What is 'Holy Water'?

The term 'Holy Water' specifically refers to water that has been blessed by a priest or other religious authority for use in various religious ceremonies and rituals, particularly within Christianity. This blessed water is often utilized for the purposes of baptism, blessing individuals, or sanctifying spaces. The significance of holy water is deeply rooted in the belief that it carries a special spiritual power, symbolizing purification and protection from evil.

In contrast, options like water treated with chemicals for purification pertain more to sanitation and hygiene rather than spiritual significance. Similarly, while water used for ceremonial washing and water sourced from a holy spring may carry cultural or ritualistic value, they do not encapsulate the religious connotation of being blessed, which is fundamental to the definition of holy water. Thus, the accurate characterization of holy water is that it is water that has received a blessing from a priest, setting it apart from other types of water.