| The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07. |
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| sacramental |
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| in the Roman Catholic Church, aid to devotion that is not a sacrament. Sacramentals are commonly divided into six classes: prayer, anointing, eating, confession, giving, and blessings. According to church teaching, sacramentals are not founded by God but by the church, and therefore do not convey grace. Examples are holy water, many blessings, and the rosary. |
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| | | The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. Copyright © 2007 Columbia University Press. |
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