Katholischen

Katholischen is a form of the German adjective katholisch, used to describe things relating to the Catholic Church or, in theological contexts, to the concept of universality. In everyday language it most often appears in phrases referring to members, practices, or institutions of the Catholic Church, for example die katholischen Gläubigen (the Catholic faithful), katholische Kirchengebäude (Catholic church buildings), or katholischen Feiertagen (Catholic holidays). The form kath­olischen is an inflected ending and is not a standalone noun.

The root katholisch derives from Late Latin Catholicus, itself from the Greek katholikos meaning universal or general. In theology and church history, katholisch also carries the sense of “universal” or “comprehensive,” as in the term Katholizität (catholicity), which denotes the universality of the Church or of Christian faith. In German, katholisch as an adjective is separate from related nouns such as Katholizismus (Catholicism) and Katholizität (catholicity/universality).

Usage varies by context. In religious discourse, katholisch often directly references the Catholic Church as a denomination. In cultural or historical discussions, it may describe traditions, rituals, or art connected with Catholic practice. The word appears across German-speaking countries and is common in journalism, academia, and liturgical language.

Notes on capitalization: as a normal adjective, katholisch is written with a lowercase k. When part of a proper name or formal title, such as Die Katholische Kirche, capitalization may occur as part of the name.