GREGORIANA WATER. - It is prepared with salt, ashes, and wine and is used in the consecration of a church for exorcistic purposes. It is mentioned by s. Gregorio Magno (Epist., 11, 56), who prescribes it for the purification of the pagan temples of England, and the rite is attributed to him; but it was probably already in use earlier (cf. Optato, De schismate Donatist., 66, 6; Vigilio papa, Epist. ad Profuturum, 4).
The Gelasian Sacramentary and the Missale Francorum refer to a mixture of wine and water; and the Gregorian Sacramentary of the ninth-tenth century refers to one of salt and ashes, with many exorcistic formulas derived from the Gallican rite. The present formula of blessing contains the Ordo ad aquam benedictam faciendam, the prayer Sanctificare, also found in Ambrosian and Visigothic rituals, and a praise of water taken from a homily of s. Ambrogio (Expositio Evang. sec. Lucam, 10, 48). G. water is used with a sprig of hyssop, because this too anciently signified a means of purification (cf. Lev. 14, 4. 49. 52; Num. 19, 6. 17 sg.; Ps. 50, 8).