Sacraments and Rites

ABSOLUTION: The pronouncement of remission of sin to the penitent. The Holy Spirit grants him, in the name of Jesus Christ, the remission of his sins if he truly contrites for his sins, confesses it in the presence of a priest, and promises to respond to the divine grace by not reverting to his former evil ways. The priest pronounces absolution separately to each confessor, and collectively during the liturgies.

ABSTINENCE: We must distinguish between private abstinence and communal church fastings. Acts, Lessons of (Apraxis) Meaning "The book of Acts," written by St. Luke. This book tells us about the church at the apostolic era. Usually a chapter of it is to be read during the Eucharist (Mass) and other liturgies, such as baptismal and matrimonial ceremonies, blessing of the water etc.

ANATHEMA: A solemn ban or curse pronounced upon a person or thing; a sentence of excommunication.

APOSTOLIC SUCCESSION: The spiritual authority conferred by the laying on of hands in ordination of the church clergy through a lineal succession of bishops down from the apostles.

BAPTISM: A ceremonial rite instituted by our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and regeneration by water and the Holy Spirit. In baptism one is admitted into the fellowship of the church, becomes one of her well-known members, and is known of the Christian church and becomes a child of God. Baptism is regarded as the first and principal sacrament, without which none of the other sacraments can be administered. Its primary importance is manifested in the words of Jesus Christ: "unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" John 3:5.

BENEDICTION: The blessing given to the congregation in God's name pronounced by a clergyman at the end of a service.

"BOWING" RITUAL: (3 kneelings) Special prayers are recited while the whole church is kneeling on the day of the Pentecost, in memory of the descent of the Holy Spirit.

CHRISM (MYRON): Consecrated oil used in two sacraments, viz. at baptism and Chrism, as well as at the consecration of the Church and of the sacred vessels etc. The priest is allowed to anoint the newly baptized with the chrism. The tradition of using this sacred oil goes back to the Old Testament (Exod. 39) where God ordered Moses to prepare a compound anointing oil of myrrh, cinnamon, cassia, and sweet calamus mixed with pure olive oil. It was used in anointing kings, priests, the tent of the tabernacle, and its furnitures. It's made out of specific oils mixed with spices that were presented when the Lord was shrouded. Chrism is administered immediately after baptism. The newly-baptized joins the church and becomes one of it's members through baptism, and is strengthened through Chrism, thus he has now the right to partake of the holy Communion

CHURCHING OF WOMEN: The act of thanksgiving that Christian women offer after childbirth. The custom is based on the Jewish rite of Purification (Lev. 12. 6). Women cannot receive the Holy Communion before forty days after the birth of a male child, and eighty days in case of a female child. Special prayers are recited on their behalf before they are allowed to receive the Holy Communion.

CHURCH'S CONSECRATION: The bishop consecrates the building through praying all the night long (vigil) together with the priests, deacons, and people. Thus the building is to be a church where the Lord of angels is proud.

CONFESSION: It is the offspring of faith pronounced by a martyr or a confessor (1 Tim. 6:13; 2 Cor. 9:13), and so in general its a declaration of religious belief. In this sense, many ancient creeds, viz. the Coptic baptismal creed, start by the words, "I or we confess..." The acknowledgment of sin before God. Private or communal confession in the presence of a priest is integral with confession before God. We confess that we are sinners, not ignoring the work of God in our lives. We condemn ourselves and praise God for His free grace. The priest, as a father, cares for his children in confession and helps them to carry on uprightly.

CONSECRATION: The dedication of a person (ordination of clergymen) or thing (churches, altars, sacred vessels etc..) to divine service. The act whereby the elements of bread and wine in the Eucharist become the Body and Blood of Christ.

ENTHRONEMENT: The rite by which a newly consecrated metropolitan or bishop is put into possession of his throne.

EXCOMMUNICATION: An exclusion from the communion of the faithful, especially being deprived of the Holy Communion.

FASTING: Fasting, which was practiced in Judaism and by the disciples of St. John the Baptist, was recommended by Christ both by example and teaching (Luke 4:2; Matt. 6:16-18 and Mark 2:20). It was observed by the Apostles (Acts 13:2; 14:23; 2 Cor. 11:27), and in the early Church fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays was mentioned in the Didache. In early times fasting meant the entire abstention from food for the whole or part of the day. In the Coptic Orthodox Church it is still observed with considerable strictness.

The ancient rules continue to be followed by us, no meat being eaten, nor animal products (eggs, milk, butter, cheese), and fish only on certain fastings. Our Lord, Jesus Christ fasted for our sake 40 days. The Church arranged fastings as follows:

Lent, for 55 days
Fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays (except during the fifty days following the Resurrection)
Paramone Fast (the day before Nativity and Epiphany)
Nativity Fast, 43 days
Apostles' Fast
Jonah's Fast or Nineveh's Fast, for 3 days
The Virgin's Fast, for 15 days

Fasting is presented to God alone. It should be accompanied by repentance. As a penitential practice, fasting is designed to strengthen the spiritual life by weakening the attractions of sensible pleasure. The Lord Himself coupled it with prayer, and in the lives of the saints the two almost always go together. Believers can practice private fasting under the guidance of his spiritual father. He also may not practice all the church fastings, with special permission from the priest under certain terms.

