Rite of Bridge Blessing

Blessing of the new bridge on Vistula river by bishop Karol Radoński in 1937

 1931 Bridge on the Warta river

Blessing of Pilsudzki bridge in Krakow by archbishop Adam Sapieha in 1933

Our Mother Holy Church provides us with blessings for all kind of human activities and things that we use in our daily life.

Are bridges in your town blessed? If a new one being built,  it would be a good idea that the local catholic community ask to bless the bridge ‘that everyone who pass over it may ever find in God a safeguard amidst the joys and sorrows of this fickle world’.

Moreover, during the blessing the priest is asking the almighty God to appoint an Angel ‘to watch over, protect, and support this bridge and all who pass over it’.

Rite from the Roman Ritual.

BENEDICTIO PONTIS V . Adjutorium nostrum in nomine Domini. R . Qui fecit caelum et terram. V . Dominus vobiscum. R. Et cum spiritu tuo. Oremus. Adesto, Domine, supplicationibus nostris: et pontem istum, et omnes qui per eum transibunt,bene + dicere dignare; ut inter prospera hujus mundi et adversa tuo semper protegantur auxilio.Per Christum Dominum nostrum.  R. Amen. Oremus. OratioExaudi nos, Domine sancte, Pater omnipotens, ?terne Deus: et mittere digneris sanctumAngelum tuum de c?lis, qui custodiat, visitet, et defendat pontem istum, et omnes qui per eumtransibunt. Per Christum Dominum nostrum. R . Amen. Et aspergatur aqua benedicta.

BLESSING OF A BRIDGE P: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth. P: The Lord be with you. All: May He also be with you. Let us pray. Lord, heed our prayers, and be pleased to bless + this bridge and all who pass over it, that they may ever find in you a safeguard amidst the joys and sorrows of this fickle world; through Christ our Lord. All: Amen. Let us pray. Hear us, holy Lord and Father, almighty everlasting God, and in your goodness send your holy angel from heaven to watch over, protect, and support this bridge and all who pass over it; through Christ our Lord. All: Amen. It is sprinkled with holy water.

Source of photos NAC