![]() ![]() The essential elements of the functions are obviously the same everywhere, and are observed by all Catholic rites in obedience to the command of Christ and the Apostles, thus: in every rite baptism is administered with water and the invocation of the Holy Trinity the Holy Eucharist is celebrated with bread and wine, over which the words of institution are said penance involves the confession of sins. Just as there are different local laws in various parts of the Church, whereas certain fundamental laws are obeyed by all, so Catholics in different places have their own local or national rites they say prayers and perform ceremonies that have evolved to suit people of the various countries, and are only different expressions of the same fundamental truths. The Catholic Church has never maintained a principle of uniformity in rite. In the case of Protestants these three elements must be modified to suit their theological opinions. Sacraments, the Divine Office, and sacramentals (in a wide sense) make up the rite of any Christian religious body. This general term includes blessings of persons (such as a coronation, the blessing of an abbot, various ceremonies performed for catechumens, the reconciliation of public penitents, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, etc.), blessings of things (the consecration of a church, altar, chalice, etc.), and a number of devotions and ceremonies, e.g. ![]() This includes therefore: (I) the administration of sacraments, among which the service of the Holy Eucharist, as being also the Sacrifice, is the most important element of all (2) the series of psalms, lessons, prayers, etc., divided into separate unities, called “hours”, to make up together the Divine Office (3) all other religious and ecclesiastical functions, called sacramentals. In the latter sense the word is often considered equivalent to Liturgy (q.v.), which, however, in the older and more proper use of the word is the Eucharistic Service, or Mass hence for a whole series of religious functions “rite” is preferable.Ī Christian rite, in this sense, comprises the manner of performing all services for the worship of God and the sanctification of men. In a slightly different sense we call the whole complex of the services of any Church or group of Churches a rite-thus we speak of the Roman Rite, Byzantine Rite, and various Eastern rites. We speak of any one such religious function as a rite-the rite of the blessing of palms, the coronation rite, etc. But here we must distinguish two uses of the word. ![]() In English the word “rite” ordinarily means the ceremonies, prayers, and functions of any religious body, whether pagan, Jewish, Moslem, or Christian. Ritus in classical Latin means, primarily, the form and manner of any religious observance, so Livy, I, 7: “Sacra diis aliis albano ritu, grmco Herculi ut ab Evandro institute erant (Romulus) facit” then, in general, any custom or usage. ![]()
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