The Blessing Of The Crèche

In many churches it is a tradition to bless the crèche during the opening of the Christmas service. A person in the processional may carry a figure representing the Christ child to the crèche and lay the child in the crèche as a symbol of the birth of Christ. Then, the following may be said:

The minister and others standing before the crèche may say: Minister: The Virgin will be with child, and will give birth to a son. People: And they will call him Immanuel, God with us. Minister: The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. People: And we have seen his glory. Minister: The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Minister: Almighty God, you have created and brought into being all that is; and when we your creatures fell away from you, you became one of us, born in a manger in the city of Bethlehem. Grant that as he humbled himself and was made in the likeness of man that we may find mercy in him, be clothed with his divinity and share in his kingdom; to the glory of his name, who lives and reigns forever and ever. People: Amen.