Blessing of the Wine

The Blessing of the Wine

for the Feast of St. John the Evangelist

on this Third Day of Christmas

“Wine maketh glad the heart of Man.”—Psalm 104:15

St. John the Apostle is the disciple “whom Jesus loved.” It is a custom in the old countries to drink of “St. John's Love”; the Church provided a special blessing of wine in his honor. According to legend, St. John drank a glass of poisoned wine without suffering harm because he had blessed it before he drank. The wine is also a symbol of the great love of Christ that filled St. John's heart with loyalty, courage and enthusiasm for his Master; he alone of all the apostles was not afraid to stay close to Our Lord during the Passion and Crucifixion.

Leader: Our help is in the name of the Lord!

All: Who has made heaven and earth!

Leader: The Lord be with you.

All: And also with you.

Leader: Let us pray: Be so kind as to bless and consecrate with Your right hand, Lord, this cup of wine, and every drink. Grant that by the merits of Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, all who believe in You and drink of this cup may be blessed and protected. Blessed John drank poison from the cup, and was in no way harmed. So, too, may all who this day drink from this cup in honor of Blessed John, by his merits, be freed from every sickness by poisoning and from any harms whatever. And, when they have offered themselves in both soul and body, may they be freed, too, from every fault, through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen.

Leader: Bless, Lord, this beverage which You have made. May it be a healthful refreshment to all who drink of it. And grant by the invocation of Your holy name that whoever tastes of it may, by Your generosity receive health of both soul and body, through Christ our Lord.

All: Amen

St. John's wine, thus blessed, is served with the main meal. The wine is poured in glasses and passed around to the family and guests. As each glass is given, say:  “I drink you the love of St. John!” The proper response will be, “I thank you for the love of St. John.”  I suggest doing so by a roaring fire!

Source: Feast Day Cookbook by Katherine Burton and Helmut Ripperger, David McKay Company, Inc., New York, 1951