Sacramenti

Sacramenti, or sacraments, is a term used in Christian theology to describe certain sacred rites that are believed to convey grace and to signify the believer’s relationship with God. The word comes from Latin sacramentum, meaning a sacred pledge or oath, and has been used since the early Church to name rites entrusted to the Christian community.

Most Western and many Eastern churches recognize a core set of seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation (Chrismation in the Orthodox tradition), the Eucharist (Holy Communion), Penance (Reconciliation), Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The content and order of these rites vary by tradition. Some denominations, particularly in Protestant circles, prefer to call these rites ordinances and recognize only Baptism and the Eucharist as sacraments; others recognize additional rites in a looser sense. The concept, however, generally rests on the belief that a rite acts as a visible sign of grace and, within certain theological frameworks, is a means by which grace is communicated.

Theological interpretations differ: in Catholic and Orthodox teaching, sacraments are efficacious signs that confer grace ex opere operato, while in many Protestant traditions the rites serve as memorials, professions of faith, or occasions through which God’s grace is received by faith. The administration of the sacraments is typically entrusted to ordained clergy and guided by liturgical norms.