Blessed – light on the water at Lantic Bay

“Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear.”

Luke 1.42

This word card explores the history of ‘blessed’ and the way Scripture uses it in Luke’s account. In its earliest form, the English word referred to being marked as holy. Over time it came to mean being spoken well of in a way that acknowledges God’s favour. Both strands meet in Elizabeth’s Spirit-given words about Mary and the child she carries.

The accompanying image was taken above Lantic Bay on the path from Polruan toward Lanteglos, where a line of light lay across the water. It sits alongside the biblical theme without interpreting it, giving a simple visual context for a word whose meaning has travelled from ancient ritual to the Gospel story.

Each word card set begins with an image that captures the theme of the word. The following cards trace its story: a main word card (or two, if extended), a junior version with a paler border, an etymological breakdown showing how the word travelled through time, and a list of sources. Some sets also include cards for related words or translations across other languages. Together they show where each word came from, how it changed, and what it still carries with it.