The Salt Axis – Ottenstein - Hörsteloe

The Salt Axis – Ottenstein - Hörsteloe

On the Religious Significance of Salt

Alongside bread, salt plays an important role in the Judeo-Christian tradition. It indicates to a natural way of life for the believer. It signifies community and faith, while also being used to combat rot.

Salt in the Bible

The vital importance of salt is depicted in the Old Testament as part of the religious sphere: Every food offering is salted (Leviticus 2:13). Newborns are rubbed with salt (Ezekiel 16:4). Elijah healed the water with salt (2 Kings 2:19). As a symbol of the permanence of a contract, God’s everlasting covenant with Israel is called a covenant of salt (Num 18:19). Salt also appears as an image of devastation (Deut 29:22).

According to an interpretation the Book of Wisdom, Lot’s wife, who has been turned into a pillar of salt, has become a memorial to an unbelieving soul (Gen 29:16 and Wis 10:17). In the allegorical speech of the New Testament, salt becomes a symbol of purification through suffering. Above all, however, the dismissal of Christ’s disciple is paraphrased with the image of the “salt of the earth” (Mt 5:13 ff), comparing his failure to the stale, no longer usable salt. Paul demands that Christian speech be seasoned with salt, that is, to be full of grace.

Salt in Liturgy

The use of salt is required in the preparation ceremonies for baptism and for consecrating holy water.

Baptism

The practice of administering salt to the catechumen is first witnessed by Augustine, who received the sacramentum salis after having fallen ill as a child. The out of practice custom of putting salt on the tongue of someone being baptized refers to man being the salt of the earth and probably also signifies that one is cleansed of Adam’s original sin through baptism and can now live as a new man.
Consecration of the Water

The custom of adding salt to the water for the ritual sprinkling was already known in antiquity and was first testified in the Roman liturgy as early as the 6th century. The salt is meant to preserve the water, which is why it is not added to baptismal water because it was not originally intended for storage. In addition to ash and wine, salt has been added to Gregorian holy water for the consecration of altars since the 8th century.

Stephan Wolf, priest, Schöppingen-Eggerode