Have you ever been in the home of a Catholic friend and seen a framed piece of parchment with ornate script that reads:
The Holy Father, Pope…imparts his Apostolic Blessing to…on the occasion of…?
Ever wondered what exactly that “Apostolic Blessing” is?
An apostolic blessing simply means a blessing given by the Pope. In its most solemn form, it is known as the urbi et orbi blessing—that is, “to the city (of Rome) and to the world.” The Pope imparts this rare and solemn blessing—which imparts a plenary indulgence—only on very special occasions such as Easter, Christmas, his installation as pope, and sometimes in times of need, such as when Pope Francis gave it during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pope also delegates the ability to give an apostolic blessing to bishops and priests on specific occasions. One of the most amazing apostolic blessings we have in the Church is the “apostolic pardon,” which a priest can give to someone in danger of death as part of the Last Rites. This blessing grants a plenary indulgence to the dying person.
In addition to these blessings, the pope also gives blessings to individuals and families if they request it. A blessing can be requested through an office at the Vatican for such occasions as First Communion, Confirmation, weddings, ordinations, and certain anniversaries and birthdays. This is the version you see memorialized in frames in Catholic homes.
Apostolic Blessing Parchment from Pope Paul VI
But even if you have not (yet) received an Apostolic Blessing from Rome, you can still avail yourself of the Church’s immense treasure-chest of blessings. Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers is a gold mine of prayers for all aspects and occasions of domestic life. A companion to the Catechism, this book includes daily prayers, a calendar of the saints, blessings for various seasons, feasts and holidays, and prayers during times of anger, forgiveness, sickness, grief, thanksgiving, and conflict. A must-have for every Catholic home! Get yours today at The Catholic Company!
