blessing of your door should take place sometime on or about the Feast of Epiphany (February 6th, or the Sunday after February 6th) and can be done at any time during the Season of Epiphany, which lasts up till Ash Wednesday - and the start of Lent.
Prayers for the blessing of the door:
On entering the home,
Leader(Priest, if present, or father of the family) : Peace be to this house.
All: And to all who dwell herein.
All: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.
All Pray: The Magnificat. During the Magnificat, the room is sprinkled with holy water and incensed. After this is completed,
All: From the east came the Magi to Bethlehem to adore the Lord; and opening their treasures they offered precious gifts: gold for the great King, incense for the true God, and myrrh in symbol of His burial.
Leader: Our Father. . .
And lead us not into temptation
All: But deliver us from evil.
Leader: All they from Saba shall come
All: Bringing gold and frankincense.
Leader: O Lord, hear my prayer.
All: And let my cry come to You.
Leader: Let us pray. O God, who by the guidance of a star didst on this day manifest Thine only-begotten Son to the Gentiles, mercifully grant that we who know Thee by faith may also attain the vision of Thy glorious majesty. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Leader: Be enlightened, be enlightened, O Jerusalem, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee—Jesus Christ born of the Virgin Mary.
All: And the Gentiles shall walk in thy light and kings in the splendor of thy rising, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon thee.
Leader: Let us pray.
Bless, + O Lord God almighty, this home, that in it there may be health,
purity, the strength of victory, humility, goodness and mercy, the
fulfillment of Thy law, the thanksgiving to God the Father and to the
Son and to the Holy Spirit. And may this blessing remain upon this home
and upon all who dwell herein. Through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
After the prayers of the blessing are recited, each room of the home is sprinkled with Epiphany water and incensed. The initials of the Magi are inscribed upon the doors with the blessed chalk. (The initials, C, M, B, can also be interpreted as the Latin phrase “Christus mansionem benedicat” which means “Christ bless this house”.)
(Source:https://onepeterfive.com/the-chalking-of-the-doors-an-epiphany-tradition-explained/)
Another prayer:
May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among us; and may we seek and serve, in everyone we meet, that same Jesus who is your incarnate Word, now and forever. Amen.
God of heaven and earth, you revealed your only-begotten One to every nation by the guidance of a star. Bless this house and all who inhabit it. Fill us with the light of Christ, that our concern for others may reflect your love. We ask this through Christ our Saviour. Amen.
Loving God, bless this household. May we be blessed with health, goodness of heart, gentleness, and abiding in your will. We ask this through Christ our Saviour. Amen.
(Source:https://onepeterfive.com/the-chalking-of-the-doors-an-epiphany-tradition-explained/)
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