Devine places have their own stories, which make them peaceful and full of serene energy. One such place is the Roman Catholic church and the church has seven holy sacraments of divine grace that are the very basis of Christ. In this article, we will briefly discuss these seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic church and share some more insights about the divine place. So, keep reading the article to know more.
Seven Sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church:
If you want to explore the rich culture of the roman catholic church, read this section of the article. Here, we will be discussing the seven sacraments that are pious, and each of these is a belief of a visible rite. They are to reflect the spiritual essence of the sacrament. Now, let us have a look at the seven sacraments.
Eucharist:
This is one of the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic church- Eucharist or Holy Communion. It is the sacrament of initiation, and one can receive it daily as required. This is the central rite of the catholic worship. Usually, a baptized child will celebrate the first Holy Communion at seven or eight. This sacrament follows after their first confession (the sacrament of Reconciliation). This sacrament occurs in the mass, with the priest consecrating the bread and wine. These are the holy elements of the Eucharist. These elements are transferred into the body of Christ. This gesture is a memorial of Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross. This is also a gesture to remember his last supper with the disciples, and the congregation takes the meal together. For this process to take place, special non-priests receive training in bringing the consecrated elements, or they are home-bound so that all the catholics can participate.
Baptism:
This is one of the other holy sacraments of the Roman Catholic church. It is a well-known fact that Baptism reflects an admission of faith. It is for bringing grace to the baptized individual. You all must have seen that many infants are baptized in catholicism, which is a common practice. However, the unbaptized ones can also join the faith and must receive this sacrament. Baptism is a holy sacrament for gracing individuals with the intention of faith. If a person is willing to do baptism, they can do it only once. The roman catholic church recognizes the other Christian denominations as valid. In the holy process of baptism, there is the sprinkling of holy water on an individual’s head by a priest. Then they invoke the Trinity with the following words- “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and the Holy Spirit.” The belief is that the old self dies in the holy water, and a new self emerges, believed to be mirroring Christ’s death and resurrection. One of the holiest experiences in the catholic community
Confirmation:
This is the third sacrament of the roman catholic church to “Confirm” a baptized person in their faith. Confirmation sacrament is done when an individual is 7 and has been baptized in infancy. However, individuals can also receive it at the age of 13, and it is a very common practice. The rite is done immediately after baptism. The process to acquire this rite is that the bishop or the priest lays their hands in prayer and blessings. After that, the priest rubs an individual’s head by saying: ” Be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.” Here, the word “Sealing” makes the person sealed as a church member, and the outward rite signifies the inner presence of the Holy Spirit. During the time of confirmation, the catholic can take the name of a priest or saint to be his patron
Reconciliation:
Reconciliation or the Confession or Penance. This is one of the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic church. It is an opportunity for renewal. This can be done as often as one needs. There are many times when individuals perform reconciliation. Some perform weekly before they participate in the process of receiving the Eucharist, while some of them seek the sacrament only during the penitential seasons of Lent or Advent. The sacrament of Reconciliation is to ask for pardon from god for all the sinful acts and bring the sinner back to communion with God and the Roman catholic church. One of the most self-oriented sacraments is for self-reflection. The individual must take full responsibility for his/her sins and be remorseful enough to seek pardon from god. The process of reconciliation happens when a priest listens to the sins of an individual privately and assigns to the individual specific acts of penance or prayers to free them from their sins.
Anointing of the Sick:
This is another one of the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic church, formerly known as the Extreme Unction. This sacrament is to strengthen and comfort the ill. It mystically unites the people’s sufferings with Christ. This sacrament an individual can receive as many times as they want. It is for physically weak people, such as older people or children, and is intended to relieve them from any pain. This sacrament can be done at home or hospital by a priest. The priest prays over the person and rubs their head and hands with chrism (holy oil). If the person is on their deathbed, the priest also administers a special Apostolic blessing known as the last rites
Marriage:
The holy institution of marriage is one of the sacraments of the roman catholic church. In Catholicism, the marriage between a baptized man and baptized woman who administer to each other lifelong vows of partnership. The catholic sacramental marriage is a belief to be the union of Christ with the church as his mystical body. This marriage reflects an indissoluble union. This rite usually occurs at the mass with the priest as the minister who acts as a witness to the couple’s mutual consent.
Ordination:
This is the last of the seven sacraments and is only for the ordained men as priests, deacons, and bishops. The ordination process occurs during a mass with prayers chanting. The bishop lays his hands on the head of the man in the ordination process. With the ordination of the priests and bishops, they can perform the ritual to ordain, baptize, confirm, witness marriages, absolve sins, and consecrate the Eucharist. One of the holy sacraments for priests and messengers of God is Ordination
Conclusion:
Folks, these are the seven sacraments of the roman catholic church that form the very basis of divinity. The sacraments are the testimony of Christ and its disciples. Hence, it holds a special place in catholicism. That’s all, folks. I hope the article will help you to get all the information you need.
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