Sacramental

The term "sacramental" can also refer directly to ideas, traditions or doctrines pertaining directly to the Christian sacraments.
Blessing of the palms, a sacramental bestowed on Palm Sunday

A sacramental (Latin pl. sacramentalia) is a sacred sign, a ritual act or a ceremony, which, in a certain imitation of the sacraments, has a spiritual effect and is obtained through the intercession of the Church.[1] Sacramentals surround the sacraments like a wreath and extend them into the everyday life of Christians. Sacramentals are recognised by the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the Church of the East, the Lutheran churches, the Old Catholic Church, the Anglican churches, and Independent Catholic churches.

In the Bible, prayer cloths and holy oil are mentioned in reference to praying for healing.[2][3] Holy water is a sacramental that the faithful use to recall their baptism; other common sacramentals include blessed candles (given to the faithful on Candlemas), blessed palms (blessed on the beginning of the procession on Palm Sunday), blessed ashes (bestowed on Ash Wednesday), a cross necklace (often taken to be blessed by a pastor before daily use), a headcovering (worn by women, especially during prayer and worship), blessed salt, and holy cards, as well as Christian art, especially a crucifix.[4][5] Apart from those worn daily, such as a cross necklace or devotional scapular, sacramentals such as a family Bible, are often kept on home altars in Christian households.[6][7] When blessed in a betrothal ceremony, engagement rings become a sacramental.[8]

As an adjective, sacramental means "of or pertaining to sacraments".

  1. ^ CIC, can. 1166
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Payne1996 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Pearson, Mark (2004). Christian Healing: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide. Charisma Media. p. 153. ISBN 978-1-59185-629-0. In Scripture and Church tradition, we read of blessed prayer cloths and holy oil (Acts 19:11-12; James 5:14). ... The historical term in the Church for these things is sacramentals.
  4. ^ Experiencing Religion: New Approaches to Personal Religiosity. LIT Verlag Münster. 2016. p. 125. ISBN 978-3-643-90727-1. Clara Saraiva, Peter Jan Margry, Lionel Obadia, Kinga Povedák, José Mapril
  5. ^ Myers, Ryleigh (20 September 2018). "Sound Board: Why I veil". Roman Catholic Diocese of Buffalo. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  6. ^ Nelson, Paul A. "Home Altars". Immanuel Lutheran Church. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  7. ^ Turpin, Joanne (1 June 1993). Catholic Treasures New and Old: Traditions, Customs and Practices. St. Anthony Messenger Press. pp. 49–50. ISBN 978-0-86716-164-9.
  8. ^ Marriage Mass & Rite of Betrothal. Angelus Press. 1962.