CATHOLIC GLOSSARY
Below, you will find a glossary of religious and ecclesiastical terms, with very specific links for further information.
A
ABBOT: He is the Superior of a Monastic Congregation or a Monastery. He can be Mitrated, resembling a Bishop but without all the powers of it.
SACRAMENTAL ABSOLUTION: Act by which the priest forgives sins in the name of God. In the Sacrament of Penance or Reconciliation he says, after hearing the confession of the penitent: “I absolve you from all your sins, in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen” (Also see CONFESSION)
ABSTINENCE: Act of penance consisting of abstaining from eating meat on certain dates. Link: http:///ayuno.html
THANKSGIVING: Form of prayer in which we thank God for the goods received.
ACCLAMATION: Brief expression, normally jubilant, that the assembly utters at certain moments of the celebration. It comes from “cry”, shout. They are acclamations, for example: Amen, Hallelujah, Let us thank God, We praise You Lord, Glory to You, Lord Jesus. Link: Responses of the faithful in the Holy Mass: http:///misa.html
ACLITE: Non-ordained minister (See MINISTRIES). The acolyte assists the Priest (See PRIEST) and the Deacon (See DEACON) at the altar. He is also entrusted with the distribution of Communion when necessary, either at Mass or outside of it, especially to the sick.
APOSTOLIC ADMINISTRATOR: He is a prelate who administers a particular Church (dicesis), sometimes temporarily, while the titular bishop is appointed.
ADVENT: Liturgical time, or part of the Liturgical Year (See Liturgical Year) that lasts more or less four weeks and prepares for the celebration of Christmas. Advent is also called the preparation for the end of time or eschatology. Advent means “arrival”. Link: http:///adviento.html
GAPE: Charity treat celebrated by the early Christians, generally in connection with the Eucharist. Today it is said of a treat in which the aspect of coexistence and charity is more important than that of a banquet. gape in greek means charity.
EVANGELIZING AGENT: Generic expression to refer to those who have specific responsibilities in the pastoral action of the Church: Priests, deacons, religious, and laity with tasks of responsibility in Evangelization.
PASTORAL AGENT: See EVANGELIZING AGENT
ALBA: Vestment (robe) of white linen that the celebrants (bishops, priests, deacons and ministers) put on over the habit and amice, to celebrate a liturgy, and that covers the whole body. It signifies ritual purity and the removal of all corruption.
AMBN: High place (according to the etymological sense) or at least prominent, from which the readings are proclaimed, the responsorial psalm (See MISA – Parts), the Easter Proclamation, as well as, optionally, the Homily (See MISA – Parts) and the Prayer of the Faithful (See MASS – Parts).
AMITO: Sacred garment used (optionally) by the priest under the Alba (See ALBA). It is a canvas that protects the neck and falls on the shoulders and back. It is fastened with two ribbons that intertwine in front of the chest.
ALLELUYA (or Alleluia or Aleluia): Hebrew word that means “praise and Yahv”, “praise the Lord”. It is an exclamation of praise. In times of penance, such as Lent, it is not used.
SOUL: The Greek philosophers taught us to distinguish in the human being, the body and the soul. The soul is not a part of the body, but what makes the body one, alive and intelligent. It is the vital principle of man.
SPEECH: Speech, usually brief, directed by a superior.
ALTAR: Stone or table on which sacrifices or other offerings were offered to God in ancient times. Today only the sacrifice of the Holy Mass is offered on the altar. It represents Christ, that is why he is greeted, incensed, kissed (see Ara). After the Second Vatican Council, it is preferred to speak of a ‘table’, rather than an altar.
AMN: Hebrew word that has passed into all languages and means “in agreement”, “it is true”, “so be it”. We respond “amen” to the prayer that someone prays out loud, on our behalf, to affirm that we truly make it ours and that we want what we ask for to come true.
AMPHORA: See MISA.
HISTORY: See MISA.
ANGELUS: angelus. “Angel”, in Latin. This is the name of the prayers that Catholics have prayed for centuries, usually at 12 o’clock. from noon. They evoke the announcement of the archangel Saint Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she was going to be the Mother of God incarnate, Jesus Christ: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariae: “The angel of the Lord announced Mary.” “And I conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit” “Behold the handmaid of the Lord” “Let it be done to me according to his Word”. “And the word became flesh.” “And dwelt among us.”
Link: http:///angelus.html
OLD TESTAMENT: The set of books of the Bible written before Christ. It corresponds to the ancient Covenant between God and the people of Israel. It is made up of 47 books.
LITURGICAL YEAR: The order that the Church gives to the celebrations of the mysteries of the faith, throughout the year. They are called liturgical times. The Liturgical Year begins four weeks before December 25 and is made up of the seasons of: Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter and Ordinary Time.
See each of these tenses.
APOLOGY: Written or oral expression of defense or justification. In celebrations they exist in the form of a prayer.
