gezegensel

Gezegensel is a Dutch term used in folklore and ethnology to refer to a ritual object or practice associated with blessing ceremonies. It is described as an artifact—a small stone, token, or pendant—or as a segment of a rite used to confer protection, luck, or fertility. The concept appears in regional sources and folk narratives and is not part of formal liturgy.

The word is believed to derive from zegen, blessing, with a suffix forming a named object; earliest forms are dialectal and vary by locale. The exact origin is uncertain and not standardized in dictionaries.

In accounts, gezegensel items are typically blessed by a priest, elder, or family matriarch during rites such as harvest festivals, weddings, or house blessings. After consecration, the gezegensel might be worn, placed over doorways, or kept in a home as a protective charm.

Reports of gezegensel appear in ethnographic notes and regional folklore collections from the Low Countries, with variations in the physical form and ritual details. In modern times, explicit references are rare, and the term functions mainly as a historical or cultural descriptor.

See also: zegen (blessing), talisman, amulet, folk belief, ritual object.