I exorcise the o creature of salt! What creature?

[Horny Goat]

When making holy water a priest will say to the water ' I exorcise the o creature of water'. He will say to the salt ' I exorcise the o creature of salt.' what creature of water? An undine? More puzzlingly, what creature of salt?
Thanks.

[Desecrated]

The entire prayer uses the word creature not to describe a living being or entity, but creature as an element, remember this is old english.

"The Blessing of the Father Almighty be upon this Creature of Salt "

I exorcise thee, O Creature of Water = Translation = I exorcise THIS water.

"and that thou cast out from thee all the impurities and uncleanness"
The priest is talking to the water and to the salt and commanding it to behave the way he wants it to.
This sounds weird because we normally don't talk to dead things like they are living. But you have to remember that this is ancient magic, logic might not always apply.

[RoseRed]

This sounds weird because we normally don't talk to dead things like they are living

I do.

And the Elements are living.

[Horny Goat]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[Ramscha]

This sounds weird because we normally don't talk to dead things like they are living

I do.

And the Elements are living.

When talking the answers can be rather surprising, right?
Trying it can be fun thing, but maybe not in front of therapy clinic [grin2]

[RoseRed]

Yes and excellent point LOL

[Asurendra]

Hello Horny Goat,

That doesn't sound like the name of one who is drawn to Tridentine Latin Rites! Here is the full text about which you are inquiring in the original:

Exorcizo te, creatura aquæ, in nomine Dei Patris omnipotentis, et in nomine Jesu Christi, Filii ejus Domini nostri, et in virtute Spiritus Sancti: ut fias aqua exorcizata ad effugandam omnem potestatem inimici, et ipsum inimicum eradicare et explantare valeas *** angelis suis apostaticis, per virtutem ejusdem Domini nostri Jesu Christ: qui venturus est judicare vivos et mortuos et sæculum per ignem.

You are asking about the phrase 'creatura aquae' which is translated into an archaic English as 'creature of water.' I would point out it is not Old English, that would be a separate language. This is a very literal translation and when we use the word 'creature' in English, especially modern English, we think of a living being of some form so you might imagine the priest is throwing out the Undines or imply the water itself is alive! But no, that is not the case. In Latin, this first declension noun (to show off a bit) means something which is created and in later forms of the language such as Church Latin it means a servant as well. The word is much broader than English. What the priest would intend by this, which might be clumsy in English, is that he is purifying the water to serve the purpose of removing and eradicating power of the enemy as it is imbued with the power of the Angels, etc. etc. judging the living and dead with fire (of course).

[Horny Goat]

I've only just got back to read this. Thank you all for your posts. They've been very informative.

[Asurendra]

You're welcome!