APSTOL: It comes from a Greek word that means “sent”, sent to fulfill a mission. Link: Santiago Apstol http:///santiago.html
ARA: Altar in which sacrifices are offered. Consecrated altar stone. (Exit ALTAR)
ARCANUM: Secret. In Christian antiquity, the “discipline of the arcane” was in force, by virtue of which aspects or truths of the faith that they were not in a position to understand (for example, the Eucharist) and the neophytes were not made known to the pagans. they revealed themselves to them only progressively.
ARCHDICESIS or ARCHDICESIS: It is the diocese that heads (that is, the capital of) an ecclesiastical province.
ARCHBISHOP: It is the bishop who presides over an archdiocese. He can also be called ‘Metropolitan’. When an archbishop passes from an archdiocese to a diocese, the Church maintains the vocative of ‘archbishop’, which comes before ‘bishop’.
ASSEMBLY: Community of believers gathered for a religious celebration.
ASCENSION: Action by which the Risen Jesus ascended to heaven body and soul.
SPRINKLING: It is the act of sprinkling (from the Latin aspergere), that is, spraying or pouring holy water on the faithful or objects to bless them. It is a rite of baptismal purification that is performed at Easter time in the Mass instead of the penitential act.
For sprinkling, a branch similar to that of the fragrant bush called hyssop is sometimes used. For this reason, the long-handled instrument topped with a metal ball with holes that help spread the holy water is also called that. The container that contains the holy water is called an acetre.
ASSUMPTION: Action by which God made the Virgin Mary, Mother of Jesus, enter eternal life when the hour of her death had come. Link: http:///Asuncion.html
ATRIUM: Inner courtyard surrounded by porticoes. Platform or portico in front of some temples and palaces.
AVE MARA: Main prayer addressed to the Virgin Mary. It consists, first, of a greeting inspired by that of the Angel Gabriel and that of Saint Elizabeth and, in the second part, of a plea. Link: http:///oraciones.html
FASTING: Form of penance that consists of totally or partially depriving yourself of food for religious reasons. The Church asks for two days of fasting in the year: Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.
B.
STAFF: Cane or ‘staff’ used as support. It was used by shepherds in the care of the flock. Now, symbol of the pastoral ministry of the bishops.
BALDACHIN: Go CIBORIO.
BAPTISTERY: Place destined for the celebration of Baptism, where the baptismal font is, normally inside the temple.
BASLICA: Christian temple of outstanding significance to which a special prestige is recognized. It means “prince’s palace”.
There are ‘major’ basilicas (the four great major basilicas are in Rome: Saint Peter, Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Saint John Lateran and Saint Mary Major) and ‘minor’ basilicas. Link: Basilica of the Virgen del Pilar: http:///pilar.html
BAPTISM: First Sacrament received by a Christian. This sacrament incorporates the Church and Christian life: it makes them children of God and participants in Christ’s Salvation. Link: The Sacraments: http:///sacramentos.html
BEATIFICATION: Declaration made by the Supreme Pontiff in which he expresses that a certain servant of God is worthy of worship, after death. The process of beatification is prior to that of canonization. (See CANONIZATION).
TO BEATIFY: It is to declare ‘blessed’ a servant of God.
BLESSED: It is the ‘servant of God’ who has been beatified. The itinerary for sainthood is: a deceased exemplary Christian is recognized with ‘heroic virtues’; then, he is declared ‘servant of God’; then ‘blessed’ and finally ‘holy’.
BLESSING:
a) Prayer formula of praise to God, to Christ, to the saints. It is called “ascending blessing”, when you want to be precise.
b) Favor of God (of Christ, of the Saints) to men. It’s called a “descending blessing,” if you want to be precise.
c) Part of the mass. (See MISA – Parts).
BIBLE: Sacred book of the Jews and Christians. The former have only the Old Testament. Christians, the Old and the New (Gospels, Acts of the Apostles, Letters of the Apostles and Revelation). The Bible gathers 72 books or documents.
BINATION: Celebration of two masses on the same day. The priest who celebrates them is said to bina. Analogously used “trination”.
BIRRETE: Or ‘birreta’, skullcap that covers the head of the cardinals. It is red in color and is delivered by the Pope when he creates a cardinal.
BLASPHEMY: Injurious expression against God or the saints.
HISTORICAL OUTLINE: Brief review that is sometimes made of some saint, either in written form in Liturgical Books (See LIBROS LITRGICOS), or in oral discourses.
BREVIARY: Name that what we now call Liturgy of the Hours (See LITURGY OF THE HOURS) or Divine Office had until the post-conciliar liturgical reform.
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CLIZ: Cup used by the priest in the Eucharistic celebration.
CANON: Means “fixed rule”. There is talk of “canon of the Mass” (See EUCHARSTIC PRAYER). It is also used to designate the norms or body of the Church’s own laws that constitute the Code of Canon Law.
CANNIGO: Honorific title of some priests who attend the religious service in a cathedral. They make up the CABILDO.
CANONIZATION: Solemn action by which the Pope declares “saint” an exemplary Christian, already beatified.
CANONIZE: It is to declare a saint to a blessed.
PLUVIAL CAPE: Liturgical vestment in the form of a cape used by the presbyter in certain…