What are sacramentals

[someperson]

I have read about 5 articles explaining what sacramentals are and for some reason, I just cannot understand it. Perhaps one of you can help me?

 

[Vico]

I have read about 5 articles explaining what sacramentals are and for some reason, I just cannot understand it. Perhaps one of you can help me?

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1670 Sacramentals do not confer the grace of the Holy Spirit in the way that the sacraments do, but by the Church’s prayer, they prepare us to receive grace and dispose us to cooperate with it. …

1677 Sacramentals are sacred signs instituted by the Church. They prepare men to receive the fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life.

1678 Among the sacramentals blessings occupy an important place. …

https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p2s2c4a1.htm

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Probably easiest if you just think of them as being a category of items that help God to give us grace.

Blessings are sacramentals, so when the priest blesses us or an altar or whatever then he’s preparing us to receive God’s grace and preparing the altar or whatever for holy use, to help us get more grace from God.

Other sacramentals are the holy things we use for our prayers and rituals. If you were going to go play tennis, you’d need a racket, some tennis balls, athletic shoes and clothing, and maybe a net. If you’re going to pray, then you need things like a rosary, a Catholic Bible, holy water, a saint medal, a scapular etc. Those are our sacramentals - our holy tools.

 

[anon91549587]

Are icons sacramentals? I wonder if thats the reason why there is the Christ Blessing gesture in icons.

 

[Dan_Defender]

Sacramentals run from blessings to articles such as relics and rosaries. Some, such as holy water, are used by almost every Catholic. Others are more personal, such as devotionals to a particular saint.

 

[Tis_Bearself]

Are icons sacramentals? I wonder if thats the reason why there is the Christ Blessing gesture in icons.

@DeniseNY @Margaret_Ann @dochawk can you answer this please? I’m not sure what the answer is because I’m not sure if in the Eastern Church, a true icon (as in one properly painted, not one of those pasted paper pictures on a board) somehow goes beyond the status of “sacramental”. I would like to know the answer myself.

I’m guessing the “pasted paper picture on a board” kind could be a sacramental if used for a devotional purpose, same as a statue could be.

 

[Margaret_Ann]

By the Western definition, an icon is a sacramental. It’s not exactly the same in the Easy because an icon “participates” (for lack of a better term) in the presence of the person(s) depicted.

Using my avatar as an example, if you stand in front of the icon you are in the presence of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. She is there.

Christ Our Pascha has a good description in it. I’ll try to find it for you.

 

[anon91549587]

I know for sure that from the greek orthodox view, the saint makes the icon holy and thus all icons regardless of paper or print or tempera or acrylic are all considered sacred. Since the paper printed ones have manifested myrr and worked miracles.

As i think a lil more, i do think icons are more than statues, there really is a present reality that is true and many have said that we should pray before and not to an icon but thats not entirely correct as we indeed pray to the icon, and the holy spirit sends that prayer to the prototype.

 

[dochawk]

@DeniseNY @Margaret_Ann @dochawk can you answer this please? I’m not sure what the answer is because I’m not sure if in the Eastern Church, a true icon (as in one properly painted, not one of those pasted paper pictures on a board) somehow goes beyond the status of “sacramental”. I would like to know the answer myself.

an actual icon, written with appropriate prayers, etc., is a prayer in and of itself, and kind of an opening between heaven and earth.

When we reverence them, it is not because they are objects of worship, but in an effort to join that prayer.

I suspect that @deaconchristopher could give a better answer here.

 

[AlbMagno]

Something I always wanted to know:

Are exorcisms and religious vow’s ceremonies sacramentals? Because they aren’t Sacraments but also don’t count as objects as other sacramentals… I think they must have a more precise definition than “rituals”…

 

[SaintMatthewCPA]

This is profoundly helpful. Just reading the replies my faith has grown.
Thank you

 

[anon91549587]

Father Lampert did mention the rite of exorcism as a sacramental. My faith drastically increased knowing that exorcisms are done with compassion and mercy with Christ doing the battle.

Here is the first.