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Catholic Liturgy

The word liturgy comes from the Greek / leitourgia of / Leo, "the people" and root / ergo, "do do". It means, literally, serve the people.

In Catholicism , liturgy is the set of rituals and ceremonies carried out during a religious celebration officially pronounced by the people in the Triune God , Father, Son and Spirit.

"The liturgy is indeed sacred. Through it, we rise up to God and we join with Him, we profess our faith, to Him we meet the very serious duty of gratitude for the blessings and grant us relief and we have a perpetual need. Hence, an intimate relationship between dogma and liturgy, as also between Christian worship and the sanctification of the people. That is why Pope Celestine I felt that the rule of faith is expressed in the venerable forms of the liturgy, he said in effect that the law of prayer determines the law of belief. For, when heads of sacred assemblies shall perform the duties entrusted to them, they plead for mercy before God the cause of mankind and pray and plead with the whole Church, which unites with their moans. "

- Apostolic Constitution Divini cultus, December 20, 1928

The liturgy is a set of acts, symbols and words by which the Church helps people to make a worship to God and transmit the knowledge of God to men. We can say that the liturgy is the man directly related to God.

Summary

Common Principles

All rites local Catholics follow the same principles: Liturgical prayer is official, public and subject to standards. In other words, neither the celebration nor the assistants can not do what they want. Catholic liturgy is a prayer set by the authority as the prayer of the Church.

Thus, the celebration of the sacraments ( Eucharist , baptism , etc..) as the Liturgy of the Hours (Also called the Divine Office , which is why we speak of the different offices of the day, which has seven) are part of the liturgy. However, a recitation of the prayer of the rosary between private persons, including when they met in a place of worship and accompanied by a priest or a deacon is not considered a liturgical rite.

The liturgical year begins with the Advent , a time of preparation for Nativity ( Christmas ), which begins four weeks before and it ends with the Feast of Christ the King. Each day of the year is associated with a passage from the Gospels. A year is not enough, the reading of all liturgical texts Sunday spread over three years, year called A, B and C for the masses this week, two sets of texts are provided, distinguishing between "even years "and" odd years "(considering the liturgical year, which begins the first Sunday of Advent in early December). The readings of the Gospels are taken each year in the same gospel , of the three synoptic gospels called (Matthew the years, Mark and Luke the years B C years). Thus, of 27 November 2005 to 2 December 2006 , the year is B for Sunday, "pair" for the week. The lectionary is the name of the book that brings these readings in order chronologically.

The highlight of the Catholic liturgy is the celebration of Easter , the feast of the resurrection of Jesus. She is preceded in the days of Lent , which ends in Holy Week , with the Holy Wednesday (with the Chrism Mass, which is blessed on Holy Chrism ), on Holy Thursday (Mass of the Lord's Supper ) on Friday (death the Lord) and the Easter Vigil (which are held numerous baptisms ). This festival is followed by a period of fifty days called " Easter season "which ends with Pentecost. The resurrection of Jesus is celebrated every Sunday , and each week is crowned by the liturgically Sunday.

Five branches of the Catholic liturgy

The Sacraments

The sacraments are a particular form of prayer of the Church. God works directly through the Sacraments among men. Each sacrament is standardized and standards are promulgated in the liturgical books specific to each.

The sacraments are signs of the action of God in the life of a believer and the Church. The Roman Catholic Church are seven:

  1. The baptism. The sacrament is ex opere operato said, that is to say that acts of "self" in spite of who gives (see Donatism ). It is deemed to be a Christian. Anyone can baptize "in the name of the Father and the Son, and Holy Spirit. "
  2. The confirmation by which the Church confirmed that the baptized person assumes his baptism. She then manifested by the anointing that gives the bishop. The confirmed is acknowledged in Christian maturity, he was invited to assume its share of the Mission of the Church. The bishop may delegate its power of confirmation to a priest.
  3. The Eucharist , or communion: eating the body and blood of Jesus Christ in the form of bread (the host ) and wine consecrated ( transubstantiated ). It is regarded as the most important sacrament of the Church.
  4. The sacrament of penance and reconciliation, or confession of sins to a priest who can give "general absolution", that is to say, the forgiveness of sins.
  5. The Sacrament of the Sick , formerly called extreme unction. "
  6. The marriage , indissoluble sacrament since the thirteenth century ( IV Lateran Council , 1215 ). The cancellation is possible in some exceptional cases, including non-consummation of marriage. The separation is permitted, but separated individuals who form unions are considered adulterers if they do not live "as brother and sister" that is to say in abstinence.
  7. The ordination of bishops , priests and deacons , or the sacrament of orders.

