Roman Catholicism
Pope-led Christian denomination
Roman Catholicism is the faith, practice, and institutional structure of the Roman Catholic Church, the largest Christian denomination with over a billion members worldwide.
It is characterized by recognition of papal authority, the seven sacraments, veneration of Mary and the saints, and the belief that the Church in Rome represents an unbroken succession from the apostle Peter.
The term distinguishes this tradition from Eastern Orthodox and Protestant Christianity.
She converted to Roman Catholicism before her wedding.
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- transubstantiationChange of underlying substance
- infallibilityIncapacity for mistakes
- trinityUnified set of three
- original sinInherited spiritual corruption
immaculate conception · assumption · purgatory · natural law · catechism · encyclical · papal bull · canon law
Ritual water purification ceremony
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- matrimonyLegal union of spouses
- holy ordersSacrament conferring clergy status
communion · penance · absolution · transubstantiation · consecration · grace · host · chrism
Catholic Church's supreme leader
- VaticanPapal city-state
- pontiffSupreme Catholic leader
- conclavePrivate, secretive assembly
- College of CardinalsPapal electoral body
Vicar of Christ · St. Peter's Basilica · Sistine Chapel · Swiss Guard · papal audience · consistory · ex cathedra · papal blessing
Sacred ritual table
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- vestmentsCeremonial religious attire
- chaliceOrnate ritual drinking vessel
- patenEucharistic bread dish
censer · crucifix · tabernacle · monstrance · holy water · genuflection · stole · chasuble
Religious journey to shrine
- monasticismCloistered religious living
- LentChristian fasting season
- AdventChristmas preparatory season
- canonizationOfficial declaration of sainthood
saints · relics · Gregorian chant · iconography · patron saint · feast day · holy day · fasting
Catholic worship service
- vespersEvening devotional service
- rosaryBeaded prayer counter
- lectionaryScheduled scripture for services
- missalCatholic service text collection
antiphon · benediction · adoration · novena · compline · matins · lauds · Divine Office
One who performs sacraments
- bishopDiocesan clergy head
- cardinalOf foremost importance
- deaconJunior clergy member
- monsignorPapal honorific for priests
archbishop · nun · monk · friar · abbot · abbess · seminarian · lay minister
dogma
Unchallengeable official beliefs
- transubstantiationChange of underlying substance
- infallibilityIncapacity for mistakes
- trinityUnified set of three
original sin · immaculate conception · assumption · purgatory · natural law · catechism · encyclical · papal bull · canon law · creed
baptism
Ritual water purification ceremony
- confirmationEstablishing something as true
- confessionAdmission of wrongdoing
- matrimonyLegal union of spouses
holy orders · communion · penance · absolution · transubstantiation · consecration · grace · host · chrism · reconciliation
pope
Catholic Church's supreme leader
College of Cardinals · Vicar of Christ · St. Peter's Basilica · Sistine Chapel · Swiss Guard · papal audience · consistory · ex cathedra · papal blessing · encyclical
altar
Sacred ritual table
- incenseAnger greatly, or aromatic resin
- vestmentsCeremonial religious attire
- chaliceOrnate ritual drinking vessel
paten · censer · crucifix · tabernacle · monstrance · holy water · genuflection · stole · chasuble · alb
pilgrimage
Religious journey to shrine
- monasticismCloistered religious living
- LentChristian fasting season
- AdventChristmas preparatory season
canonization · saints · relics · Gregorian chant · iconography · patron saint · feast day · holy day · fasting · abstinence
Mass
Catholic worship service
- vespersEvening devotional service
- rosaryBeaded prayer counter
- lectionaryScheduled scripture for services
missal · antiphon · benediction · adoration · novena · compline · matins · lauds · Divine Office · ordinary
priest
One who performs sacraments
monsignor · archbishop · nun · monk · friar · abbot · abbess · seminarian · lay minister · altar server
cathedral
Bishop's principal church
- basilicaColonnaded church with apse
- chapelSmall worship room
- parish churchLocal community worship building
shrine · monastery · convent · abbey · rectory · sacristy · nave · sanctuary · confessional · baptistry
- Catholic ChurchVatican, papacy, cardinals, popes, papal
- CatholicismVatican, cardinals, pope, Holy Communion, popes
- Italian AmericansItalian Americans, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Frank Sinatra, Martin Scorsese
- European faithsProtestantism, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, Calvinism
- French CatholicismNotre-Dame, Sacre-Coeur, Joan of Arc, Saint Bernadette, Genevieve
- RomeColosseum, Vatican, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, St. Peter's Basilica
Roman CatholicismProtestantism
Reformation-era Christian movement
Lutheranism · Calvinism · Anglicanism · Pentecostalism · Methodism
Roman Catholicismatheism
Rejection of deities
secularism · antitheism · secular humanism · irreligion · agnosticism