[əˈspəːdʒiːz], (Noun)

Definitions:
- the rite of sprinkling holy water at the beginning of the Mass, still used occasionally in Catholic churches


Phrases:

Origin:
late 16th century: the first word of the Latin text of Psalms 50(51):7 (literally ‘thou shalt purge’, but translated in the Authorized Version as ‘purge me’), recited before mass during the sprinkling of holy water