The first three constitute the "sacraments of Christian initiation." The baptism and confirmation can be granted only once to one person (the baptism of other Christian denominations are recognized as valid by the Roman Catholic Church).

The next two are the "sacraments of healing," and conferred as often as necessary.

The last two are the "sacraments of communion service."

Two sacraments can be conferred by the bishops: the confirmation and ordination.

The Church also distinguishes the sacramentals , like the blessings of a home, a rosary , catechists, the Christian funeral, the coronation of kings (which is no longer practiced by the Roman Catholic Church since 1825).

Mass

Main article: Mass.

In the case of the Mass, the liturgy is both God's action with men and men of thanksgiving to God. The Missal is the book used by priests. They are scheduling prayers of the Church in public presence of the faithful. The usefulness of these prayers are the glory of God , but also the construction of the faithful.

The Mass is the updating of non-bloody sacrifice of Christ. All of life revolves around the Catholic celebration, "source and summit of Christian life". This is particularly true for Sunday Mass, which takes place on Sunday or Saturday evening. He is asked Catholics to attend every Sunday (the Sunday obligation).

The ritual of a Catholic Mass is not the same for all the dioceses of the Catholic Church, but the significance of this mass is identical regardless of the ritual followed. Worldwide there are about twenty different liturgical rites, several of which may coexist in one diocese and one church (eg Lebanon).

In the Roman Catholic Church of Latin rite, until the Second Vatican Council , the Mass was in almost all parishes celebrated in Latin according to the rite of St. Pius V ( Tridentine Mass ). Since 2007, with the motu proprio Summorum Pontificum , the Pope defines that only one Roman Rite , including two forms may legitimately be employed within the Church: the "ordinary form" (canonical) , the sixth typical (published in 1962 by Pope John XXIII ) initially reformed missal of 1570 , the motu proprio which defines the conditions for legitimate use. These forms are the "two implementations of the one Roman rite." Mass is celebrated mainly by the "ordinary form of Mass, whether in Latin or in vernacular (see novus ordo ), but the use of "extraordinary form ( Tridentine rite ) to redevelop with several institutes or Fraternities with the will of the pope. Thus, the Fraternity of St. Peter , the main company of priests who can celebrate according to the traditional form, was founded by John Paul II in 1988 and is attached directly to the Pope: it is of pontifical right. Pope Benedict XVI has meanwhile liberalized the use of the extraordinary form of Roman rite by the Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum.

According to their theology and spirituality, some local churches to ancient rituals have retained their own rituals during reforms of the sixteenth century (Ambrosian Rite at Milan ), together with the Eastern Churches (Byzantine, Coptic, Syriac, Armenian, Maronite, etc..) and other religious congregations. There are also arrangements in circumstances, eg if it is a Sunday mass, a mass wedding or a funeral mass. These arrangements are codified.

In the Latin rite , the Mass has two main parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. A mass according to the rite of Paul VI takes about 1 hour, variable time that depends on the magnitude given to the liturgy, songs and the homily. A mass according to the rite of St. Pius V takes about 1 hour (recited Mass) and up to 1 hour 30 (Sung Mass).

At various times, the faithful were asked to communicate (receive the Eucharist ) more or less frequently. Since the Fourth Lateran Council , it is mandatory to receive communion at least once during the feast of Easter , and not more than once per day. The principle of the rule is only by respecting the real presence The faithful must avoid touching the Sacred Species ( hosts ).

