What are the 7 Sacramente? A complete guide

What are the 7 Sacraments? A complete guide

By Savelli AdminMar 2, 2023

In your lifetime, you will surely have heard of the Seven Sacraments of the Catholic Church. Do you know what they are? All together they constitute the true essence and true meaning of being a Christian. Just like a journey in stages, the Seven Sacraments constitute the various stages of our spiritual life on earth. Following them will allow us to lift our soul to heaven and get closer to God, our Eternal Father. First of all, you will be interested to know that they are divided into three macro-categories: the Sacraments of Christian initiation, the Sacraments of Healing and the Sacraments of Service . And then?
If you still don't know them perfectly or you need a little refresher, find out what the 7 sacraments are by reading the paragraphs below.

The Sacraments of Christian Initiation

The so-called sacraments of initiation belong to this first category, those which mark our entry into Christianity and which make us children of God. Among them, Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation.

1. Baptism

Baptism, or Christening, is the first of the Seven Sacraments that a Christian receives in his/her life. It is the foundation of Christian life and with it the Holy Spirit moves us to answer Christ's call to holiness. With the Sacrament of Baptism we are asked to completely accept the Lord in our life and walk by the light of Christ, fully trusting in his message of salvation and eternal wisdom. With the Sacrament of Christening, our parents who gave us earthy life, allow us to join Christianity. It is the first step of any Christian which allows us to become members of the Church.

If you are going to join a Baptism soon and need to find an original present, have a look at our gift guide for Christening for boys and girls.

2. Confirmation

Deeply linked to Baptism, Confirmation is the second initiation sacrament of the Catholic Church. It consists in a special anointing given by a bishop during the Sunday mass that lets the Holy Spirit descend on us. In the Sacrament of Confirmation, the baptized person is "sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit" and is strengthened for service to the Body of Christ. He/she confirms he/she wants to belong to Christianity and usually chooses a very dear person as his/her Confirmation sponsor. If you have been chosen as sponsor for Confirmation, here are some religious gift ideas that may be perfect for you.

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3. Eucharist

The third Sacrament of Christian Initiation is the Eucharist, achieved through the Holy First Communion. It is called “Eucharist” because it consists of an action of thanksgiving to God the Father. Eucharist makes present the one sacrifice of Christ the Savior and it is the source and summit of the Christian life.

The Sacrament of Eucharist

It recalls the Last Supper (represented in the religious picture down here), the very last moment of thanksgiving that Jesus experienced in his earthly life.

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In the celebration of Eucharist, simple food such as bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, through the power of the Holy Spirit. Christians receive the Sacrament of Eucharist through the First Communion, the very first time they welcome the Body and Blood of Christ.
If you need some Catholic gift ideas for this special occasion, have a look at our collection of religious gifts for First Communion.

The Sacraments of Healing

Two are the sacraments linked to healing and they are Reconciliation and Anointing of the sick. They both recall spiritual and physical healing of Christians.

4. Penance and Reconciliation

Reconciliation comes right after penance and allows us to be forgiven by our Eternal Father. Through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Christians admit their sins and faults, asking for forgiveness to our merciful Lord. To err and fail is absolutely human: however, what makes us good Christians is being able to recognize one's limits, one's mistakes and apologize.

Church confessional for Reconciliation

Church confessional for Reconciliation

5. Anointing of the sick

The second Church’s sacrament of healing is the anointing of the sick and consists in a Catholic priest who touches the sick to heal them from sin, just like Jesus did in life, when coming on earth for our salvation he healed us entirely, body and soul.
When the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is given, the hoped-for effect is basically that the person be physically healed of illness. Anyway, even if there is no physical healing, the primary effect of the Sacrament is a complete spiritual healing by which the sick person receives the Holy Spirit's gift of peace and courage to deal with the difficulties that accompany serious illness or the frailty of old age.

The Sacraments of Service

The last two Sacraments are known as the Sacraments of Orders and are the Matrimony and the Holy Orders. A single Christian cannot accomplish with both of these sacraments, as one excludes the other.

6. Matrimony

This Sacrament represents the union between a man and a woman forever. It is a promise of eternal love and respect between two sons of God. When they get married in church, it is God who is uniting their bodies and souls. Whoever gets married cannot take the holy orders. The model that men and women must follow is that of the Holy Family, the pillar of Christian life. Whoever accomplishes this sacrament cannot accomplish with the following one.
If you have been invited to a marriage and you are looking for a unique gift, this handmade wall cross with wedding rings may be of your interest.