Holy Days, Festivals and Rituals

Rituals

The Roman Catholic church recognizes seven sacraments:

  • Baptism
  • Confirmation
  • Penance
  • The Eucharist
  • Matrimony
  • Holy Orders
  • Extreme Unction (the sacrament of anointing of the sick, especially when administered to the dying)

The Protestant churches for the most part only recognise Baptism and the Eucharist because these alone can be proved from Scripture to have been instituted by Christ himself. Protestant churches do have formal ceremonies for matrimony, but it is not regarded as a sacrament.

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Holy Days and Celebrations

Different forms of Christianity celebrate different festivals and observe different holy days, but all forms observe (though might not celebrate it in the same way) the following 6 holy days:

  • Christmas: 25th December. Marks the birth of Jesus Christ.
  • Epiphany: 6 January. Marks the Journey of Three Kings to worship Jesus in Bethlehem
  • Good Friday: The Friday before Easter (March/April), it commemorates Jesus’ passion (suffering) on the cross.
  • Easter: (March/April) Marks the resurrection of Jesus from the tomb.
  • Ascension: Forty days after Easter, the ascension of Christ to heaven is commemorated.
  • Pentecost: The seventh Sunday after Easter. Marks the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, which began the work of the Church.