The liturgical celebrations other than the Masses

  • meetings and prayer vigils, the largest being those of Christmas and Easter vigil ;
  • The Way of the Cross , made on Friday, recalling Christ's suffering during his Passion ;
  • Mass of Presanctified, the Office of the afternoon of Friday , which is, in fact, not a Mass;
  • the derogations : collective prayers for crops wherever rurality is important;
  • the Jubilee and its granting of indulgences special.

The Divine Office

Main article: The Divine Office.

The Divine Office (or Liturgy of the Hours ) is a praise rendered to God alone through the prayer of the Catholic Church. His only "utility" is the glory of God. It is a dialogue of love between God and his people, using the words of God contained in the Scriptures. The contents of the offices, recited or sung alone or in community is common to the Church. Since the liturgical reform of Vatican II, Offices, broken into several times throughout the day, are:

  • Vigil Readings or Morning or night
  • Premium (only in the extraordinary form)
  • Lauds , the morning service (time major)
  • Third
  • Sixth, the Office of the mid-day (now ex-gathering tierce sext and none)
  • None
  • Vespers , the evening service (time major)
  • Compline
  • the office reading (or lectio divina )

The offices of morning and evening hours are qualified major and are longer than others. Over a period of four weeks, all the Psalms is sung.

The bible is the book used in the Catholic Church to celebrate the Office. Saint Benedict of Nursia , founder of the Benedictine formats that public prayer according to the eight canonical hours (one night and seven the day) to the monks, inspired by the Roman Liturgy. Some orders or congregations have a Liturgy of the Hours own.

Catholic devotions

Main article: Catholic Devotions.

The Catholic devotions are prayer types (such as dedicated, for example, the Precious Blood ) that have not been developed formally by the Church but are derived from spiritual practices developed by individuals (or groups of individuals). However, many of them are officially approved by the Catholic Church as very useful for the sanctification spiritual (although not sufficient alone for Hi).

The Catholic liturgies

The concept of liturgy is sometimes confused with

The Laughing

That of "laughs", denoting the different ways to publicly celebrate the mysteries of religion as they differ according ecclesiological criteria, geographical, cultural or linguistic tradition in a multi-secular. Nowadays, we use equivalently the term "rite". For each of these families (incomplete list), see the following links:

Western liturgical Families

Rites still in force
Rites of which few traces remain ancient times

Eastern liturgical Families

The rite or ritual

that of "rite", designating the various religious ceremonies, clean or communes in each of these liturgical families, for example:

Notes

References

  1. "The sacrifice of the cross and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice. The victim and the offerer is identical. Only the manner of offering is different. The bloody sacrifice on the cross, not bloody in the Eucharist, "in Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2005, issue No. 280.
  2. Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2005, issue No. 275.
  3. "By participating in the Eucharistic sacrifice, the source and summit of Christian life, they offer the divine Victim to God and themselves with it," Constitution Lumen Gentium 11, Vatican II.
  4. That is to say derogatory. In canon law, the term "extraordinary" means there is a deviation from the normal situation. Thus, in law, the bishop is the "ordinary minister" of the sacrament of confirmation, the sacrament may be administered by a priest, however, is so "extraordinary ministers" of the sacrament.
  5. "Given the current situation of the Church throughout the world, this way of distributing Holy Communion (the language) must be preserved ... "Instruction Memoriale Domini of May 29, 1969. But where has already introduced a different use - one drop of Holy Communion in the hand - the Holy See (...) entrusts these conferences the responsibility and duty to weigh carefully the circumstances that could exist, provided however that no risk of lack of respect or misconceptions that may creep into the minds regarding the Most Holy Eucharist, and to carefully avoid any inconvenience. "Instruction Memoriale Domini of May 29, 1969.
  6. "To touch the sacred species, the distribution of his hands is a privilege of the ordained. Letter Dominicae Cenae of Pope John Paul II, February 24, 1980. http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_24021980_dominicae-cenae_fr.html

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