Sarah Mitchell
The Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. Each is celebrated with a visible rite, which reflects the invisible, spiritual essence of the sacrament. The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The order of reception of the sacraments of initiation is Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of sacraments | 7 |
| Sacraments | Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony |
| Purpose | Visible signs of God's grace to help Christians journey toward salvation |
| Power | Comes from God, not the celebrant or recipient |
| Effect | Depends on the recipient's disposition |
| Form | Physical and material |
| Reality | Invisible and spiritual |
| Example | In Baptism, the form is water, and the reality is cleansing from original sin |
| Baptism | The most common form is the baptism of infants, but unbaptized children or adults who wish to join the faith must also receive this sacrament |
| Confirmation | Comes from the Latin word "confirmare", meaning "to strengthen"; administered by a priest who anoints the recipient's head with sacred Chrism |
| Eucharist | Also called the Blessed Sacrament or Holy Communion; the most precious of all the Catholic sacraments |
| Holy Orders | Available only to men who are being ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops |
| Matrimony | A sacrament that a baptized man and a baptized woman administer to each other through their marriage vows and lifelong partnership |
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What You'll Learn
The seven sacraments of the Catholic Church
Baptism
Baptism is the first sacrament of initiation into the Catholic Church. It is the sacrament of admission to the faith, bringing sanctifying grace to the person being baptized. In Catholicism, the baptism of infants is the most common form, preferably soon after birth. However, unbaptized children or adults who wish to join the faith must also receive this sacrament. During the ceremony, a Catholic priest sprinkles holy water on the head of the person being baptized while speaking the Scripture: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". The old self is said to die in the waters, and a new self emerges, mirroring the death and resurrection of Christ.
Confirmation
Confirmation is the second sacrament of initiation and is often received in early adolescence, typically after a period of religious education. In the Latin Rite Catholic Church, it is traditionally administered by a bishop. The sacrament is completed when a priest anoints the recipient's head with sacred chrism, also known as chrismation. Confirmation is meant to seal the young person's faith in Christ and demonstrate their commitment to following Him.
First Communion
First Communion, also known as the Eucharist or Holy Communion, is the third sacrament of initiation. It is considered the most precious of all the sacraments and can be received daily if desired. During this sacrament, the priest prays over bread and wine, which undergo transubstantiation to become the real Body and Blood of Christ while retaining the appearance of bread and wine. This sacrament completes Christian initiation, allowing Catholics to partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
Penance
The Sacrament of Penance, also known as Reconciliation, is the first of two sacraments of healing. It involves contrition (sincere remorse for wrongdoing or sin), confession to a priest, and satisfaction or penance.
Anointing of the Sick
Also known as Extreme Unction, this is the second sacrament of healing.
Holy Orders
Holy Orders is the sacrament of ordination, available only to men who are being ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops. The ordination ceremony includes the "laying on of hands" by the bishop and a prayer of consecration, investing the new priest with his garments and anointing his palms with the Oil of Chrism.
Matrimony
Matrimony is the sacrament of marriage, administered by a baptized man and a baptized woman to each other through their marriage vows and lifelong partnership. The rite commonly takes place during a mass, with a priest serving as a witness to the mutual consent of the couple. The marriage union is intended to be fruitful, with any children to be raised within the teachings of the church.
These seven sacraments are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. They are visible signs of God's grace, helping Christians on their journey towards salvation. Each sacrament is celebrated with a visible rite, reflecting its invisible, spiritual essence.
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The order of sacraments of initiation
The Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments, seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. Each is celebrated with a visible rite, reflecting the invisible spiritual essence of the sacrament. The sacraments are:
The sacraments of initiation are the first three of the seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, and First Communion (Eucharist).
Baptism is the first sacrament of initiation and is the sacrament of admission to the faith, bringing sanctifying grace to the person being baptized. It is traditionally performed on infants, to cleanse them of original sin and initiate them into the family of God. The priest sprinkles or pours holy water on the child's head, invoking the Trinity with the words: "I baptize you in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit". The old self is said to die in the waters, and a new self emerges, mirroring the death and resurrection of Christ.
Confirmation is the second sacrament of initiation. It strengthens the faith of those who have been baptized and instructs them in the faith, equipping them for service in the Church and the world. Children who grow up in the Church often receive Confirmation as early teens, after years of religious education. The priest anoints the child's head with sacred Chrism, sealing their faith in Christ.
First Communion, or the Eucharist, is the third sacrament of initiation. It is the most precious of all the sacraments and completes Christian initiation. Catholics partake in this sacrament throughout their lives, whenever they attend Mass. During the Eucharist, the priest prays over bread and wine, which become the real Body and Blood of Christ, retaining the appearance of bread and wine. This sacrament heals and restores Catholics who are suffering from sin or sickness.
