Aspersing

Aspersing is the act of sprinkling holy water on people, objects, or spaces as part of a liturgical rite. The act is performed with an aspergillum, a small wand or brush-like implement, and is found in many Christian traditions, including Roman Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, and some Eastern Orthodox celebrations. The rite typically occurs at specific points in the service, such as after the Penitential Rite or before the Eucharist. In the Roman Rite, the traditional form uses the phrase “Asperges me, Domine” (sprinkle me, Lord) during the Introit, though modern forms and translations vary by rite and language.

Beyond liturgy, aspersing also functions as the present participle of the verb to asperse, which has a separate figurative meaning: to slander or cast aspersions on someone’s character. The phrase “to cast aspersions on” is commonly used to describe imputing misconduct or damaging another’s reputation, often in political, legal, or rhetorical contexts. Historically, the word carries a sense of spreading rumors or defaming, but in contemporary English it is relatively formal or archaic outside of precise or academic discourse.

Etymology traces the liturgical sense to Latin aspergere, meaning to sprinkle, while the figurative sense developed in English from the idea of spreading something (notably falsehoods) onto a person’s reputation. The two uses are distinct but share the root notion of dissemination.