1.4 – Catholicism 101 – Places & Things

Beliefs Practices Places and Things People

Important Catholic Places SPECIFIC PLACES: Holy Land (Israel, Palestine) - Jerusalem - Bethlehem - Nazareth Vatican City (in Rome) - St. Peter’s Basilica - Sistine Chapel - St. John Lateran Cathedral (Rome) Diocese (or Archdiocese) TYPES OF PLACES: Cathedral Basilica Parish Rectory Convent Monastery (Abbey) Seminary Shrine Retreat Center

HOLY LAND (Israel, Palestine): Area in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea, in the Middle East, where Jesus lived. JERUSALEM: Main holy city in Israel, where Jewish Temple was located. BETHLEHEM: Small town near Jerusalem where Jesus was born. NAZARETH: Small town in northern Israel where Jesus grew up.

VATICAN CITY (in Rome): Headquarters of the Roman Catholic Church – an independent nation located inside the city of Rome, Italy. It is 108 acres in size. ST. PETER’S BASILICA: The main church in Vatican City and largest church in the world, built atop the tomb of St. Peter. SISTINE CHAPEL: The Pope’s private chapel in Vatican City, decorated by gorgeous paintings of Michelangelo. ST. JOHN LATERAN CATHEDRAL: The Cathedral Church of Rome, where the Pope has his “cathedra” (bishop’s chair) and serves as bishop of Rome. NOTE: The Cathedral Church of Rome is NOT St. Peter’s Basilica!

Diocese (or Archdiocese): Geographic region in the church headed by a bishop (or archbishop). Examples: Diocese of Oakland, Archdiocese of San Francisco

Types of Places (1) Cathedral: The bishop’s headquarters- church in his diocese. Basilica: Any church designated by the Pope as having special importance. Some basilicas are cathedrals, but not all of them. And not all cathedrals are basilicas. Originally, basilicas were large public buildings in the Roman Empire. Parish Church: A church that serves a local neighborhood or territory. Rectory: House where priests live who work at a parish church. Convent: House where religious sisters (nuns) live, often next to a parish church or school.

Cathedral: The church of the bishop, because it contains his official “chair” – “cathedra.” Every diocese (or archdiocese) has ONLY ONE cathedral.

Types of Places (2) Monastery (Abbey): Where monks live, pray and work. Some (but not all) religious orders are “monastic” – members withdraw from the world and spend most their lives within the monastery. Seminary: A school where men study theology, in order to become priests. Shrine: A holy site where people visit on pilgrimage. Many are in the Holy Land or at places where Mary, the Mother of God, has appeared (such as Lourdes, France; Fatima, Portugal; or Guadalupe, Mexico) Retreat Center: A place to go for a short period of prayer, reflection and rest.

Inside a Catholic Church INSIDE A CHURCH: Crucifix Sacristy Altar Ambo (Lectern) Tabernacle Sanctuary Lamp Easter (Pascual) Candle Baptismal Font Pew Kneelers Confessional Stations of the Cross Stained Glass Windows BOOKS, CLOTHES, VESSELS Sacramentary (Roman Missal) Lectionary Vestments Alb Stole Chasuble Chalice Paten Purificator

Crucifix: A cross with an image of Jesus on it. Protestants use an empty cross without the image of Jesus on it. Sacristy: A back room in the church where the priest prepares for Mass. Items for Mass are kept here Altar: The table in church where bread and wine are consecrated at Mass and changed into the Body & Blood of Jesus. Ambo/Lectern: Podium where readings are proclaimed at Mass. Tabernacle: A box where leftover consecrated hosts (Body of Christ) are kept after Mass. Sanctuary Lamp: A candle or light next to the tabernacle which burns at all times (usually 24 hours a day), whenever the Body of Christ is inside, to show that Jesus is present.

Easter (Paschal) Candle: A large candle near the altar or baptismal font, lit each year for the first time at the Easter Vigil (Night) Mass. It is lit for Masses during the season of Easter, and for baptisms and funerals. Baptismal Font: A basin or fountain with blessed water, used in baptisms. Pews (and kneelers): Long benches where people sit (and a place for them to kneel). Confessional: Two small rooms – one for the priest, the other for a person who wishes to confess his/her sins. A small slot or window connects the rooms so the person can speak to the priest. Newer churches sometimes have only one room, and the person confesses his/her sins face-to-face to the priest. Stations of the Cross: Fourteen images on the walls of the church, each depicting different episodes of Jesus’ last moments leading to his crucifixion, and used for prayer and meditation. Stained Glass Windows: Windows made of beautiful cut and colored glass, usually depicted a sacred image or story.

Sacramentary (Roman Missal): A book that contains the prayers used by the priest at Mass. Lectionary: A book that contains the Bible readings used at Mass. Vestments: Sacred clothes worn by the priest when saying Mass. They include: - Alb: A white under-garment robe; represents purity - Stole: Long cloth band, worn over the shoulders, symbolizing the yoke of the Lord. Deacons wear their stole at a diagonal, over just one shoulder. - Chasuble: The colorful outer garment worn by the priest at Mass. Chalice: The cup used at Mass by the priest to hold wine, which becomes the Blood of Christ. Paten: The plate used at Mass by the priest to hold the piece of bread, called the host, which becomes the Body of Christ. Purificator: White cloth used to clean the chalice (and paten).