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The Eucharist as the most precious sacrament
Catholicism recognizes seven holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. Each is celebrated with a visible rite, which reflects the invisible, spiritual essence of the sacrament. The seven sacraments are:
- Baptism
- Eucharist
- Confirmation or Chrismation
- Penance
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Matrimony
The Eucharist, also known as Holy Communion, is considered the most precious of the seven sacraments. It is the third sacrament of initiation and can be received daily if desired. The Eucharist is considered the most precious because it completes Christian initiation by allowing Catholics to partake of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ and participate in the Eucharistic memorial of his sacrifice.
The Eucharist is a sacred ritual in which bread and wine are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit and the priest's instrumentality. This transformation is what the Church refers to as the “Real Presence" of Christ in the Eucharist. During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted this sacrament of his Body and Blood to perpetuate the sacrifice of the Cross and entrust the Church with a memorial of his death and resurrection.
Through the Eucharist, Catholics are spiritually nourished and united with Christ. By consuming the Body and Blood of Christ, individuals are united with Christ's humanity and, in turn, with his divinity. This union transforms their mortal and corruptible natures, drawing them into the eternal relationship of love within the Holy Trinity.
The Eucharist is a precious opportunity for Catholics to receive the gift of Jesus Christ's presence and to express their gratitude and praise to God. As St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, the Eucharist fulfils Christ's promise to be with us "always, until the end of the age" (Mt 28:20). It is a sacrament that strengthens the faithful's relationship with God and brings them closer to the divine life.
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Marriage as a Catholic sacrament
Catholicism recognizes seven holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. Each is celebrated with a visible rite, which reflects the invisible, spiritual essence of the sacrament. The seven sacraments are:
- Baptism
- Confirmation or Chrismation
- Eucharist
- Penance
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
- Matrimony or Marriage
Marriage in the Catholic Church, also known as holy matrimony, is the "covenant by which a man and woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life and which is ordered by its nature to the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring". It is a sacrament that a baptized man and a baptized woman administer to each other through their marriage vows and lifelong partnership.
The first official declaration that marriage is a sacrament was made at the 1184 Synod of Verona as part of a condemnation of the Cathars. In 1208, Pope Innocent III required members of another religious movement, the Waldensians, to recognize that marriage is a sacrament as a condition for being received back into the Catholic Church. The Council of Trent on 3 March 1547 reaffirmed the teaching that marriage is a sacrament.
In a sacramental Catholic marriage, God’s love becomes present to the spouses in their total union and also flows through them to their family and community. By their permanent, faithful, and exclusive giving to each other, symbolized in sexual intercourse, the couple reveals something of God’s unconditional love. The grace of this sacrament brings to the spouses the particular help they need to be faithful and to be good parents. It also helps a couple to serve others beyond their immediate family and to show the community that a loving and lasting marriage is both desirable and possible.
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Ordination as a Catholic sacrament
The Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments, which are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ. Each is celebrated with a visible rite, which reflects the invisible, spiritual essence of the sacrament. The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.
Holy Orders, or Ordination, is a sacrament that is available only to men who are being ordained as deacons, priests, or bishops. The ordination ceremony includes various rituals, such as prostration, the laying on of hands, anointing of hands, giving of the chalice and paten, and the sign of peace. The essential rite of the sacrament, when it takes place, is the laying on of hands and prayer of consecration. This is an ancient tradition in the Church, mentioned in the Bible.
Only a bishop can ordain a priest because he shares in the ministry of Jesus passed down through the apostles. By this ritual, the ordaining bishop and the other priests invoke the Holy Spirit to come down upon the one to be ordained, giving him a sacred character and setting him apart for the designated ministry. The ordinand lies prostrate during the ordination to symbolize his unworthiness for the office to be assumed and his dependence upon God and the prayers of the Christian community.
The ordination itself begins with the invocation of the saints on behalf of the candidate and the pilgrim church on earth, while the candidate prostrates himself in humble prayer. The bishop then stands while silently laying his hands on the head of the kneeling candidate. The bishop then recites the prayer of consecration, completing the action of ordination. As the prayer concludes, the assembly responds, "Amen".
The newly ordained priest then removes his deacon's stole, and a chosen cleric vests him with a chasuble and the stole of a priest. The bishop anoints the priest's hands with sacred chrism, and representatives of the congregation bring forward gifts of bread and wine, which the bishop presents to the new priest, indicating his responsibility to offer the Eucharist. To conclude the ordination rite, the bishop extends a greeting of peace to the new priest, and the priests in attendance welcome their newly ordained brother into the presbyterate.
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Frequently asked questions
The Catholic Church has seven holy sacraments that are seen as mystical channels of divine grace, instituted by Christ.
The seven sacraments are: Baptism, Confirmation or Chrismation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony.
The order of the sacraments of initiation is: Baptism, Confirmation, then First Communion.
The sacrament of Baptism is traditionally performed on infants to cleanse them of original sin and initiate them into the family of God.
Confirmation strengthens the faith of baptised Christians and equips them for service in the Church and the world.
