“Windows To Spirituality”
What Is A Hymn? A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification. The word hymn derives from Greek ὕμνος (hymnos), which means “a song of praise“. A writer of hymns is known...
What Is A Chant? A chant (“to sing”) is the iterative speaking or singing of words or sounds, often primarily on one or two main pitches called reciting tones. Chants may range from a simple melody involving a limited set of notes to highly complex musical structures, often including a great deal of repetition of musical...
Recitation A recitation in a general sense is the act of reciting from memory, or a formal reading of verse or other writing before an audience. Academic recitation In academia, recitation is a presentation made by a student to demonstrate knowledge of a subject or to provide instruction to others. In some academic institutions the term is used...
Christian Child’s Prayer A Christian child’s prayer is Christian prayer recited primarily by children that is typically short, rhyming, or has a memorable tune. It is usually said before bedtime, to give thanks for a meal, or as a nursery rhyme. Many of these prayers are either quotes from the Bible, or set traditional texts. While...
Petition A petition is a request to do something, most commonly addressed to a government official or public entity. Petitions to a deity are a form of prayer called supplication. In the colloquial sense, a petition is a document addressed to some official and signed by numerous individuals. A petition may be oral rather than written, or...
Invocation An invocation (from the Latin verb invocare “to call on, invoke, to give”) may take the form of: Supplication, prayer or spell. A form of possession. Command or conjuration. Self-identification with certain spirits. These forms are described below, but are not mutually exclusive. See also Theurgy. Supplication or prayer As a supplication or prayer it implies to call upon God, a god, goddess, or...
Curse Tablet A curse tablet (tabella defixionis, defixio; κατάδεσμος katadesmos) is a small tablet with a curse written on it from the Greco-Roman world. The tablets were used to ask the gods, place spirits, or the deceased to perform an action on a person or object, or otherwise compel the subject of the curse....
Curse A curse (also called an imprecation, malediction, execration, malison, anathema, or commination) is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, “curse” may refer to such a wish or pronouncement made effective by a supernatural or spiritual power,...
Ardas The Ardas (ਅਰਦਾਸ) is a set prayer in Sikhism. It is a part of worship service in a Gurdwara (Sikh temple), daily rituals such as the opening the Guru Granth Sahib for prakash (morning light) or closing it for sukhasan (night bedroom) in larger Gurdwaras, closing of congregational worship in smaller Gurdwaras, rites-of-passages such as with the naming of child...
List Of Forms Of Worship This list of 60 words refers to forms of worship – not specific religions or belief systems, but rather terms that denote a specific object of worship, be it saints, snakes or whatever. Related word lists you might want to check out are those for philosophical...
Mass As Liturgy Mass is the main eucharistic liturgical service in many forms of Western Christianity. The term Mass is commonly used in the Catholic Church and the Lutheran Church, as well as in Anglican, Methodist, Western Rite Orthodox, and Old Catholic churches. Other Christian denominations may employ terms such as Divine Service or worship service (and often just “service”),...
Human Sacrifice Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans, usually as an offering to a deity, as part of a ritual. Human sacrifice has been practiced in various cultures throughout history. Victims were typically ritually killed in a manner intended to please or appease gods, spirits or the deceased, for example, as a propitiatory offering or...
Ritual Purification Ritual purification is the ritual prescribed by a religion by which a person is considered to be free of uncleanliness, especially prior to the worship of a deity, and ritual purity is a state of ritual cleanliness. Ritual purification may also apply to objects and places. Ritual uncleanliness is not identical with ordinary physical impurity, such...
Monastery A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a place reserved for prayer which may be a chapel, church, or temple, and may also serve as an...
Buddhist Temple A Buddhist temple or Buddhist monastery is a place of worship for Buddhists, the followers of Buddhism. They include the structures called vihara, chaitya, stupa, wat, and pagoda in different regions and languages. Temples in Buddhism represent the pure land or pure environment of a Buddha. Traditional Buddhist temples are designed to inspire inner...
Worshipping And Praying Within Sight Of Our Children There should be a place and time for performing our prayers at home. We should either perform our prayers at home in congregation, if possible, or we should take our children to the mosque, holding their hands on the way. The latter...
Liturgy Liturgy is the customary public worship performed by a religious group. As a religious phenomenon, liturgy represents a communal response to and participation in the sacred through activity reflecting praise, thanksgiving, supplication or repentance. It forms a basis for establishing a relationship with a divine agency, as well as with other participants in the liturgy. Technically speaking, liturgy forms...
Contemporary Worship Contemporary worship is a form of Christian worship that emerged within Western evangelical Protestantism in the 20th century. It was originally confined to the charismatic movement, but is now found in a wide range of churches, including many which do not subscribe to a charismatic theology. Contemporary worship uses contemporary worship music in an informal setting. Congregational singing...
Confirmation In The Catholic Church Confirmation or Chrismation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. It is also one of the three sacraments of initiation into the Catholic Church, the other two being Baptism and Holy Communion. Description The Catechism of the Catholic Church states: Recall then that you have received the spiritual seal, the Spirit of...
Catholic Liturgy This article covers Catholic Liturgy. In the Catholic Church, liturgy is divine worship, the proclamation of the Gospel, and active charity. Liturgical principles As explained in greater detail in the Catechism of the Catholic Church and its shorter Compendium, the liturgy is something that “the whole Christ”, Head and Body,...
