Holy water is water that has been blessed by a bishop, priest or deacon. A blessing is a prayer in which we ask for the blessing and presence of God. Blessed objects are consecrated to God: they have been set aside, so to speak, and are only used for the expression of our faith.
In addition to sacraments, there are also sacramentals. These are often prayers that are combined with a symbolic action, such as the sign of the cross or sprinkling with water. Holy water, blessings and the sign of the cross are all examples of sacramentals.