HAIL MARY: Traditional prayer based upon the words of the annunciation. The salutation by the archangel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary on announcing to her the divine conception of Jesus Christ was. "Hail, O favored one, the Lord is with you!"

ICONS, CONSECRATION OF: Icons are anointed with holy Chrism. We consider that kissing icons is a means of blessing, for they are consecrated to God.

INSTITUTION: The establishment of a sacrament by Christ, as the Eucharist; the words of Christ used in institution as in the consecration.

INTERCESSION: A type of prayer or a petition on behalf of others. Such prayer, implicit or explicit, forms part of almost all Christian worship, particularly all the traditional forms of the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

LAQQAN: It is a small basin sunk slightly into the floor in the western part of the nave. It is covered with a wooden lid when not in use. In old days it was made of light-colored marble, as for the form of the lid it is strikingly uniform.

MATRIMONY: The Holy Spirit descends over the bride and groom that they may become one body. Through the matrimonial ceremony two bridal crowns are put on the heads of both, bride and groom, that we may remember the heavenly crowns. Through marriage a sanctified home (or a family church) that pleases God is originated.

MEDITATION: An act of devotion, spiritual contemplation, by which the soul seeks a close relationship with God.

METANIA: Prostration. There are three different reasons why we prostrate; for worship; when we enter the church and prostrate before the Holy Altar. For respect; in the presence of a Pope or bishop, we prostrate before them. Repentance, interior sorrow for sin. It also means the action by which such sorrow is expressed, usually a prostration, or 'metanyia'.

MONASTIC VOWS: Traditional vows of obedience, poverty, and celibacy made by the monks or the nuns.

OBLATIONS: A solemn offering to God. Oblations refer to the elements of bread and wine. The celebrant presents the oblations (offerings) on his behalf and on behalf of all people, moreover for the sake of certain persons he mentions by name, as the sick, travelers, upset and deceased.

ORDINATION: The act of setting apart to the priesthood by the laying on of hands by a bishop, or by a group of bishops.

PRIESTHOOD: The Lord Jesus Christ is our High Priest. God raises priests in His Church. The orders of priesthood are:

Bishopric: The Patriarch, the Metropolitan and the Bishop
Presbytery: Priest and Protopriest
Deaconary: Archdeacon and deacon

PROCESSIONAL: In feasts, Clergymen often practice processions, preceded by a crucifier with a processional cross. Bishops and priests carry censers while the deacons carry candles. Processions take place in the Sanctuary and in the nave of the church as a symbol of the communion of the heavenly creatures together with the believers.

REGENERATION: The spiritual rebirth of one entering into a new life of holy affections, purposes, and conduct according to the will of God; being born of water and Spirit (baptism).

RITUAL: Means an "order" together with disposition of church services. Rituals should be practiced in spirituality. Rituals are essential, for heavenly creature have their own rituals, also do the church and monasticism.

REPENTANCE: The condemnation and abhorrence of one's own sins, trusting in God, as his own Redeemer. True repentance or contrition springs up from a sense of the outrage which sin commits against the love of God, believing in God, the Forgiver of sins. It includes sorrow for sin committed, confession of guilt, and intention to make amends.

SACRAMENT: An outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual grace, instituted by Christ. The word "sacrament" is often used with reference to the Communion elements.

SACRAMENTS: The Holy Spirit grants us the following spiritual blessings through the seven church Sacraments:

Through Baptism, we receive the gift of the new birth.
Through Chrism (Myron), we receive the Holy Spirit dwelling within us.
Through Eucharist, we are united with the Lord's Body and Blood.
Through Repentance and Confession, we attain the forgiveness of sins.
Through Priesthood, we are given the gift of serving God.
Through Matrimony, the groom and the bride become one.
Through Unction of the sick, God grants the cure.

SAINTS FEASTS: Nearly every day the church remembers the repose of a martyr or a saint. Besides it celebrates the heavenly creatures feasts. etc.

TRADITION: It is the vivid faith that we once received, orally and in writings, from the apostles and our early Fathers. Tradition is concerned with faith, worship and Christian behavior.

UNCTION OF THE SICK, HOLY SACRAMENT OF THE: The sacramental use of anointing the sick with oil, symbolic of the act of cleansing and healing. One of the seven sacraments of the church, after the teachings of St. James the apostle: "Is any among you sick? Let him call for the priests of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayer of faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven" Jam. 5:14-15. It is instituted by the apostles, through Jesus Christ who, as attested by Mark 6:13, "they...anointed with oil many that were sick and healed them". One learns that the disciples and apostles to fulfill what Christ had assigned them to do carried out the practice. It is called a "lamp," for seven lamps are lit during the recite of these prayers. The priest prays together with the sick person's family.

VESSELS, CONSECRATION OF SACRED: Sacred vessels are anointed with holy Chrism, thus they are not used except in God's service at church.

VIGIL: The eve of certain festivals, usually observed by a fast and communal worship as a preparation for the feast.

VOWS: A vow is a promise given to God that we will present our hearts to Him, and sanctified deeds as well. They share food, prayer, and work every day.

WORSHIP: The humble act of devotion to God. The self-expression of faith, love and gratitude to God through prayer and singing during church service. A term often used to designate church worship.

Next: Church Structure/Vessels

Source: Dictionary of Church Terms by Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty