What is St. Torelli Water and How to use it?

A Traditional Catholic Holy Water for Expectant Mothers and the Sick

The first thing I do when I find out I’m pregnant is go to a priest for a special pregnancy blessing and bring some water with me so that he can bless it in honor of Bl. Torello of Poppi.

Did you know that there are different kinds of holy water? Growing up as a cradle Catholic I had always assumed that holy water was just that—plain and simple. But no, the traditional Rituale Romanum—that is, the official book of ordinary blessings and ceremonies—contains numerous blessings for water.

There’s Epiphany water, which is known for its long solemn ceremony and double exorcism on the eve of the Epiphany. There’s Easter water, which involves the most solemn and ancient of all water blessings. It’s then used for baptism throughout the year.

And of course, there’s what we might call “ordinary” or “everyday” holy water. This is what the priest sprinkles on the congregation on Sundays, what you dip your hand into when you enter the church, and what you may take for use in your own home.

There are also several types of water blessed in honor of various saints for various uses, such as St. Raymond nonnatus, St. Ignatius, and St. Vincent de Paul. This brings us back to St. Torelli water, a special holy water for those who are sick or pregnant—and yes, you can drink it.

Who was St. Torelli?

The Rituale Romanum does indeed refer to Torello as a saint, but it turns out, he has not yet actually been canonized. Blessed Torello was born in 1202 in the Tuscan town of Poppi. His parents died when he was 18, and, left to his own devices, he fell into a bad crowd and earned a reputation for a life of pleasure and vice.

Years later, Torello was playing a game of dice or something similar. He was squandering his time, gambling perhaps, when suddenly a rooster landed on his shoulder and crowed three times. He was immediately reminded of Peter’s bitter tears on the night Our Lord entered into His passion, and Torello quickly ran to confession.

From there he fled his life of sin and worldly possessions. He found a small cave in the wilderness and made it his home in the midst of wolves. There he lived an austere life as a hermit, taking on extreme penances to make amends for his past ways. He wore uncomfortable clothes, submerged himself in cold water, fasted, and slept only three hours a night.

His penances were so severe that the nearby monks would worry and insist that he come live with them under their care, but he refused the comforts of the monastery. Rather, he died humbly in his hermitage while kneeling in prayer at the age of 80.

Devotions to Blessed Torello of Poppi

So why is a water blessing for the sick or pregnant attributed to a holy monk who lived in the wilderness and tamed wolves?

Several miracles were attributed to Bl. Torello during his lifetime. There was one woman who had two children who were seriously ill with dangerous fevers. Women from Poppi encouraged her to bring her children to Bl. Torello in hopes of a miracle. Bl. Torello prayed for the children and then took some water from a spring that he used as his drinking water and gave it to them. After drinking the water, the children were completely cured.

One biographer writes that this spring of water became known as the fountain of St. Torello and many testified that they were healed from fever by its waters for centuries after his death.

Devotion to him also grew among expectant mothers in Tuscany and nearby Perguia. According to folk tradition, Bl. Torello had prayed to God for the pangs of labor and child birth to take on as additional penance.

As a mother myself, I have prayed for this pain to be lessened, I can’t imagine praying for it—and not even having a sweet baby to hold at the end! Feeling solidarity in their pain with such an unlikely person has made Bl. Torello a patron of expectant mothers and child birth.

Well into the nineteenth century women in the Perugia region would keep his portrait in a prominent place or wear his medal during labor and delivery. At the start of labor, some women would even go to a church and light a candle before his portrait, asking for his intercession for a healthy delivery.

Somehow between the fountain of healing water and the devotion of expectant mothers, the blessing of St. Torreli water developed. By 1628 it was officially added to the Rituale Romanum.

How to get St. Torelli water

The blessing of St. Torelli water is simple and quick. It does not even require salt. All you need is some water and a priest. I like to bring water in nice glass bottles, but more on that in a moment.

Traditional Blessing of St. Torelli Holy Water

You might ask the priest first how he prefers to handle special blessings. Some priests are happy to do it if you approach them after Mass on Sundays, others might prefer a less busy time, an appointment, or at least a heads up. I’ve heard of a church that keeps St. Torelli water in the vestibule next to the regular holy water for parishioners to fill bottles to take home as needed!

The priest may or may not be familiar with the St. Torelli water blessing. You can direct him to the traditional Rituale Romanum. It is listed as number 43 in the appendix and officially titled “Blessing of Water for the sick in honor of the B.V.M. and St. Torellus.”

You could also provide the text for him. I’ve included the English translation here for your benefit, but the blessing is to be done in Latin.

Latin: BENEDICTIO AQUÆ IN HONOREM B.M.V. ET S. TORELLI CONF. PRO INFIRMIS

(Breve 16 Decembris 1628)
V. Adjutórium nostrum in nómine Dómini.
R. Qui fecit cælum et terram.
V. Dóminus vobíscum.
R. Et cum spíritu tuo.

Orémus. Oratio Deus, qui miseratióne tua cælésti homínibus nóxia súbtrahis, et benígna concédis, quique mota per Angelum tuum aqua languórem in probática piscína eripiéndo valetúdinem contulísti: infúnde in aqua ista tuæ bene + dictiónis rorem; ut de ea suméntes, méritis et précibus beatíssimæ Maríæ Vírginis, ac sancti Torélli Confessóris, sanitátem consequántur infírmi, paritérque fecundátæ mulíeres a malis ingruéntibus salvæ, partúsque suos ad sacrosáncti Baptísmi grátiam felíciter perdúcant. Per Christum Dóminum nostrum. R. Amen.

Et aspergatur aqua benedicta.

English: Blessing of water for the sick in honor of the B.V.M. and St. Torellus

(By a Brief dated December 16, 1628)

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: May He also be with you.

Let us pray. God, who in your heavenly mercy keep harmful things from man, giving him only the things that are for his good; who at the pool of Probatica moved the waters by the hand of your angel, thus destroying sickness and conferring health; pour out the dew of your blessing on this water, so that all the sick who drink it may, by the merits and prayers of the blessed Virgin Mary and the holy confessor, Torellus, regain their health. May women who are with child be spared every dire misfortune, and have the happiness of bringing their offspring to the grace of holy baptism; through Christ our Lord. R. Amen.

The water is sprinkled with holy water.

How to use St. Torelli water

St. Torelli water may be used like you would use holy water normally. When you are incredibly sick, especially with fever, or pregnant, make the sign of the cross with it. You could also sprinkle it on a sick or pregnant loved one or make the sign of the cross with it using your thumb on the loved one’s forehead.

Pouring a small glass of St. Torelli water

The blessing itself specifically asks for graces for those who drink it or take of it—ut de ea suméntes in the Latin. Accordingly, it is especially appropriate to do just that. When I’m pregnant I’ll take a sip each day either out of the bottle or pour a little into a shot glass. When I do so, I cross myself and say a prayer asking for the intercession of Bl. Torello and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

When I have a child sick with fever, I will offer him or her a sip out of a little glass and similarly say a prayer asking for his or her health.

The intention, as the blessing mentions, is to bring health and destroy sickness to those who are ill, or to bring expectant mothers health and the happiness of bringing their unborn child to the grace of baptism.

This has become a staple in our pantry. It is good to always have some on hand. Especially for us young families, the odds of having a little one with a fever or an expectant mother are quite high!

I like to take water in nice glass bottles or sometimes nice mineral water to a priest for the blessing. Something I’ve learned from time spent in Germany is how to take care in the presentation of objects to be blessed, especially if you are bringing them into the church. Arranging normal water bottles in a nice basket and covering them with a pretty cloth napkin is another way to add a touch of beauty and reverence for the sacred.

Decorating a bottle of St. Torelli water — Attaching a Holy Card with some ribbon.

Some St. Torelli water would make thoughtful gifts for an expectant mother, especially one who is sick or has a history of miscarriage. It could also be a nice addition to a Catholic baby shower gift. It would also make a nice gift for a friend or family member who is very sick. You could present the water in a glass stopper bottle with a pretty ribbon and prayer card attached or fit the bottle nicely in a wine bottle gift bag. And, of course, add the assurance of your own prayers for the person.

Prayers to go with St. Torelli water

For the sick:

O Bl. Torello, you lived a humble life of poverty and penance out of sincere sorrow for your sins and zealous love of your savior, enkindle in us a spark of that same love so that we may endure our own poverty and suffering with joy because they unite us to the passion of Our Lord.

O God, remember the merits and prayers of the blessed Virgin Mary and the holy confessor Bl. Torello, the latter of whom took water from the spring of which he usually drank and gave it to children who were gravely ill so that they were entirely cured and delivered from fever. Pour out your blessing on all who are sick who drink this water, so that they regain their health; through Christ our Lord. Amen

For expectant mothers:

O God, remember the merits and prayers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who bore your only son, and those of Bl. Torello, who asked for the pains of childbirth so that he might unite his sufferings with your son. May women who are with child and drink this water be spared every dire misfortune, and have the happiness of bringing their offspring to the grace of holy baptism; through Christ our Lord. Amen.