[Uncle Chip]

Your link admits that the use of Holy Water is of pagan origin using "symbolical practices which express the religious instinct that is common to all races and times. . . . Holy water, as our catechisms taught us, is "water blessed by the priest with solemn prayer, to beg God's blessing on those who use it, and protection from the powers of darkness. . . .

"Water is the natural element for cleansing, and hence its use was common in almost every ancient faith, to denote interior purification. Among the Greeks and Romans the sprinkling of water, or "lustration," was an important feature of religious ceremonies. Cities were purified by its use, in solemn processions. Fields were prepared for planting by being blessed with water. Armies setting out for war were put under the protection of the gods by being sprinkled in a similar manner. Among the Egyptians the use of holy water was even more common, the priests being required to bathe in it twice every day and twice every night, that they might thereby be sanctified for their religious duties. The Brahmins and others of the far Orient, and even the Indians of our own continent, have always attached great importance to ceremonial purification by means of water."

The belief in Holy Water is not of Jewish nor Christian origin --- and your link admits it. It's pagan.

[1000 silverlings]

Since the Catholic religion takes eating the body and blood literally, they should be swilling down gallons of the Pope's holy water.

[Alamo-Girl]

The belief in Holy Water is not of Jewish nor Christian origin --- and your link admits it. It's pagan.

The Jewish laws required washing before entering holy places. As I recall, the Catholic idea was to have a basin whereby one entering a place of worship would symbolically simulate that command to remember it - in addition to the other reasons for having holy water, i.e. "outreach."