Difficult conjugation: bénir

Bénir

The peculiarity of the verb "bénir" (to bless), a verb of the second otherwise regular group, is to have two past participles. The past participle bénit, bénite is used only as an adjective in all cases where we speak of things related to a ritual blessing:

De l'eau bénite, du pain bénit.

In other cases where ritual blessing is not mentioned, the past participle béni, bénie is used. Where it gets complicated is that even if we are talking about things related to a ritual blessing, but we are referring to people and we link it to a verb, we use the past participle béni, bénie.

C'est le jour béni du départ.
Ce roi est béni par le peuple.
Le prêtre a béni les cierges.
Un chapelet béni par le pape.