Holy water, blessed water – between mystery and the laboratory lens
A source of life, an all-powerful element and a key part of the purification process – water is deeply rooted in traditional beliefs and constitutes the most universal sacred element in human history. This spiritual symbolism, however, does not protect it from the mundane problem of dangerous pollution.
Depths full of supernatural powers and relics of the past
Already in ancient pagan times, springs, streams, rivers and lakes were objects of reverent admiration, and often also fear. It was believed that their depths led to other worlds, concealing mysterious powers. The Slavs saw malevolent Rusalka spirits in them, while the Celts believed that water from certain wells could cure all ailments.
In Norse mythology, the magical spring Urðarbrunnr was a meeting place of the gods, where the fate of the world was decided. The ancient Greeks, in turn, were convinced that the river Styx separated the living from the dead, and that an oath sworn upon its waters was binding even for the inhabitants of Olympus.
Contemporary archaeological findings suggest that offerings and gifts for divine beings were often thrown into water. Ancient coins, jewelry, and even weapons have been found in wells, rivers and lakes. In the Thames, for example, an exceptionally valuable bronze Battersea shield dating back to the turn of the 1st and 2nd century was discovered. According to scientists, this masterpiece may have been a votive offering to the river – a practice that today we would plainly call littering, but which was widespread among the Celts.
Sacred rivers in increasingly poor condition
Followers of Hinduism have for centuries practiced ritual bathing in rivers considered sacred, such as the Ganges, Yamuna or Godavari. Ablutions are performed before important celebrations in order to cleanse the body and soul. The ashes of the deceased are also released into flowing water, which is meant to help their souls on the journey between successive reincarnations.
Unfortunately, this beautiful religious tradition is beginning to backfire on the faithful. The Yamuna no longer resembles a river, but a toxic sewage channel with white foam full of detergents, agricultural pesticides and industrial waste. In the Ganges, during major religious ceremonies, the level of fecal bacteria can exceed acceptable safety standards by up to a thousand times. Despite warnings from sanitary services, the faithful not only continue ritual bathing but sometimes even drink the water considered sacred, in defiance of laboratory test results.
Soul-cleansing baths are also practiced by followers of the traditional Japanese religion Shinto. Their ritual is somewhat safer, as it takes place under icy waterfalls and in ocean waves.
Blessed water, often contaminated
In Poland, on Holy Saturday, Catholics bring traditional baskets of food to churches to be blessed. Holy water is water that has been previously blessed by a bishop or deacon, which the faithful use to make the sign of the cross when entering a church. This symbolic gesture benefits the soul, but unfortunately may harm the body.
Studies conducted in German and Spanish churches have shown that holy water in fonts contains numerous disease-causing pathogens, including fecal bacteria and Staphylococcus aureus. In Austria, as many as 86 percent of samples were found to be heavily contaminated, and in Ethiopia in 2025 more than 160 pilgrims contracted cholera after consuming blessed water. Thus, an age-old tradition is slowly becoming a curse.
Water also plays an important role in Orthodox Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism. In all of them, it is a universal symbol of purification and transformation. Unfortunately, this spiritual meaning is becoming increasingly detached from the realities of scarcity and widespread pollution. Will the Easter blessing of food and the Śmigus-Dyngus tradition one day become a luxury?
