Abbess
The woman who has been chosen by the abbey community of which she is a member to lead that community for a fixed period.
Abbey
A set of buildings used by monks or nuns. Only Cistercians, Benedictines, Norbertines and Trappists have abbeys. An abbey strives to be self-sufficient.
Archbishop
The bishop in charge of the archdiocese. In actual practice, this also means that he is the head of the church province.
Archdiocese
The most important diocese within a church province. In the Belgian Church Province, this is the Diocese of Mechelen-Brussels. An archbishop governs an archdiocese.
Anointing of the sick
The sacrament administered to the sick to give them strength to bear their illness. The priest anoints the forehead and hands of the person receiving the sacrament. In cases of peril of death, this is part of the Last Sacraments.
Confirmation
This is the sacrament in which baptism is confirmed. Hereby the confirmand expresses that he wants to live in the spirit of Christian faith. This is confirmed by the minister by anointing the confirmand. Confirmation is administered by a bishop or by a priest acting on his behalf.
Sacrament
In Christianity, this is a sacred act in which God comes to man. Sacraments mark important moments in human life. In the Catholic Church, there are seven sacraments: baptism, confession, Eucharist, confirmation, anointing of the sick, marriage and ordination.
Mass
The liturgical celebration in which the Eucharist is central. It consists of two main parts: the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The main parts of the Liturgy of the Word are the prayers for mercy, the Bible readings, and the homily. The Liturgy of the Eucharist begins with the offertory, […]
Liturgical colours
The colour of the chasuble, the dalmatic, and the stole, among others, varies according to the time of year. The main liturgical colours are: green: this is the standard colour purple: in times of penance and expectation, i.e. Advent and Lent white: on the high feasts such as Christmas and Easter red: on the feasts […]
Last Sacraments
These sacraments are administered to someone who is in danger of dying through old age or illness. In this order, they are last confession, anointing of the sick and last communion.
